A formal declaration

April ,11,998(ATS)

- Three weeks after the Confederate attack-

For weeks, the federation populace is in utter shock and awe at the confederate of their invasion of their territories and mass murder of the planets they captured.

There are so much footage of the battles. The atrocities. It was all sudden. A few months ago the federation has been negotiating a deal and a way to free the nations outside their borders. The confederates replying with the attack.

Families with known relatives on the outer planets begged for help two days after the news of the invasion broke out, lining up at their planet's local interplanetary affairs building, hoping to recieve word from their families in the combat zone.

The government for the past three weeks has been comminsioning and sending supply ships to designated refugee zones and military forces fortress worlds to create a defensive line on the possible worlds next to be invaded.

No one still knows why they invaded. Why they attacked the colonies that were not a threat to them.

In one of the cities of the Federation, a government news company named FNN(Federation News Network) receives a message from an anonymous sender. One of the technicians see's it and opens the message. Most of the time the news station would recieve prank messages and calls. Sometimes even requests from conspiracy theorists to be featured on one of their daily news broadcast.

But this isnt one of them. It isnt a prank message or any other nonsense sent to them.

It is a message sent by the Confederacy of Man to broadcast a signal being sent to them via quantum transmitters deep in the confederate territories. The message says it is urgent. And it will change the course of the galaxy's history.

FNN isnt the only one however. Other news companies also recieve the message, and rush to intercept the signal broadcast. A big story and scoop of the ages.

•••

The hospital ships that has left Calhoun has calmed down as each and everyone on board has been tended to. The fleet has just completed their two week long trip via a tear through a space-time stream and are now burning to slow themselves down while staying course on their destination for five days unless they want to ram an asteroid or grain of dust at 0.1 percent the speed of light.

In the mess hall, Emily sits on one of the stools looking at a photo from her phone while the news is being broadcast from the ceiling mounted holo screens. Her leg still on a cast with crutches laying behind her on the stool.

The mess hall was the only place with holo screens since the wards have to be quiet and the people not be disturbed.

The photo being displayed is her and her friends when they went to a theme park on their third year. A ferris wheel, a large castle and a cartoon space ranger statue on the background.

Her phone was still working when they recovered her. It was odd to the crew though. One of the onboard engineers even called it a super advanced brick. But she didnt mind it. All she cares right now is that she has her phone and the photos inside.

The photos being the only thing reminding her of home. And what she lost that day. What everyone on the ship has lost.

"Hey Emily." Jenna walks up behind she closes a door before sitting beside her. Wearing an off-white nurse uniform. "You doing okay?"

Emily didnt answer for a moment and looks back at the pictures as she browse the gallery.

"Yeah. Im fine." She replies. Not batting an eye. "What is it?"

"Just here checking on you. Im a nurse after all."

Emily keeps scrolling through the pictures amd sees her photo with her parents on her graduation day in highschool.

"Its been a year since I last saw your parents." Jenna went on."I still remember the day when your parents mistook me for your girlfriend when I visited. Kinda funny thinking it till now."

"Your parents are still alive right?" Emily asks Jenna. "Where are they now?"

"Probably in some five star beach resort in the other side of the galaxy. Who knows? Its been a while since I talked to them."

Emily keeps scrolling through the gallery as they converse. The pictures of her, her friends and parents enjoying themselves as they went on with their simple lives. Enjoying life.

Scrolling to another photo of her in a history classroom she remebers about the tensions between the two nations and its allies that has been growing even before she was born. Merely because of the existence and humanization of the people they see as abominations.

The faunasians and enhanced. They saw her green haired friend as an abomination. A mistake. They hated her and her race.

But for what?

"Why?" Emily mutters.

Jenna looking at her. Confused with what she said.

"Why did they attack us? Invade us? W-what did we do to them to make them hate us that much?"

Jenna listens as her friend starts talking about the attack on their homeworld. On the slaughter. She too not knowing the cause.

"It doesnt make any sense. We did nothing to them. A-all we did was live our lives peacefully. We.....We didnt do anything wrong and...and yet...t-this happens to us."

Emily's voice tremble as she talks. Stuttering as she continues.

"All i wanted was to finish college and explore the stars like my parents did. Paxy.... wanted to be doctor. Arthur a pilot, and Link.... Link....He wanted to be a soldier. Was us trying to be what we wanted wrong?"

"Emily. I..." Jenna pauses, unable to say another word. Emily now looking at her hoping for an answer. Tears present in her eyes.

"I....I dont know Emily." I dont Know. But.....atleast you have your phone."

