Mission 13 - Prisoner

## 13 - Prisoner

The EIRA Station at the Vega System, which contains a lot more than just loot from a previous battle.

## Battle Information

### Location

EIRA Institute Research Facility, Vega System

### Aftermath

Strategic Renegade Sylon Victory* Information retrieved from EIRA Station.
* Revelation of the true nature of the Sylus and the Sylons origins.
* Cura and Praetor (protagonist) diverge from the Sylon Collective, becoming Renegade Sylons.

## Belligerents

* Renegade Sylons

* EIRA Institute

## Commanders

* Praetor (protagonist)

* Unknown EIRA Commander

## Forces

* Complete Sylon arsenal except Shades and Plasma Raids.
* Prototype Host Vessel

* Complete Federation arsenal.

## Objectives

* Reach and access EIRA Station and download database related to Kuiper Belt encounter.

* Defend EIRA facilities from Sylon assault.

## Casualties and losses

Minimal
Severe

## Involved Characters

* Praetor (protagonist)
* Cura
* Sterling Buckner

*Prisoner* is the thirteenth mission of Chapter 02 - Ascension in the Five Nations campaign.

## Setting

After the operation to mislead the Thorun Empire into attacking the Athrael Theocracy - thus preventing any future support to the United Federation - was a greater success than expected, the Praetor assigned by the Sylus to build the Relay Node at the Caribou System wished to return to it's original mission, but Cura desired to perform additional tests on the Human subject recovered by the Renegade Praetor.

When asked by Cura, the captured human revealed his identity - Sterling Buckner, a Federation Fleet Admiral which helmed the 12th Fleet at the Caribou System. Recognizing Cura, Buckner called to him, asking if the Sylus was bluffed successfully, on which Cura recalled the words of the Renegade Praetor - "All transformation comes as a new order…"

With these words, Cura informed the Praetor had a new directive, which was to abort all the missions given by the Sylus, on which the Praetor resisted. Buckner then told Cura what it had instructed him to tell - Go to the Vega System, as the answers Cura needed would lie there. Thus Cura insisted the Praetor would follow this advice, as it was certain would be the 'best option for the Sylons'.

## And Truth Shall Set You Free

The Praetor and Cura (both aboard the Prototype Host Vessel) had warp-shifted to the Vega System with a small contingent of Sylon units as to avoid the mission being exposed. Buckner revealed the purpose behind the coordinates they had arrived, which was a station belonging to the EIRA Institute, that collected large amounts of Sylon technology from the engagement at the Kuiper Belt, including a Transponder which stored parts of Cura's memory. To access these parts, the Praetor would have to access the research facility at the heart of the station. Due to the limited forces brought up, the Praetor had to resort on using Assimilators to take over EIRA vessels, active and inactive, as the Sylon forces advanced through the outer ring of the complex, each assimilated vessel bolstering the Praetor's forces. Amongst the inactive vessels was an Installator and some Labors which the Praetor would later use to establish a position and fabricate forces to attack the EIRA stations. While with minimal security, the EIRA facility was anything but defenseless, as it included heavy vessels in the form of Avenger battleships and even nuclear ordnance.

The Praetor's vessel, after the unexpected large-scale confrontation, eventually reached the EIRA Station, where it accessed the captured Transponder and downloaded Cura's memories. From them, Cura could inform the Praetor the truth regarding the Renegade Praetor's previous rebellion and the suggestion to abort all orders given by the Sylus - That, contrary to the supposedly informed history, the Sylons - once a biological free species - were captured, imprisoned and forced by the Sylus, designed as their information repository, into uploading their minds as a "measure to preserve themselves", when it fact it enslaved them to the central intelligence's will, blocking the stored consciousness and only giving temporary permission to operate for a few, such as Cura and the Praetor. Cura also informed the Praetor that the Sylus would terminate both the Praetor and Cura, regardless of success or failure in accomplishing it's objectives.

To counter this, Cura had created, alongside the Renegade Praetor, a solution known as 'Ascension', meant to break the infinite mandate of the Sylus. Prior to the Renegade Praetor's destruction, Cura purposefully deleted all objectives from it's memory, using diversionary tactics and restarting the objective to prevent being identified by the Sylus as a renegade system as well. Now, with the memories restored, Cura and Praetor could continue the 'Ascension' program, as planned...

