"Simon, ya've done alotta work for da Blue... and in da process ya'vent made any friends with Earthforce. Things have changed though."

"Earthforce Scientists have found wormholes leadin' to a dimension they call 'Subspace'. It's filled with all sorts of nasties and they're endangering everyone in our corner of the black. Not just Earthforce. Not just Paxians. Even da Blue could come unna attack. Everyone."

"So. Earthforce needs alda help it can get. They're willing to pardon your past misdeeds and turnna blind eye to any future ones, for a while anyway, if ya head to Subspace and conscript. Notta bad deal is it?"

"Simon? From the Blue Pirates? It's good to see Command's call to some of the more... unseemly factions hasn't gone unheard. You're probably only here for the pardon -- which according to your record -- you desperately need." Earthforce Command Officer Evans gives you a disgusted look. "Well, if you're serious about this..."

"Since you seem intent on this," starts Earthforce Command Officer Evans, "I have no choice to give you your first assignment. You are to report to the E.F.V. Horizon in Earthforce Defense Hub immediately! Good luck Simon... you are most definitely going to need it."

You are greeted by a gruff and grizzled veteran. He must be Warden Greene. "Welcome aboard Simon. I take it you're ready to put the boot to some aliens? Good!"

"Earthforce is in a pickle right now. Enlistment is down and a lot of ships are allocated to the borders to stop pirates from terrorizing the colonists. You can see why they hit upon this plan, it is absolutely genius! Pirate activity decreases on the borders, more ships show up here to help with the aliens. It's kind of a feedback loop. Whatever, who cares, it's a good plan."

"Anyway, here is the deal. If you enlist for a tour in subspace, Earthforce will pardon all your past offenses -- and this is a really good deal for you. I've seen your file; you have one heck of a record makes me jealous. Being out here, it's not the safest gig -- these aliens are dangerous, but it'll give you some breathing room for a while when you get back home. So? Whaddya say?"

"Talked to Blue Pirate Wallace did you? And you're still here? Well, no sense waiting time then, Simon."

"By Earthforce Executive Order SADOW X7908, as handed down by the Sky Marshall, Simon you are enlisted in Earthforce Expeditionary Force holding the temporary rank of Enforcer until such time it is seen fit to discharge you. Upon discharge and pending successful completion of all requirements, all previous transgressions against Earthforce or affiliated factions will be forgiven."

"Enforcer Simon. Welcome to Earthforce."

"Simon, before you accept this assignment, I should let you know this is a joint operation. It's us and any pirates who show up -- and they have a good reason to. Earthforce has offered a full pardon to any of these criminals who sign up for a tour."

Warden Greene grabs your shoulder and looks you in the eyes. "I would fully understand if you don't want to work with these scumbags. Some of the stuff some of 'em have done is pretty bad -- but we need all the help we can get out here. I'm askin' that you keep an open mind, mull it over, meet up with the pirate leader. If you show up for briefing, you're doing Earthforce a favor and if you don't? Well I understand."

"Blue Pirate Wallace has his own quarters here on E.F.V. Horizon. Talk to him, it might make you feel a little better about our new 'allies'."

"Hey there Simon! Warden Greene said you'd be coming to see me." Blue Pirate Wallace grabs your hand and shakes it. "I'm Blue Pirate Wallace and I'm the liaison for all the pira -- non-Earthforce personnel here aboard the E.F.V. Horizon." He motions you towards a chair in the room and sits across from you.

"I know, it seems really unlikely that pirate -- ahem, non-Earthforce personnel could be here working with Earthforce. But you have to understand. These aliens, this threat, it's bigger than all of us. If we don't work together and do something about it, we're all sunk. For now anyway, Earthforce needs all of us."

"If you're gonna stay, Warden Greene is holding a briefing in the operations room here aboard the Horizon. If you're not ... whatever."

You enter a large meeting room in the E.F.V. Horizon. It has amphitheatre seating around a holographic display and what few empty seats remain are quickly filling up with fellow pilots. Warden Greene stands in the center of the room and addresses you.

"Command says it's time we sent our first strike force into subspace, that we need to show these aliens just who they are dealing with. And I agree, we're Earthforce, dammit!" Warden Greene slams his fist into the display console.

"That's why I'm charging each and every one of you pilots, Earthforce, Pirate or otherwise, to head out there and not return until you've got a few kills under your belt. These are organics and Earthforce have provided you with training and weaponry -- so I better hear this was the easiest damn mission of your whole damn lives when you get back. Now move out!"

"In order to better fight out enemies in subspace, Command has issued a contract to the Blue Photon Corporation", begins Earthforce Command Officer Evans."They'll be designing and producing specialized weaponry and armor for our ships. I know you are thinking 'but Evans, what does that have to do with me?"
He continues. "Blue Photon has put in a request for Earthforce Personnel to assist their research scientists in Subspace. It's a dangerous place and they can't have researchers traipsing around out there collecting samples -- that'd be your job for this assignment! Report to Archimbald Muenster, B.P.M.R.S for further instruction. Good luck!"

Archimbald Muenster, B.P.M.R.S is a short balding man of Germanic descent. He introduces himself. "I am called Archimbald Muenster. Ja, ja. I know I am named after ein Kaese. Laugh now for we have much verk ahead of us!"

"Ah-ha! Dis material is quite interesting! It is vhat I dought it vould be! A bio-metallic chitin -- amazing, ja?" says an excited Archibald Muenster, B.P.M.R.S. "But I need further testing! Machines in mine lab can only tell me so much!"

"I haf created armor plates, vich I haf affixed to testing drones. I vill launch dese drones just outside the station und fur me, I vould like you to stress test dese drones! Dey are not combat drones so dis should be a fery easy task. As you damage them, I vill take readings und measurements und hopefully I can learn how to reinforce dese materials und create an e-fen more resilient composite mateiral!"

"Ha! Tricky drones were they not? I had dem modulating shield harmonics in order to properly test multiple damage types!" Archimbald Muenster, B.P.M.R.S. smiles at his cleverness. "In any case, I haf dee results I needed. Good verk <playername>!"