ONI File 21525

ACCESS GRANTED...
OFFICE OF NAVAL INTELLIGENCE FILE #21525
SUBJECT: Recovered Gilgamesh Free Radio transcripts, debriefings of Gilgamesh Free State military personnel, and war correspondent photographs pertinent to the UNSC-GFS War
BEGIN FILE
==Section 1: Recovered Gilgamesh Free Radio broadcast transcripts==
3 March, 2555
0300 Hours Broadcast
Attention! Forces of the United Nations Space Command have arrived in-system! This is not a drill! Say again, this is not a drill! All GFS personnel, immediately report to your preassigned posts at once! Civilians are urged to stay calm, remain indoors, and avoid windows if possible. You will now hear a special announcement by Marshal Garan:
I am speaking to you, citizens of the Gilgamesh Free State. At 0300 hours this morning, we detected the ingress of a United Nations Space Command task force into the space surrounding the planet we call home. At this very moment, the brave soldiers and airmen of the Gilgamesh Free Armed Forces are preparing themselves to do battle against our enemy, who has come to only steal the independence of our nation, a nation that has so bravely withstood the forces of all the galaxy against us, survived forming, and is now a nation prepared to live on its own. But the UNSC does not want that. No, they want control more than anything else, and they are willing to kill Gilgameshans to get what they want. But the threat of violence, and the spectre of making the ultimate sacrifice means nothing to you, citizens of the Free State. I have seen the glory won on this planet by the ordinary man called to do extraordinary deeds. It is for this reason that I have full faith and confidence that we will inevitably win this battle for our survival, and today, citizens of the Free State, I believe that our nation is at the height of its glory, even more than the day we became independent. To arms, Gilgameshans, to arms!
Gilgamesh Free State Radio will continue with updates as long as possible.
0430 Hours Broadcast
*air raid siren*
Warning, warning! Air raids by UNSC forces are in progress, with confirmed targets currently being the cities of New Belgrade and Peachbrook, as well as the settlements of Northwild and Corley. All citizens are urged to seek shelter, preferably underground, at once! Repeat, all citizens are urged to seek shelter at once!
0500 Hours Broadcast
Update, UNSC forces have landed within the Gilgamesh Free State. Units of the Gilgamesh Free Army are engaged in fighting advance forces on the outskirts of New Belgrade, as well as on the frontiers. Initial UNSC attempts to break the defensive lines around New Belgrade are being met with fierce resistance by the forces in the city. Heavy fighting is reported from various locations on the borderlands, but GFA units there are reported to have withstood the initial attacks and are maintaining lines of organized resistance against the UNSC.
5 March, 2555
1000 Hours Broadcast
UNSC forces have forced the 12th Infantry Regiment to retreat from its positions around the settlement of Corley. Latest reports state that elements of the 18th Infantry Regiment have been encircled, but are continuing to offer heavy resistance to the UNSC forces. The remaining elements have escaped the encirclement, and have reorganized. Two UNSC assaults on units defending the suburbs of New Belgrade have been repelled.
7 March, 2555
1000 Hours Broadcast
The following update on the war has just been confirmed from the frontier. At 0400 Hours today, after four days of fighting, cut off from any reinforcements and supplies, and lacking any ammunition or means to continue resisting the UNSC forces assaulting them, elements of the 12th Infantry Regiment has been forced to surrender. However, reports confirm that the 18th and elements of the 12th are continuing their resistance. New Belgrade continues its defiance of the odds. UNSC forces have broken through the suburbs, however, GFA forces are continuing to resist. Earlier this morning, it was reported that a major UNSC push, attempting to break through the defensive lines within the city itself, was driven off with heavy losses.
10 March, 2555
1200 Hours Broadcast
Reports indicate that the UNSC has broken through the Free Army's defense lines in New Belgrade at multiple points, and are entering into the inner city. All able-bodied civilians are urged to resist against the UNSC and aid the Free Army by all possible means. All others are strongly advised to remain in shelter unless one must absolutely emerge from it.
13 March, 2555
1200 Hours Broadcast
Citizens of New Belgrade! This is Major General Samuel Takov, commander of the Gilgamesh Free Army forces in this city. I cannot say I have ever seen this city and its people in such a glorious state. You, the citizenry, may be battered, may be bruised, the city may be aflame, with pillars of smoke and fire visible for miles around, and the soldiers of the GFA and airmen of the Free Air Force may be hungry, may be tired, but in spite of all of this, every report I receive tells tales of the incomparable courage of both my soldiers, and you, the citizens of New Belgrade, in spite of the odds we face. To arms, to arms!
15 March, 2555
1200 Hours Broadcast
UNSC forces are continuing to advance through the streets of New Belgrade, and units of the Gilgamesh Free Army are continuing to maintain their unit cohesion and offer stiff resistance to the UNSC. All citizens are urged to continue to remain sheltered as long as possible due to the dangers of the continuous UNSC artillery and air bombardment still assailing areas of the city they have not yet captured.
17 March, 2555
2100 Hours Broadcast
Recently, Major General Samuel Takov called for a ceasefire between the Gilgamesh Free State's forces in New Belgrade and the UNSC's soldiers to discuss terms of surrender for our nation's forces in this city. All citizens may now leave shelter without fear of death or injury by UNSC bombardment. The following is a statement from Major General Takov:
Citizens of New Belgrade, today, I called a ceasefire between our nation's forces and those of the UNSC that have assailed us for two weeks with bombs, shells, and bullets, killing innumerable numbers of our soldiers and civilians. They have made life in New Belgrade a struggle for existence. With the city's utilities destroyed, and soldiers and civilians suffering due to that and a lack of supplies, I felt it prudent to call a ceasefire to discuss terms of surrender to end the suffering of the noble citizens of this city. Soldiers, airmen, and citizens, you have done your duty, all of your duty.
