"Good afternoon, Gentlemen. My name is Colonel Rölle and I am the commander of Task force Hannibal. The briefing you are about to receive is classified Top Secret. I'd like to turn this over to my operations officer, Major Wesreidau, who will brief you on the current situation."

Wesreidau stepped up and engaged a holoprojection of a gliese map of the NSL sector, which was coreward of Sol. "Gentlemen, this is Röt Hafen. That means Red Haven in German. Seven Planets orbit the Yellow star LTT 1583. The fourth planet is Röt Hafen. It was explored and annexed by the Nue Schwabian League in 2166.It has that name due to the high ferrous content in the soil, which gives the planet its red hue. Röt Hafen has a breathable atmosphere of 75% nitrogen, 15% oxygen, 1% carbon dioxide, and 1% race elements. While there is little open water, there are numerous subterranean water sources. Gravity is .085 standard G. The length of the day is 19 standard hours. Length of year, 423 standard days. Mean temperature at this time in your operational area is 5 to 10 degrees Celsius, hi to zero degrees Celsius low. You'll find more planetary data and a detailed area study in your mission packet."

"Röt Hafen, being a fairly young planet, has little animal life, above bacterial state. There are a number of hardy mosses and ferns that grow on the planet. There are several agricultural projects underway. It is extremely rich in all kinds of minerals, which is why the NSL chose to colonize it. Main industry is mining. In particular the planet is rich in amino-ferrite, which as you know is being used in the new generation of armor plating on star ships. It is three times as light and four times as strong as standard armor. The current opulation of Röt Hafen numbers 800,000. The harsh conditions on the planet make every-day life difficult. Nearly one third of the population works for Ganemede industries and services the huge atmospheric processors which for the core of the terraforming projects. Apart from government personnel most of the rest work for Kendall-Krupp mining division. 100,000 work and live in the huge Dortmund space complex and its neighboring near-orbit smelter. They also mine some of teh system bodies farther out between the sixth and seventh planets."

"On 6 July, several KRF ships were conducting maneuvers in the outer rim of the system, when they were destroyed in a surprise attack by a Kra'Vak force. These ships, quickly reinforced, moved in system and attacked Röt Hafen. In the few Kra'Vak raids recorded so far they usually come in and nuke the colony from orbit, or make a quick ground raid, then pull out and nuke the colony. At Röt Hafen, they came in, destroyed the two system defense ships, disabled or destroyed every satellite and station, nuked two small settlements on the far side of the planet, and made a landing at the main city of Röt Hafen. I said they knocked out all the orbiting platforms, but they spared the Dortmund station and the smelter. They have chosen to seize them one intact."

"That was over two weeks ago. Our sources tell us that the Kra"Vak are still at Röt Hafen. We suspect that here may still be many survivors on the planet. Why, we do not know. Allied Headquarters, NAC/NSL have elected to launch a counterstrike against Röt Hafen and take it back."

Lawrence interrupted. "How is it you have all this intelligence? I thought you said that all your ships were wiped out in the initial assault?"

"Not quite, sergeant." Answered Wesriedau. I didn't get into the details of what kind of maneuvers our fleet were performing at Röt Hafen. They were testing out a new generation of cloaking technologies. One of our ships, equipped with just such a system was present during the initial attack. The commander on the spot, now deceased, had the good sense to order them to remain cloaked and monitor the action. Our ship, the destroyer Köhl, has been gathering intelligence undetected for ten days, and has even received communications from the planet. They quickly jumped out wit the latest information we are reporting here. Herr Oberst…" Wesreidau stepped down and turned the podium back over to Colonel Rölle.

"Mission: 946 infiltrates Röt Hafen no later than 210300Zjuly84 via low orbit drop system and conducts reconnaissance and surveillance in operational area Gertrude. Be prepared for follow-on operations. I will be followed by Major Weston."

The holograph of the planet changed as the planet rotated around to its far side and the projection zoomed in to a close in view of some rugged terrain. "This is Operational Area Gertrude. It comprises an area of 100 x 100 kilometers surrounding the main city of Röt Hafen. This area will be the focus of your operations. I know that normally you would plan your own insertions, however given the time constraints and the resources available, we really do not have much choice. In less than 24 hours you will board the Destroyer Köhl for your ingress to the target. The Kohl is a Waldberg/M class missile destroyer specially fitted with the latest cloaking technology. It appears to be effective against the Kra'Vak".

