The roar of engines tore through the night sky, and the rising sun shone upon the land along this rift.

After a full night of travel, the container convoy slowly entered the outpost. Under the dawn symbolizing rebirth, it carried the future of the outpost, rolling over the blood-red earth.
No… that was just the red of the halo, the Commander told himself. He had mistaken the early morning light many times before. "Comrade Commander, the upgrade supplies have been delivered. Wartime repairs are complete, with no casualties. Fortification upgrades have been delayed by less than 1%. The plan remains unchanged. Awaiting your instructions."

A young girl's voice sounded in his ear, but he did not turn around. The girl did not disturb him, instead turning her gaze to the runway that had just been paved with quick-dry cement. Yes, such minor damage was hardly worth reporting, but that was not something the girl needed to consider.

The wind swept from the land over the sea. The calm ocean now held nothing, and the sky was equally empty. For now.
"Really, they call it the SCOURGE, but it's just a bunch of scrap metal. Yet there are so many... Union."

He finally turned to look at the girl behind him. Her white hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her heterochromatic red and blue eyes stood out on her face, clashing with the solemn atmosphere of the command room. But the Commander did not want to argue about that now.
"Tell me... have we truly become stronger?"

The girl blinked. Of course they had grown stronger. Since M-War II, the first phase of FT weapon deployment had been widely implemented. At the Wright Island Outpost, 40% of combat platforms were already using new equipment, sufficient to handle most situations. Although the new enemies employed entirely different weapons and tactics, countermeasures were already in preparation... Wait.

The girl blinked twice. How could the Comrade Commander not know all this? What was he really trying to say? Oh... perhaps he was recalling the grief of M-War II's abrupt interruption and seeking psychological support from me. I should recognize this and help him adjust his state of mind. But what should I do? Wait...

The girl blinked a third time, but the Commander could wait no longer.
"Union?"

"Yes, Comrade Commander. Without a doubt, we have grown stronger, both vertically and horizontally. And unlike before, we have taken comprehensive preparatory measures. If you require examples, I can provide them."

...
He fell silent.

Gradually, the sound of a song whistle reached his ears, accompanied by the reveille that stirred the outpost's vitality. The two sounds passed through the window and traveled toward the sea. They flew over the ocean but found no echo, fading into silence—a silence so profound it was terrifying.

"You'd better make sure those young comrades can be convinced by those words too."

Streams of light gradually spilled over the sea, flooding the entire outpost, drowning the base's fighter jets, missiles, and everything else in a reddish-yellow hue.

"After M-War II was interrupted, 176 mornings, 176 nights, 176 cycles of sunrises and sunsets... So many comrades back then, so many young men... waiting for our counterattack, and this is the result we brought them. The comrades here are all young, the same age as them. How could they endure this? And even if I can still be here, there's no chance for progress anymore. All that's left for me is to retire in place."

Before the girl could react, the Commander strode toward the door, head lowered, cap pulled down, as if fleeing. "The convoy has arrived. I need to greet them personally. That's all."

After pulling the handle, he paused. The girl could only watch him, not blinking, not speaking. She could not see his eyes, nor could she hold his hand. She only saw his lips part slightly.

Sometimes I wonder, what the SCOURGE truly means to us.

Event: "The 177th Sunrise"
Effect: Unlocks the Antaeus Alliance storyline (Phase 1)