Emily presses the phone's sleep button. The black screen now showing her reflection albeit the cracks.

"Its the only thing that reminds me of home. What's left of it anyway."

"Thats not the only thing that's left you know?"

"Oh yeah? What would that be?"

"Me."

Emily turns her head at Jenna, with a raised eye brow with confusion.

"Me. Your friend sitting and talking right next to you. What's left of the circle of friends anyway."

Emily looks down at the table as she holds Paxy's necklace that she now wears.

One of the mess hall staff standing in one of the food stalls, a janitor, notices the two conversing. Then all of a sudden, the holo screens went static before showing a confederate flag with a patriotic song of sorts. A broadcast of the confederates local news.

Emily, Jenna, and the people present in the mess hall hears the music and looks at the holo screen shocking and confusing them.

With the commotion in the mess hall, people nearby see's what is happening and having the same reaction as the others.

The view then changes to that of a large stadium. Larger than any they have seen.With soldiers, the same soldierd who attacked their homes weeks prior, marching in formation before coming at a stop.

•••

"Admiral, the signal is coming from the colony's local news agency." Elizabeth says to the admiral.

"So its not from a confederate vessel?" Admiral Ren asks, fearing it might be a distraction to lower their guard from a nearby Confederate fleet.

"Yes Admiral. And according to my calculations based on light an transmission delay. This was about an hour ago."

Admiral Ren and the crew watches the broadcast and sees a woman in black walking to the stadium.

•••

In the Federation Capital Nazar. A middle aged man wearing a blue suit and a green scarf walks into a room full of military officials and other high government officials sitting in a large circle table. A holo screen in the center showing a news broadcast of the confederacy.

The confederate flag clearly hanging above the stage.

The defense secretary greets him catching the attention of the rest of the room. The Generals standing up and saluting.

"At ease everyone." Prime Minister Desmoz says to them."What is this all about?"

"Sir its the confederates." A young Fleet Admiral responds.

"The news networks received a message to broadcast this Five hours ago." A General in a green dress uniform adds

Taking his seat, Prime Minister Desmoz is given a tablet showing the signal coming from within the Confederate territories. The Confederate capital of Krusk according to previous intelligence reports.

The way the stadium is set up, the troops.

The Prime Minister crosses his hands as he looks closely at the holo screen.

"Its a declaration of war."

•••

Flags of the Confederacy of Man flutter in the night sky's strong winds. The flags having red at the top and white at the bottom. A black circle with six red stars in the middle.

A woman with silver hair wearing a black dress walks to a metal podium in the middle of the large stage. Her dress's red trimm from her colar and the edges of her dress complimenting her ghostly white skin.

Thousands of Confederate soldiers stand still on the concrete field arranged in battalions, each battalion bearing both flag and battalion seals. Backs straight and heads high. Their gas masks retracted showing their faces. Many people from the sides stood and watch for the coming speech. Including the nation's various news networks. Cameras from afar and above recording live. Broadcasting on all quantum frequencies.

The whole federation is watching the event unfold.

The woman holds the edges of the podium looking at the screen. The screen displaying the words 'Deployment ready'. Looking at all the faces present. She begins to speak.

"Greetings. My people. Children of the Confederacy. For centuries we have been a scattered nation. Shunned, oppresed, and threatened by those we thought were our allies! Trampled to the point of destruction! Decades ago I asked for time! And that time has been given to us by you." She gestures her hand to the people. To the soldiers.

"My brothers and sisters!" She raises her right arm high into the sky. "The defenders of our dreams."

The large screens behind her lit up and shows old images of the nation's not so humble beginnings.

"Our ancestors embarked on the greatest journey this galaxy has never seen. A journey for a new place to start. A journey for freedom! We the confederacy is the result of their great journey! But it wasnt easy."

'Those ships.' The Prime Minister thinks to himself. 'It can't be.'

The video then shifts to landers burning and crashing as it enters a planet. People getting sick from diseases uncurable. Alien beings tearing apart settlements with their weapons. And raids from various pirates.

The people watching look on with stern faces waiting for the video to end.

"Our new homes were once a dangerous place. It changed us. Weakened us. It divided us. Tried to consume us. But instead, we adapted. United. Spread. We became, stronger."

Soldiers on another area march their way into large cylindrical ships along woth various armored vehicles. Some ships now preparing and priming their engines.

"But. In the years you have given me, I have restored our nation, I have restored our strength and most important of all. I have restored, OUR PRIDE!"

Tanks, and other armored vehicles are loaded into the cargo bays of the ships. While the vehicles outside the stadium move on a ceremonial style formation together with troops and gunships.

