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- Long ago, humans began colonizing
- nearby star systems. Ships would travel
- to neighboring systems in search of
- planets for colonization. When a suitable
- planet was found, it was colonized. Other
- races were eventually encountered. Some
- were friendlier than others. But none
- posed a major threat to mankind.
-
- Expansion continued unchallenged until
- a scout ship sent to one prospective
- system was attacked and destroyed. This
- star system was the domain of the Hortax,
- a xenophobic race. Somewhat superior to
- humans in strength, intellect, and
- technology. Aggressive and violent, the
- Hortax saw humans as pests to be
- exterminated.
-
- Soon after the loss of the scout ship,
- numerous human systems in the area were
- attacked by the Hortax. Hopelessly
- outmatched, many human systems fell in a
- short period of time.
-
- Now only a few human systems remain.
- Human losses at the start were staggering.
- Much of the human's space defense capability
- was destroyed in early unsuccessful attempts
- to stop the Hortax fleets.
-
- As losses continued to mount, the
- humans began to hire mercenary space pilots
- to help stop the Hortax. Soon after, the
- first mercenary squadrons were formed,
- and joined in the battle against the
- Hortax. As the Hortax advanced deeper and
- deeper into human space, the scope of the
- conflict grew to cover many quadrants.
- Eventually entire wings of mercenary
- squadrons supplemented the regular human
- space defense forces.
-
- The addition of the mercenary squadrons
- helped slow the Hortax advance. Now the
- humans are desprately trying to hang on
- to the few systems they have left, and
- regain lost systems.
-
- The mercenary squadrons are deployed
- at bases all along the front. As a pilot
- in a mercenary squadron, you will be
- stationed at one of these forward bases.
- You will fly combat missions against the
- Hortax. The extent of the domain of the
- Hortax is not known, but it is believed
- to be quite large.
-
- Your commanding officer will be
- Commander 20, a half human with a long
- and illustrious career in the human space
- defense forces. He has been assigned to
- command MSW (Mercenary Squadron Wing) Gamma.
- Mercenary squadron wings Beta, Delta, and
- Gamma have been selected to spearhead the
- human's last ditch counter-offensive.
- Needless to say, success is critical at
- this dark hour...
-