"Begging your pardon , Sir, but how do you know that?" Asked Freeman, one of 946's demolitions specialists.

"Because she has been operating under the noses of the Kra'Vak in the Röt Hafen system for the past two weeks. When she arrives at the rendevous point, we will transfer your team and equipment to the Köhl. They will be undergoing some special modifications, giving up their external missile racks for one small pinnace. It is jus big enough to carry your team. The ship will not be able to bring you down to the surface, it does not have the payload capacity or fuel to make it down wit your then get out. How ever can descend to the upper atmosphere for your drop."

Rölle used a laser pointer to designate one corner of Gertrude. "We would like to insert you down here, well away from the city. We have arranged a rendevous with some partisan elements on the ground. That link up is to take place here, twenty kilometers from your landing area." Several areas of Gertrude lit up in blue. "These areas are prospective drop zones. We would like them surveyed for possible future landing sites." Another area lit up green. "We would like you to emplace surveillance on the starport here in Röt Hafen. Within those boundaries you are free to plan the operation as you see fit. Particulars about your link-up will be given to you after we make our first transit."

Rölle read from his notes. "Priority intelligence requirements. One: Are the proposed landing sites suitable for drop operations? If so, how many drop ships can we land at once? All the standard survey information. Is there any enemy activity in the vicinity? What is the reaction time for the enemy forces to get out to each site. Much of this will depend on the actual terrain situation in those areas. There are large tracts of Röt Hafen that underwent only superficial survey scans so information is scant."

"Number Two: What are Kra'Vak activities on the planet. What are they doing in the city? Why have they stayed, and why haven't they destroyed the planet yet? What is the strength, composition, disposition and capability of Kra'Vak forces on the planet. We'll expect you to interrogate the resistance forces for any information on their fighting methods, tables of organization, and equipment."

"Number Three: What is the fate of the colonists? How many are still alive? Have they set up any hide sites? If so, what are there locations and size?"

"Sir, how will we get all this information back to you?" Asked Brooks, the communications specialist.

"The Köhl will be bringing one other device into the system with you." The holosystem illustration changed to an innocent looking piece of space debris. "It looks like a piece of space junk, but it is actually a very sophisticated communications satellite. When you are inserted, Köhl will place this device in geosynchronous orbit so that it covers the operational area, but is low on the horizon to Röt Hafen, in order to further avoid detection. You will be using narrow beam laser PSC-33 SATCOM to this satellite, which will relay along a further narrow beam to the Köhl. She will be carrying two automated courier drones and will be dispatching two reports at scheduled times back to our fleet. Scheduled contacts, encryption downloads and message formats are all in the mission packet."

"I've got a question, Sir!" A large, wide shoulder man in the back had his hand up. He sported close-cropped dark hair, a jutting jaw, and menacing posture. He spoke in a drawl, which belied his roots from the southern NAC State of Alabama back on old earth.

"Yes?"

He stood up. "Umm, Colonel, I'm Sergeant Donner, weapons. You didn’t say how long we were supposed t o be down there for, and what's the extraction plan."

"Ahh yes, Sergeant. We anticipate the duration of the first phase of your mission to last 7-10 days."

"That's a hell of a lot of Intel gathering, and walking, by the way, to do in less than two weeks," remarked Lawrence.

Rölle grinned. "That's why we picked you, you are the best, no?"

Lawrence chuckled. "Yeah, Ok, Sir."

Donner raised his hand again. "Uh, Colonel, Suh. What do you mean by Phase One?"

"Unfortunately we cannot divulge what comes next for obvious reasons. However, you must be prepared to undertake either further reconnaissance, or direct action operations in support of the next phase. After the completion of which, you will be extracted."

"Sir? Sergeant Mellor, Intel Sergeant. You mentioned partisans, or resistance. Can you expound upon that?"

"Yes. After the Kra'Vak occupied the planet surface many surviving elements scattered to the hills. Some, led by planetary law enforcement, began forming resistance cells against the invaders. We don't have very much information since the Kra'Vak found the communications satellite they were using and destroyed it. However, in your packet you will find names and details as to the rendevous we set up. You will be expected to make full use of them, and they will be expected to follow your direction during this operation."

"There is more information in your packet. What I want to do know is turn the briefing over to Major Weston who will brief you on what we know about the Kra'Vak. Most of this has not been released for general distribution yet. Major Weston."