Asteroid Blues - Ready the Gratia Colossos

Colonel David Andrade, also known as Colonel “Skullmar”, was looking through the window, observing the dense and beautiful jungle that surrounded their base.

The beauty of the northern jungle of Gayatri had been there for more than fifteen years as a silent witness of the horrors he had to withstand in that Paradiso planet: the Neocolonial Wars (still as a young lieutenant sent from the Neoterran state of Serenitas & Gratia), the First Alien Offensive (which decimated the Paradiso Control Force brigade he was part of), the Second Alien Offensive (which also created numerous casualties in the division of the Red-Kangaroo Force that substituted the PCF) and now, after being abroad briefly for the task forces of Flamia, Wotan and Kurage, a third and brutal Alien Offensive had struck.

In the meantime, he was Colonel of his own regiment of Panoceanian Naval Marines, nicknamed the “Gratia Colossos” after the huge red lizards in the Gratia state, and had to deploy them in the coast of the city of Aritya to defend it during months, in collaboration with Varuna forces, from the attacks of the Combined Army. They were successful but at a very high cost in lives and this was not the last alien strike, for sure.

It had not been many days after the last battle, but duty did not allow breaks. While reflecting about all recent events, Colonel Skullmar received an encrypted message with Indigo-Dark confidentiality. After ordering his Geist to send a coded response, he headed towards the officer´s room.

"Gentlemen, the Boomerang Corps are being gathered again and our participation is required for a crisis in Human Edge. Captain Vogt, get “Finsternis” ready and the 224th company aboard. Then, you can immediately leave. The rest of the companies of the regiment will stay to defend Aritya. Be fast, Vogt."

Only a few hours later the “Finsternis” was headed full speed towards the wormhole which would bring them to the Human Edge system. They had to go to the Asteroidal City of Novyy Bangkok. Further orders would come from the Boomerang Corps high commanders, who (including Colonel Skullmar) were having their first virtual meeting.