Humans and some more advanced species with powerful radios may pick up a weak radio channel sometime during the day. It’s clearly a very distant signal, distorted and filled with static, but the unencrypted signal would just be clear enough to hear to the most terrifying of sounds… The sounds of armed conflict. Through the static and radio haze, machine gun fire and explosions reverberate throughout whatever place is succumbing to war. Surprisingly enough, a human male’s voice soon adds itself to the plethora of noise, although it is calm and collected; an oasis of clear thought in a place that lacks it so.. ++-“..-is Jonathan Cushings reporting from New Y-…..-arth. I am currently attached to the United Systems Colonial Marines Third Armored Division, Second Brigade in support of contested Amer-…-diers in the Financial District. An assault upon the tentacle entities that has ravaged our home world is currently underway. The first wave from Mars had set down yesterday in the harbor, an-......-derway. You can hear the.. The uh.. The sound of orbital drop pods coming down a few blocks from our location, and the rumble of our Main Battle Tanks moving down Twenty Second."-++ The sound of a distant explosion fills the radio, and the signal cuts to complete static. Thirty seconds later, it finally cuts back in to the sound of close-by automatic fire and the curses of the war journalist. ++-“…-uck, shit.. That was bad.”-++ A pause, before he begins to speak again. ++-“.. The battle has been a horrid one, and human soldiers have taken massi-….-ualities in their assault upon some of the larger entities that have holed up or have even taken the place of some of the larger skyscrapers in Downtown Manhattan. There are tentacle entities that have completely en-…..-me buildings, and joint American and United Systems troops have initiated either heavy orbital bombardments a-….-tillery against them. This city, like so many others, has been reduced to a disgusting pink wasteland filled with the r-……….-orld. Currently, the Third Armored Battalion is preparing to meet up with American military forces holed up in the Financial District, a contested area that has be-…….-uman forces. The joint force will then prepare to move deeper into Manhattan the following day in an attempt t-……..-he island. May G-…..”-++ Static, and then nothing. The signal goes dead, at least for now.
Suddenly, days later, the radio channel would spark back to life; cutting through some Antares local stations and even onto Starnet to be viewed by the general population. This time, the signal is much clearer, and comes through pristine. The message starts with a gentle Earth tune; the anthem of the United Systems, followed quickly by a Human male's thick, brass-like voice.. "This is the United Systems Mars Detachment, bringing you live coverage from the Reclamation of Earth. To all of our human brethren among the stars, may you feel at ease. We fight so we may return home soon." A pause. "...We now go live to our reporter planetside, Jonathan Cushings, currently stationed with joint-American and United Systems troops at our firebase on Liberty Island, New York City." A second pause, followed by static.. Before a familiar voice from the last transmission comes through. The voice sounds much more relaxed and happer than before; compared to the stressful words of his previous transmission. ++-"Thanks Lieutenant. This is Jonathan Cushings reporting from Firebase 'Liberty', where United Systems and American infantry, mechanized, and air forces have just managed to gain a foothold planetside. While orbital bombardments softened the tentacle entities and monsters that have taken our world from us, United Systems and American soldiers have reclaimed Liberty Island and most of Downtown Manhattan in the name of Humanity. A forward operating base has been established at the Financial District and in Grand Central Station, where field officers are now preparing a new offensive and coordinating with air forces to begin dropping white phosphorus and napalm bombs on hostile entities; both which have destructive effects on our foes. For troops Stateside, the battle has fallen silent as soldiers repair their gear, arm their tanks, and await the third and final wave from Mars, set to touch down in the next few days. We will now go live to Brigadier General Thomas Withers, who's forces are fighting through the muck and xeno remains to recapture London, England. General?"-++ Yet another pause of static follows his words before a gruff, older gentleman's English-accented voice comes through the channel. The sound of pulse rifle fire can be heard in the background; followed quickly by the sound of distant artillery guns and the 'whoosh' of jets flying overhead.. ++-"Good evening Cushings."-++ ++-"It's good to hear from you General Withers. How is the situation in England?"-++ ++-"It's tough, Cushings, I can't lie about that. The damned xenos and those tentacle stalks are practically hiding in every orfice we can imagine.. They seem to be using the sewers to travel, so we've begun gassing, firebombing, even attempting to irradiate them as best we can. We've made it into the outskirts of London and managed to link up with a few teams of Royal Marines, and my leftenants are prepared to pass over the River Thames tomorrow morning with a full battalion. Hopefully we'll be enjoying lunch outside Parliament."-++ ++-"That's fantastic to hear, General. What of the troops deployed to Ireland, or off the coast of Norway?"-++ ++-"I'm afraid I can't discuss the whereabouts of the soldiers deployed in Norway, Cushings. However, the soldiers sent to Ireland checked in yesterday with their scouting; seems Ireland has been infested worse than London. We'll be holding off on an invasion there for a good while."-++ ++-"Has the team reported back in today?"-++ ++-"....No, they haven't. We're sure they will, however; just some bad connection issues."-++ ++-"..Very good, General. Good luck."-++ The signal cuts off for a moment, as Cushings prepares to address the audience listening. ++-"It seems the invasion of Earth is going according to plan. Rest easy, humanity, the United Systems is well on it's way to reclaiming our homeworld. It just takes time, and the brave souls who volunteer'd to continue to strive for victory. That's all for today. Be sure to check in the next few days for updates. Where ever you are out there, humanity, remember you WILL have a home to return to."-++
