Synthetic Companions
To be honest, Charlie had indeed considered buying one.
During his high school and college years, he had been a star player on his school teams and never lacked attention from cheerleaders or social media influencers.
However, when he finally invested his emotions in someone, he realized he was just the most valuable "fish" in the other party's pond.
Thankfully, his sister, Lena, had warned him in time, or Charlie might have ended up wearing a figurative "green hat" of infidelity.
Loyalty to the "pond owner"?
Purely laughable.
From then on, he became increasingly cautious.
Coincidentally, he took the opportunity to pause his studies and join the military service in the "Halo" universe, designated as No. 08, free from the disturbances of those "chirping sparrows."
Now, synthetic companions were all the rage, and Charlie longed for an ideal partner of his own. However…
The price was truly staggering.
As the son of a retired veteran, his father could easily shell out hundreds of thousands or even millions of credits (cR). But for Charlie to ask his father for money to purchase a synthetic companion would undoubtedly seem strange.
Thus, Charlie was even more motivated to train hard and fight bravely, earning military merits like his father and saving up enough to fulfill his "dream" of buying an ideal companion.
While this wish might seem superficial, it was undeniably "practical."
In fact, at this stage, the Empire's soldiers were indeed fighting and striving for "humanity," but they also required sufficient welfare and financial guarantees to ensure they had no worries about their future.
If the old era's elites still controlled the political, economic, and military realms, indulging in corruption and malpractice, how could soldiers fight wholeheartedly or even be willing to sacrifice their lives?
The pre-Imperial United States was a prime example. American soldiers often didn't even know why they were fighting.
Young recruits from military families, armed with ideals of serving their country and protecting the people, enthusiastically joined the military.
However, upon entering the armed forces and being deployed overseas, they were shocked to find that their missions were nothing more than blatant plundering, invasion, and even inhumane massacres.
Most soldiers eventually became complicit in these actions, while a few who realized the truth chose to resist, often facing dire consequences.
So, when Atlas forces closed in and took control of social media and news outlets, the American military displayed almost no resistance and quickly surrendered to Atlas en masse.
For those soldiers, fighting was meaningless; it was wiser to save their own lives than to waste them in futile battles.
Moreover, many had joined the U.S. military primarily for financial benefits and welfare.
Atlas' generous welfare offerings were well-known, and under such conditions, anyone would willingly serve their "new employer."
Loyalty?
Why die for a government that offered so little?
"Ugh."
Immersed in his thoughts, Charlie, having woken up too early, felt a bit drowsy and closed his eyes to take a quick nap in his seat.
Just as he was about to drift off—
"Approaching the hub zone. All passengers, please prepare to disembark promptly," came the train's broadcast announcement, snapping him back to reality.
Outside the sealed windows, the dark tunnel was gone, replaced by the sprawling expanse of the hub zone.
This hub connected hundreds of maglev tracks, facilitating the transport of goods, personnel, and employees from all over, preparing them for deployment through the space gates to their assigned destinations across the universe.
Soon, Charlie's train arrived at its designated platform.
He quickly stood up, adjusted his carry-on bag, and followed the newly acquainted comrades he had met onboard as they disembarked onto the platform.
Following the directions given, the group boarded maglev elevators and trains. Before long, they reached a shimmering, mercury-like surface—the space gate.
As Charlie stepped through the gate, he felt a flash of white light before his eyes.
When his vision gradually cleared, the view outside the train's windows revealed a frontline base on the Fertile Star.
Though spacious, it was far less grand than the hub zone at the relic base.
Shortly after, Charlie Hoenheld and around 20,000 Imperial Guard and Marine recruits disembarked in an orderly manner.
When they reached the expansive grounds outside the frontline base—
"Wow! This is my first time seeing an Imperial warship up close! It's absolutely stunning!"
"Isn't that a Phoenix-class support ship?"
"Yeah, I think so."
"Is that the ship taking us on board?"
The new recruits looked up in amazement, exclaiming as they gazed skyward.
Above them hovered a Phoenix-class support ship, fully upgraded by Atlas, stationed 5,000 meters above ground. Its massive hull blocked out the sun, leaving them awestruck.
Although classified as a support ship, the Phoenix-class was two kilometers long—large enough to function as an aircraft carrier, accommodating numerous vehicles, supplies, and Marines.
To these new recruits, the support ship was not just a mode of transportation but a testament to the Empire's formidable fleet.
As military enthusiasts, the recruits were drawn to warships, aircraft, and weaponry. The sight of this enormous vessel, coupled with their passion for military life, ignited their excitement.