18 March, 2555
0400 Hours
Several minutes ago, Major General Samuel Takov agreed to the UNSC's surrender terms for the forces in New Belgrade. While this is a major defeat, this is not the end of the Gilgamesh Free State. Gilgamesh Free Radio will continue broadcasts as long as possible outside of New Belgrade. While the UNSC may outlaw us, we urge you to continue listening to broadcasts. While the UNSC may have conquered our nation through force of arms, they cannot kill the ideology of independence unless we let it die! Our independence is not yet lost, so long as we do not let it be lost!
6 May, 2555
0700 Hours
==Section 2: Debriefings of captured Gilgamesh Free State military personnel==
Debriefing #1
Interviewer: Howard Robertson
Subject: Corporal Yuri Xavier, 12th Infantry Regiment, Gilgamesh Free Army
Date: December 10th, 2555
INTERVIEWER: Name, rank, unit?
SUBJECT: You already know all of that, but I know you'll torture it out of me anyway. Yuri Xavier, Corporal, 12th Infantry Regiment.
INTERVIEWER: Military specialty?
SUBJECT: Rifleman.
INTERVIEWER: Date of birth?
SUBJECT: January 12th, 2535.
INTERVIEWER: Can you please describe your experiences during what is now known as the Battle of the Borderlands?
SUBJECT: Miserable.
INTERVIEWER: Could you please elaborate? The war's over, all this is for is so we can have-
SUBJECT: Posterity? Yes, I'm well aware of how ONI likes to keep files on everything they have.
INTERVIEWER: Yes, posterity.
*subject sighs*
SUBJECT:: I was a professional soldier. Reservists reported to our unit in December, and in late February, we got orders to move out to our assigned defensive positions. Then the UNSC came, you bastards began bombing the shit out of Corley and the surrounding area we were in.
INTERVIEWER: Corley?
SUBJECT: The settlement on the frontier we had been assigned to the general area of. After the bombing stopped, then the troops starting coming, was still pretty early in the morning. We dug in and concealed ourselves wherever we could, we all know the Air Force wasn't going to be able to hold you off forever, and you'd start bombing us. The next couple of days were them sending in probing attacks. But we beat them back without much difficult, so on the 6th they began trying to smoke us out with artillery and air attack. The fire was constant, so we just lay in cover praying the next salvo or bomb wouldn't have one of our names on it. 
INTERVIEWER: Reports indicate that some units were able to break out of this encirclement. Would you elaborate on that action?
SUBJECT: Only about an hour after that hellish bombardment began, our regimental commander was killed. Deputy took over, and we got orders to break for the mountains in the dead of night, link up with some units there. We sure as hell gave your troops the shock of a lifetime when we broke out.
INTERVIEWER: How did you shock them? That is not mentioned in the battlefield reports.
SUBJECT: I'm sure it's not. Not exactly good for their commanders' image if they let it be known that their troops got shocked by a bunch of Innies. But you can bet your ass we did. Three simultaneous attacks against three different points when they thought we were demoralized and ready to give up, you can bet they were panicked and wondering what the hell to do. We made it, but 3rd Battalion and elements of mine didn't. We made it to the mountains, maybe because you were focused on wrecking what was left of them than chasing stragglers.
INTERVIEWER: How did you know?
SUBJECT: Because we heard and saw the battle going on, and the shelling seemed even more intense than the first barrage, didn't even know it was possible.
INTERVIEWER: What happened next?
SUBJECT: The UNSC put us up against a wall. Sent a few probing patrols, we drove them back. And then they did the same thing they did outside Corley, bombing and shelling us. The next four days were just us trying to survive. Finally, on the 11th, we got the order to stand down, to escape and continue resisting if we could, and to surrender if we couldn't.
INTERVIEWER: Field reports by UNSC personnel describe suicides on the 11th by rebel troops from your regiment. Would you mind describing what occurred?
SUBJECT: What's there to say? Some couldn't take the stress of realizing that you bastards had taken their friends, their nation, quite possibly their families, and that you might lock them up forever for not groveling at your feet. So they killed themselves.
INTERVIEWER: I see. That ends this interview. Thank you
SUBJECT: Go to hell.
Debriefing #2
Interviewer: William Ardo
Subject: Captain Francis Wilson, Gilgamesh Free Army, 18th Infantry Regiment
Date: December 10th, 2555
==Section 3: Photographs==
Photo #1:Taken by war correspondent Leon Ilyich on 5 March, 2555. Caption: Orbital Drop Shock Troopers from the 4th Shock Troops Battalion, after linking up with UNSC forces, holding a field funeral for their comrades killed by the Gilgamesh Free State during the opening attacks on New Belgrade.
Photo #2: Taken by war correspondent Alan Hummel on 7 March, 2555. Caption: Captured Frontier Defense Corps and Gilgamesh Free Army personnel after the surrender of elements of the 18th Infantry Regiment outside the settlement of Corley on March 7th, 2555.
Photo #3: Taken by war correspondent Thomas Adams on 11 March, 2555. Caption: Member of the Gilgamesh Free Army's 12th Infantry Regiment refusing to lay down his arms even after the official surrender of his unit. The subject was subdued peacefully shortly after the photo was taken.
Photo #4: Screenshot taken from the helmet camera footage of a trooper in the 4th Shock Troops Battalion on 10 March, 2555. Caption: UNSC forces come under heavy fire from soldiers of the Gilgamesh Free Army during their breakthrough into the city.
Photo #5:
Category:Safe Havens