Invasion Force Lands on Halstead Station

Halstead City, Main Continent Halstead Station, Al Na'ir Prefecture Dieron Military District, Draconis Combine

Reports from the Southern Continent are that a invasion-size force from the Federated Suns has landed and established a beachhead there. The size of the invasion force is unknown, although by the number of dropships it is estimated to be several regiments strong.

The invaders have already started to move out and have struck several military bases throughout Halstead Station. There is one report of a small force moving towards the Rashan Mountains on the Southern Continent.

No Contact With Trell I System

Trellwan, Trell I Trellshire, Tamar Domains, Lyran Commonwealth

Lyran Commonwealth news services have reported that all transmissions to and from the world of Trellwan have ceased for over a month. Trellwan is the site of ongoing negotiations between the Commonwealth and the Oberon Confederation, a bandit kingdom. Combine treachery is suspected.

DCMS: Professional Soldiery Liaison

This corps of diplomats and bureaucrats is in charge of recruiting and supervising mercenaries. Takashi Kurita uses his best negotiators to work out contracts with mercs, as he is unwilling to allow mercenaries independent command. Often, he will make concessions on other points in order to integrate merc units under his generals. Although he realizes that he needs mercenaries, Takashi Kurita wants total control over their actions. These negotiators are also trained to extend large amounts of credit to fledging mercenaries with the intent of putting the unit further and further into debt. Many small units have joined the Combine as regular troops because of this stratagem.

Mercenary liaisons (staff officers who work with both the merce- naries and Kurita command officers) also come from the Professional Soldiery Liaison. Usually, such officers are also members of the ISF, and mercenaries should ensure that such officers never suspect the unit of treachery. The ISF has been known to judge and exterminate the leaders of suspected units.

From: House Kurita, Gillian Sorenson-Hague, ed., ComStar Archives

Kurita Training

Training does not end after graduation, and a green soldier enters a new kind of education while in the field. For example, it is not unusual for troops to march four days without sleep, except for what can be snatched during ten-minute halts. Sometimes, troops sleep while marching. Indeed, more than a few soldiers have been known to wander off a road while sleeping on their feet (such laziness is punished with 20 lashes). Even after the troops strike camp, no one gets a chance to sleep. They are all assigned to outpost or patrol duty.

I asked the Talon Sergeant why he did not let his men sleep. He replied, "That is not necessary. Kurita troops already know how to sleep. They need training in how to stay awake."

From My Life as a War Correspondent, Mercer Thomlinson, Dragon Tooth Publishing, 3022.