2175 C.E.

XIII: The Trojan Horse

Congolese 4th Armored Division-Congo Intelligence Agency: We have successfully recovered WORM. Troy says hello. Good luck.

Letter: From Chinwe Opeyemi, 440 E Ormarith Rd, Jimeso, Ghana: To Eglantine Kayode, 1001 Sherman St, Imladris, Nova: Translated by Ibrahim Wassume

My Dearest Eglantine,

Today is a most blessed day, for I have at last been delivered from the hands of the Hegemony. Two days ago, we crossed the border into Congo, and were rescued by the Congolese armed forces. They picked us up in the middle of a battle. They tell me that an entire division was sent to retrieve us. Think of that! An entire division of the best soldiers in the world. We had to hurry, though, for the Hegemony was close on our tails; they tell me that the whole of their force has focused on the border with Ghana. Soon, they may come across the border and invade Congo. Perhaps they will even reach Kinshasa itself.

Our passenger, the Asian man who followed us from Jimeso, has become a great fixture here. I have finally been told who he is; he was a host, a human mind emptied and connected to the Interlink. I had heard of such things before, and they appalled me even in concept. But to see him there, in the lab, where they were hooking my people up to those things too...When do you think it will be that all of us become like that? Hooked permanently into a processing matrix and utilized for cranial power? Our individualism sapped away, our existence reduced to meaningless fantasy while our bodies are turned to whatever purpose the machine deems fit? Is this where our technology has brought us, to the place where humans can be docile, farmed and exploited so long as they can entertain their minds? It is a troubling thought.

I begin to miss the man though. His innocence was refreshing in an odd way. He was a man with know knowledge of who he was or will be. So much like a child in so many ways. He had learned enough Swahili to ask for food and water when he wanted it, and was learning more. It was remarkable. I hope that this war does not leave people like him slain on the field of battle or lost to history. It would be a tragedy beyond the death of the last few months.

Love,

Chinwe

[Letter not sent, dated 09/02/2175]

09/05/2175 0431 Rizheran Standard Time: Transmission Sent Disguised Sender: O Unknown: 09/05/2175 0431 RST: Transmission Received NSN Enterprise AH01-001

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RED OCTOBER cleared for Norfolk. Prepare to receive further information.

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Personal Journal: William Aucaman

09/06/2175

Drone armies poured over the borders yesterday. I'm told that they are only a few hours away from Kinshasa itself, and several of the other neighboring countries have been occupied. Not fully occupied, I expect; the Hegemony has been a little slow getting actual humans on the ground to get industry running again or run things, and they're not paying much attention to the population at all. Some of the people who've come from those areas, mostly back east around Uganda and Rwanda, have been saying that all the Hegemony is doing is constructing fortifications in strategic locations closing in on the border. I suspect more armies will come in soon, and Ambience personnel with them to install Interlinks in the handful of people who decided to stay in occupied territory. It turns out there really aren't that many people in this part of the world who have them, even now after the Hegemony did so much to force it on them.