Ex Lacrima Remnant

#B-Side XVI – Containment Protocol

To the immediate attention of President Tricia Comnist,

As requested, I am providing a report of the military activities carried out by the Joint Pangean Defense Force with the goal of containing the New Babylon micrometric swarm (henceforth “the swarm”):

• Operation Knights of Fire: In the ninth hour of day one (time zero plus ten), 15 heavy bombers Aquila and 16 units from the Niteowls squadron have been deployed to disable the swarm by operating on the controls of the flight deck. Ground zero extended to a radius of around 36km from the epicenter, at the time of the mission.

• Casualties: 13 Aquila bombers LIA with all their crews (total: 65 soldiers KIA). 1 Niteowl pilot KIA. 6 Niteowl pilots MIA, including their leader, Captain Kostas Milon Gravess. 7 Seraph Mk. II units LIA.

• Results: destruction of all the ancillary spires built by the swarm in a ten kilometer radius from the seedship. No data obtained from the interior of the seedship. Overall failure.

• Remarks: 1 damaged Seraph Mk. II and 2 damaged Aquila bombers were destroyed by the swarm’s expansion around base fifteen. 16 personnel were KIA in the process. 2 Seraph Mk. II units were also lost in the swarm’s expansion around base twelve, fortunately without further loss of human lives.

• Operation Dead Recon: In the fourth hour of day two (time zero plus thirty-three), 25 autonomous drones have been deployed through the seedship gate, with the goal of finding the MIA soldiers and remap the interior of Lagash, with the support of 20 light bombers Civetta. Ground zero extended to a radius of around 120km from the epicenter, at the time of the mission. The base twelve and base fifteen epicenters further account for two additional circles of 78km of radius at the time of the mission.

• Casualties: 22 drones LIA, 4 Civetta bombers LIA with all their crews (total: 12 soldiers KIA).

• Results: destruction of the main gate of Lagash. Destruction of around half of the ancillary towers erected around the seedship. Footage from the interior of Lagash has been transmitted back by the 3 surviving drones. Analysis of the footage included in Annex A.

• Remarks: the rate of construction of the ancillary spires has increased to a point that constant bombing is not sufficient to stop the machines from rebuilding them. A scorched earth tactics might be the only viable solution. Ancillary spires detected as far as 60km from the epicenter.

• Operation Lights from the Underworld: In the eleventh hour of day two (time zero plus forty), after careful revision of the footage in Annex A and of the report on the increased growth rate of the ancillary spires, Your Office granted permission for a tactical nuclear strike on the seedship Lagash, homing 4 Helios ICBMs on the target. Ground zero extended to a radius of around 144km from the epicenter, at the time of the mission. The base twelve and base fifteen epicenters further account for two additional circles of 103km of radius at the time of the mission.

• Casualties: none

• Results: none

• Remarks: the Helios ICBMs were destroyed in-flight by the anti-debris defense system of the seedship. A similar offensive action by Eastcol troops also ended up with the loss of 6 of their Karnash ICBMs. The defensive systems of Lagash are more reactive and precise than predicted, hitting the ICBMs as far as two kilometers before impact. Due to the safety locks, none of the ICBMs ignited.

As a result of the above analysis, we elected to rethink our offense, temporarily retreat from the territories formerly belonging to the city of New Babylon and cease all military operations until we reassess our priorities. The swarm spread from the additional epicenters is of particular concern, as it has already destroyed significant portions of Pangean territory at the Eastern border of New Netherlands. Relocation of the affected civilians is in progress but, with the current expansion rate of the anomaly, the entire Eastern territory of our Union will be destroyed within a maximum of six Lagash days.

Evaluation of possible evacuation plans, including forceful repossessing of the lunar city of Neon, are included in Annex B.

Annex C details possible first-strike measures against Pangean allies and enemies alike, if a scorched earth approach is pursued.

Finally, Annex D contains a list of all the critical facilities scheduled for immediate self-destruction as soon as the swarm is in a five kilometer radius from them.

If the intel provided by the New Netherlands officer who contacted Your Office does not offer a way to contain the swarm timely, Your Office might decide to resort to Operation Dawn of Blood to make sure none of our enemies survives the demise of our Pangean Union.

This, though, might also signify the end of mankind as we know it.

With all due respect, I do not want to be the one making this decision.

In faith,

General Anton Gemini,

Joint Pangean Defense Force