Marfark

Marfark is one of the five planets that reside within the Andromeda Sector. The name is derived from an Arabic word مرفق marfaq, meaning "elbow". Theta Cassiopeiae -- a solitary star in the northern constellation of Cassiopeia also shares the traditional name Marfark.
Following it's establishment, the Automaton's would attempt to subvert the Menkent Line by attempting to punch through at Marfark. mustering the entirety of their strength for the endeavour. Super Earth High Command thus ordered Helldiver and SEAF forces to hold the planet, no matter the cost. Should the socialist toasters break through, they would be two FTL jumps away from the SEAF forward command base located on Vernen Wells.
== Topography ==
The elbow of the Andromeda Sector, Marfark, is a planet thrust in an eternal winter, rife with blizards and extreme cold. It's terrain is spread across large ice flows, causing the frigid waters to further disrupt traversal of the battlefield.
== History ==
=== Special Military Operations ===
==== Automaton Reclamation of Cyberstan ====
Marfark had remained a icy, desolate colony of Super Earth for almost 100 years, its colonists inhabiting its permafrost tundras and thriving amongst the endless frozen oceans and mountainous glaciers. It was of no particular remark, with many other icy moons like it spread across the galaxy. However, if there is anything that the enemies of Super Earth hate....is peace.
On April 3rd, 2184, shortly after their crushing, unapologetic defeat at Malevelon Creek and the righteous obliteration of their Expeditionary Forces; the Automatons, through some unknown and most likely tyrannical and undemocratic means, returned to fight Super Earth on force. They quickly overwhelmed and conquered Cyberstan and the Valdis Sector and began to rush for the neighboring sectors. As the Helldivers scrambled back into the fight against the mechanized menace, the colonists at Marfark saw in horror and despair how, one by one, its surrounding planets fell to the red tides of socialism.
Then, on April 16th, as the Helldivers managed to stop the Automaton advance at the Menkent-Lesath line, Marfark faced its first robotic assault, as the Automatons rushed to try and outflank the defenses. 
War had been brought upon their doorstep.
==== Menkent Line and Operation Cassiopeia ====
Throughout the months of April and May, Marfark would see 2 assaults that displaced its surviving colonists and destroyed their icy dwellings, as the Helldivers fought tooth and nail to hold the line against the tyrannical machines.
On April 16th SEAF forces had managed to liberate half of the Automaton presence on Marfark when uptick in the bots resistance was noticed, including the re-appearance of Factory Striders in large numbers. Not long after the order came in from High Command to hold the planet, in order to secure the vulnerable flank of the Menkent Line. Thus the Helldivers would redouble their efforts against the bots before their main automaton fleet could be redirected to the system, even redirecting forces from the bloody fighting on Martale.
After heavy fighting throughout the remainder of the day and into early hours of the following morning, their efforts would pay off as the last of the Automaton holdouts would be crushed. Although S.E.A.F. forces braced for a possible follow up attack by the Automatons, no further offensives would materialize for the rest of the day (likely due to the toasters loosing their footholds and much of their heavy equipment on the arctic world), with High Command declaring the defense of the planet a resounding success.
With Marfark secure, the Helldivers would redirect their efforts to other fronts such as Matar Bay and Penta
However, as the Terminid Control System failed in the East, the Helldivers would be forced to divert power in order to contain the now resurgent supercolony, which would ultimately doom Marfark to a fate worse than conquest by the Automatons, as it would be stuck on a deadlock.
=== Second Galactic War ===
Marfark had fallen out of Liberty's grace. As the Terminids and Automatons constantly forced the Helldivers to split and separate, more and more planets fell to the Automaton waves. Marfark would be lost in May, opening the gates for an assault on Aesir Pass that would be unsuccessful. But, such a fate was not to be the end for the icy bastion.
==== Operation Trolley Problem ====
By June, Marfark had been at least 4 weeks under the iron fist of the robots. But, it would be these barbarous occupation what would give it a glimpse of hope. The Automatons had brought to it a large repository of explosives, which would be determined by SEAF analysts to be necessary for the production of MD-17 Anti-tank mines. However, this discovery would occur at the same time that a distress signal came from the ruins of the Super Citizen Anne's Hospital For Very Sick Children at nearby Vernen Wells, leaving the Helldivers with a choice to make: Save the trapped civilians at Vernen Wells or secure the explosives at Marfark, since only the first planet to be liberated would have its civilians or material secured.
After the liberation of Aesir Pass in June 12th, the Helldivers began to dive towards both planets, with the majority picking Vernen Wells. While this may seem to be the end for the explosive caches, the icy bastion of Marfark may have one more chance at enjoying the sweet embrace of Managed Democracy again.
Unfortunately following the liberation of Super Citizen Anne's Hospital For Very Sick Children on Vernen Wells, the Automatons appear to have become aware of our efforts to liberate the Anti-Tank Mine materials on Marfark, and initiated operations to transport the material off-planet. Despite liberating 65% of the planet's surface, within 24 hours the bots were able to move the explosives cache deeper within their territory.
Marfark remained in Automaton hands, with the federation's MD-17 Anti-Tank Mine factories being shuttered for the time being, following multiple successive material shortfalls. The adult and pre-adult workers in those factories have been reassigned to other gainful and safe employment.
==== Operation Andromeda ====
With impossible victory achieved in Ymir Sector, Ministry of Defense decided to (after brief reprise in form of bug killing) reconnect with the stranded SEAF forces. A great liberation operation was called, with intend of both creating a supply line to besieged Ymir sector, as well as cutting the Bot territory in half. First hellpods landed on late afternoon of July 13th, while most of the SEAF was busy liberating Matar Bay. Proper liberation begun the next day, and after 2 days of fierce fighting, Marfark was liberated on morning of July 16th, fully opening the way to a planet that harbored a most shameful SEAF defeat - Martale.
== FTL Lanes ==
* Aesir Pass - Hydra Sector (Established on April 9, 2184)
* Martale
* Matar Bay
Category:Andromeda Sector
Category:Operation Andromeda
Category:Operation Trolley Problem