The Coordinator's own...

Caripare

Irece Prefecture

Draconis Combine

28 July 3152 

                    Sho-sa Jade Takahashi set the noteputer aside, closed her eyes and sighed. She let the warm water of the bath embrace her body as her mind wandered. The subtle hints of spring had long passed, and now the full aroma of Summer on Caripare filed her nostrils. She had just finished reading the reports that had come her way via courier of the fate of her brethren in the Thirteenth Sword of Light regiment. Her commanding officer, Tai-sa Okamoto Goro reported that he had fought to a standstill a young ristar of the Rasalhague Dominion, Star Captain Thor Bekker.

                    While their personal fight had been a draw, the Dominion forces had overwhelmed the Combine defenders. The Combine had been driven from the world, and the rest of the Thirteenth was retreating to Avon.

                    She silently cursed her luck. The Tai-sa and the majority of the regiment had been in battle, and she was stuck guarding this agricultural world with her rump battalion of forces. They were not on the axis of attack toward Black Luthien, and she would likely find herself out of the fight unless recalled.

                    Where others might relish the easy garrison duty on this agrarian world, she chafed against it. Her career was at a standstill, and there was little room for advancement if she was not seeing action. She still entertained dreams of one day running her own regiment in the DCMS. She would not get there by guarding grain silos on some farming planet.

                    Her reverie was interrupted by a beeping sound in her right ear. She tapped the earpiece she was wearing, activating the comm system. "Yes, what is it."

                    "Forgive me for interrupting you, Sho-sa, but this news is important. System Control reports that an unidentified JumpShip has appeared at the Nadir point and a Dropship has begun burning towards the planet. They do not answer any hails, and have no recognizable markings. Speculation is that it is some kind of raiding party, perhaps mercenaries in the employ of the Dominion, as it is a military vessel. "

                    It was as if her prayers had been answered. Finally there might be some action for her on this backwater!