Day 7

*This page is no longer canon. It was written as part of the "12 Days of Firefall" lore release before Orson Scott Card joined Red 5 and rewrote the lore. The original format is preserved here for archival purposes.*

## The Crystite Wars

*The newfound understanding of crystite did not result in a boom of international trade and cooperation but instead a militarized land grab with each nation intent on securing and controlling any available crystite in their surrounding regions. The following is pulled from the journal of a West Africa Company marine named Moussa Keita during his time fighting for the Atlantis Fracture.*

*Aris Holden - Historian*

I'm not sure what I expect from writing this. But at least it helps pass the time. I never thought that I'd be a part of something like this. We left port on a full dropship. Twenty men. hell, it was more like five men and fifteen boys. My brother had already done a few runs to Atlantis. He kept telling me how the waters were red with blood and the beaches were crushed bone instead of sand. I thought he was only trying to scare me. I was wrong.

We landed on the eastern shore. We'd almost completed our foxholes and forward encampment when they attacked. Out of no where mortar rounds started blowing all around us. The screams were nearly more than I could take as I watched my platoon burn to death. All I could do was hunker down and hope I didn't get hit.

It felt like hours, but only minutes later, I was picked up and pushed at the oncoming enemy. I'm still not sure who got me moving, but I can still remember them yelling "Fire your gun until you die, Keita!"

That's exactly what I did.

Plasma rounds and bullets shot past me nearly burning my ears off as I ran, screaming, up the embankment. I couldn't even see an enemy. I just fired and reloaded without thinking. All the while, I waited for one of those bullets coming my way to hit me and end it all.

By the time I reached the top of the hill, I was alone. I caught something moving out of the corner of my eye. On reflex, I turned and fired. It was an old man. Had to be at least sixty. I couldn't tell if he was a Neo-Dixie or a Euro. One of my shots must have hit his hydraulics because the leg of his frame kept twitching. The shot that count was just above his chest guard in the base of his neck.

As he lay there dying, I couldn't help but just stare. We both looked at each other with the same expression. What the hell are we doing here?

By the time the rest of the guys got to me, the battle was over. We secured the beach and cleared for the engies to come in to start harvesting crystite. Figures that they wouldn't send in any more dropships with reinforcements or even take out the wounded, all they wanted was that damn rock.

I was the last one left in my platoon. HQ reassigned me to a new one, but I hear they're fighting the Euros on the north side of the island and won't be here until tomorrow. I just want to go home.

One of the other guys said he saw the Morningstar last night. He said it is right above us, just waiting to launch an attack. I don't buy that though. I didn't see anything up there. And if they were up there, what in the hell would they be waiting for?

*Two days later, the EU launched a massive assault to retake the island. The marines stayed behind while workers and equipment were evacuated. After the battle, Keita and the remainder of his marine regiment were immediately declared KIA. A medal of honor was sent to his wife and children.*