"Our nation has fought many wars against those who dared threaten our right to exist and exploit our lands and people yet we emerged victorious time and time again! But now, a new threat has set its eyes upon us, an old enemy. The enemy that stole our nation and its worlds, our fatherland Galvia!"

The people watching tear up and feel anger at the mention of Galvia, enhanced further by the screen showing recordings from the Galvian war. The skies burning as pods in the hundreds enter a planet's atmosphere only to splinter to pieces and individual highly armored troops with retro jets to slow them down. Shooting and destroying the city and killing its citizens as they descended from the sky.

In one clip, two federation soldiers has his helmet in his hands looking and laughing at the dead bodies in a city street. One soldier having The ears of a dog, the other having purple hair with a bluish hue.

The people began cursing and uttering slurs. Enraged by the federation's war againts Galvia. The soldier below stood still. Keeping their stance and not showing their rage.

Meanwhile, in one of the launch pads and space ports a kilometer away. Other soldiers with their gas masks rush inside a dropship. A sergeant directing them to their seats.

"They stole our lands that they cannot claim by birthright and now, they seek to do it again, to steal from us once more. But that time has passed! Five days ago, our vanguard forces have retaken the worlds Galvia has onced owned and forced out the enemy forces present. The rumors throughout the nation, are indeed true."

The people cheer as the clips change to the invasion of federation controlled planets. Flags of the local governments now replaced by the confederate flag as the soldiers salute.

The federation officials watch with confusion from what she said. Especially the Prime Minister.

"They've been plotting to invade this whole time?" A government official asks.

Prime Minister Desmoz didnt say a word, but his hands are shaking as he watches.

"This situation has just gotten worse." The Prime Minister tightens his hands.

"My people, we are now at a time where we have the strenth to retake our lands from the enemy. To show them that we have become stronger than ever. To show the xenos that our human spirit lives on in this dead region!"

The cheers of the people became louder as she continues to speak.

"Today, we shall stand united once more. Today, Those driven to conquer us will fear our voices! Today, they shall fear OUR WRATH! AND WE SHALL FRAR THEM NO MORE!"

In the launch pads the crew make final preparations and is given the green light for launch.

"I, Miranda Vi Galvia henceforth. Declare war on the Federation!"

The ship's thrusters begin glowing a bright red-orange and seconds later, the ships launch one by one from underground launch tubes and launch pads across the planet.

Lighting up the night sky with their engines behind the stage like stars gifted by the Gods. The roaring of thrusters echoing on the emptys sky, inspiring the people with awe. Cheering louder than before.

"Warriors of the Confederate Dream. Now is. OUR TIME!"

As her speech ends, the soldiers retract their gas masks and salute as they turn around and march towards the space ports, the flag bearers raising their flags higher.

The Confederacy's call to war has been sent to all nations of the galaxy. Loud and clear as the sounds of war bugles echoing in the horizon.

•••

The people of the fleet are speechless. The confederates have declared war. They shiver at the thought of the coming storm. A storm worse than what they hace experienced weeks prior.

Jenna was standing when the speech ended, dumbstruck by the things everyone heard, already imagining the carnage to come.

Emily however only stares at the woman calling herself Miranda. Her eyes full of anger and rage. A soldier in the door notices her staring intensly at the holo screen.

Miranda slowly looks to one of the cameras intimidating those watching.

Emily's teeth grinds as Miranda in the holo screen slowly grins.

•••

In a space station located in Cerenia, its crew suddenly receives a warning signal from one of their defense satellites camoflauged as an asteroid. Red lights flicker inside the whole station. One of the officers checks his console only for shock to hit him like a bullet.

The sattelite was detecting radiation bursts from a confederate fleet of one hundred warships exiting a jump. Momentd ago.

"General Udama sir!" The officer shouts.

"Is it the confederates!?!" He yells, looking at the officer's console and radar.

"Multiple confederate vessels approaching at 0.1 percent light speed. They exited the jump near Mare! In four hours they'll be all over us!"

The officer puts onto the larger holo screen the camera shots from the sattelite. The photos are grainy but clear enough to show black and grey ships exiting through jump portals, flipping and burning as they enter the system.

"Activate planetary defense systems! Contact ground forces to be ready for orbital landings and ground engagement!" The General shouts his orders to the officers and crew.

"Setting combat level to defcon five!" An officer on the opposite end of the CIC yells.

Orbital defense sattelites in lagrange points and different orbits ready to engage while the local navy undocks and positions themselves for the coming invaders.

The war has officially begun.