## Walkthrough

The player will start the mission with three Assimilators, two Arsons, one Shade and the Prototype Host Vessel, as well as the Fast Charging upgrade already researched. Right close to the starting point there will a trio of Orcas on patrol which the player can time the patrol and prepare to assimilate all three vessels, waiting until the Assimilators have 200 power each to cast the spell. A bit ahead, the entrance to the complex will be guarded by a couple of Barricade Sats as well as a Pasteur close to the Supply Silos which the player is highly advised to assimilate. A bit more ahead, past a couple of Fusion Reactors, is a Dresda that can be assimilated, with the aid of the Host Vessel's Recall ability, as well as a KEIKO Sentry this same Dresda can tank damage as it depletes it's shield and the Orcas destroy it. After this, ahead to the northeast are four Icarii that can be rescued, full of both Metal, Helium-3 and Tachyon the player can later use, if desired.

The path onward, to the northwest, is guarded by a Defense Platform, requiring the Shade and Arsons to attack at maximum range *(The player can consult a unit's weapon's range by hovering the mouse over the weapon's name at the user interface)*, provided sufficient vision by a unit. There will also be another Pasteur to be assimilated, securing the player's healing capabilities. After this, the player will come across four Labors and the Installator that can be rescued, guarded by a single Joseon the player can assimilate or destroy. Progressing forward, to the southwest, are four KEIKO Sentries in a box formation to be destroyed, and, after this, a small force of four Orcas and a Hailstorm the player would do well to assimilate for it's detection capabilities and staying power. Note that the player may end up drawing the attention of one of the two guarding Avenger IIs at the EIRA base's southern entrance. Should this happen, the player should definitely assimilate it, as it will provide a potent defense and siege options.

Passing the Orcas and Hailstorms, the player will come across a rich asteroid field, on which the player can deploy the Installator and start constructing a base. This will also trigger the revelation of the EIRA Station's location to the player, which can be accessed directly from it's southeastern entrance, past a couple of Defense Platforms that can be bombarded by the Shade, the assimilated Avenger II's and/or the Arsons. However, it will also be riddled with Moored Mines, hence the need of the Hailstorms, or Masks should construction be necessary, requiring a Conflux. Should the player decide to construct a base, it'll be heavily delayed due to building several Support Centers to support all the supply used, especially by the assimilated units. Aside from Masks, the player will be also be able to produce Eclipses at the Manufacture, though they require a Quantum Core as well.

Though the player can establish a base, it's perfectly viable, with a sufficient able micro-management, to destroy the defenses to and around the EIRA Station with the current forces, plus additional assimilated ones, especially additional Hailstorms, Dresdas and especially Tellers, that should be baited with other attacking units for the Assimilators to take over. EIRA will attack using Orcas combined with Hurricanes, a couple of Hailstorms combined with Tellers and later Dresdas, and Crows. Note that the player may need to force the Tellers into using their nuclear missiles before attempting to assimilate them, but if the player manages to capture one or two Tellers, along with the two Avenger IIs, this will provide an enormous advantage as the player can draw the EIRA defending units (white) to an area where the Tellers at full charge can destroy them. The player should only take caution close to the EIRA station and instead pick off the nearby Moored Mines, the Defensive Stations and the guarding KEIKO Sentry at the right corner of the map.

After this is done and a path is secured, the player can move in the Host Vessel to the EIRA Station, finishing the mission.

## Background and Conclusion

Prior to this mission, it was originally assumed - from the wreckage of the 12th Fleet encountered by Benjamin Colburne and Greg Leskovski at *Point Custer* in Chapter 01 - Hostile Visitors - that Admiral Sterling Buckner was a confirmed KIA, but in fact he was captured by the Renegade Praetor (probably per Cura's suggestion) in an effort to better understand and fight the United Federation, but was successfully swayed by Buckner and Cura into turning against the Sylus, setting off the chain of events that would lead to the destruction of the Sylus Core at the Hathor-4 System.

Because of Cura having deliberately deleted it's memories before storing them, however, the previous operation to have the Thorun Empire siege the Athrael Theocracy was legitimely to carry out the original directives of the Sylus - ensuring the completion of the Sylus Relay Node at the Caribou System and resuming attacks against the United Federation - while ensuring a favourable outcome. The 'gambling' concept, as well as the deception, were likely all devised by Buckner, probably as a means to get the Renegade Praetor to his side.

The outcome stated by Cura, that both it and the Praetor would be destroyed by the Sylus, was covertly hinted at *The Birth of a New Praetor*, with the Sylus stating that the right of temporary, individual free will would be revoked in either case of failure or success. However, it could be presumed the Praetor expected to return alive to the Collective, instead of being discarded.