The recruits could already picture life aboard such ships and imagined themselves leading glorious campaigns under the Emperor's command.
But just as they were lost in their fantasies, a sudden order rang out:
"Attention all personnel! Follow instructions to form groups and prepare to board the transport shuttles!"
Charlie looked ahead and saw experienced soldiers in training uniforms approaching. Most of them were non-commissioned officers or junior officers, their confident strides exuding authority.
These veterans wore holographic glasses equipped with facial recognition, allowing them to instantly access each recruit's biological and identity data, making the recruits feel as though every detail about them was being scrutinized.
The veterans quickly got to work, assuming the role of instructors. They efficiently organized the 20,000 recruits into predetermined groups and guided them onto the waiting Luna-class transport shuttles, which would take them to the Phoenix-class ship hovering above.
Even as a rookie, Charlie could sense the experience and gravitas emanating from the veterans, inspiring both respect and anticipation among the recruits.
Once all the recruits were on board, the Phoenix-class support ship began ascending, eventually reaching the Fertile Star's orbital space.
From their quarters aboard the ship, the recruits could peer out the portholes at the Fertile Star below.
The planet's surface was covered with lush, orderly farmland, radiating vitality. Bathed in the light of a nearby star, its atmosphere shimmered with a beautiful blue hue.
Sparse oceans and lakes sparkled like emeralds, highlighting the planet's prosperity and abundance.
After all, the planet's name was Fertile Star.
Blessed with rich, fertile lands and an idyllic living environment, the Fertile Star was a highly promising colony.
However, during the reign of the UNSC and the UEG, its development had been stifled by heavy taxation, resource depletion, and economic stagnation.
Frequent rebellions plagued the region, forcing the UNSC to deploy Spartan-I warriors to assassinate rebel leaders and stabilize the situation.
Under the rule of Atlas and the Human Empire, the residents and colonists of Fertile Star were finally free to focus on development.
Now, the planet was not only regaining its vitality but had also become a crucial hub within the Halo universe under the Empire's control.
Infrastructure was improving, commerce was booming, agricultural productivity had surged, and investments from other universes were pouring in.
The population had grown from a few million to over 600 million.
Colonists from other universes had settled here and raised new generations. In a short time, Fertile Star was expected to rise further in prominence, aiming for the top three ranks among Imperial worlds.
For comparison, Reach had taken a century to grow its population to barely over a billion.
As for defense, there was no need to worry.
Fertile Star was home to the Sons of Humanity Legion, and its governor's palace housed none other than the Primarch, Fulgrim, himself.
The Primarch's forces and fleet were stationed across Fertile Star's surface and orbital space, ensuring unparalleled military strength.
In the vast territory of the Halo universe, already integrated into the Empire, the inclusion of the Sangheili (Elites) meant that half the galaxy was under Imperial rule.
To avoid inciting jealousy or discontent among the other Primarchs, governance of this expansive domain was divided into five sectors, each overseen by a different Primarch: Fulgrim, Angron, Leman Russ, Mortarion, and Corax.
Fertile Star belonged to Fulgrim's sector.
Fulgrim was renowned among the Primarchs for his exceptional administrative skills and charismatic leadership. He maintained good relationships with his brothers, particularly with Angron and Leman Russ, who had no objections to his appointment. Mortarion and Corax were also relatively convinced of his authority.
Nevertheless, competition among the Primarchs and their legions persisted.
The five sectors, named after their respective legions, were in the midst of rapid development and expansion.
For instance, the 20,000 recruits who had just passed through the space gate were headed for the Wolf Star Sector.
Imperial Guard recruits would be tasked with planetary defense missions, while the more physically and
mentally exceptional Marine recruits would be assigned to the Imperial Navy's 36th Fleet to undertake more complex operations.
The Imperial Navy was directly under the Emperor's command but often collaborated with the legions, providing cover and support.
This structure not only enhanced overall combat effectiveness but also fostered closer ties between the legions and the Navy.
Charlie Hoenheld and his fellow Marine recruits would temporarily reside aboard the Phoenix-class support ship that had picked them up.
As for the Imperial Guard recruits, they would be transported to various locations within the Wolf Star Sector once the Phoenix-class ship joined the fleet.
At this moment, the Phoenix-class support ship, Blue Barrier, accelerated past recently arrived civilian vessels completing their warp jumps.
Upon reaching its designated space zone, the Blue Barrier initiated a warp jump, tearing open a glowing blue rift that engulfed the entire ship, vanishing from the view of normal space.
Inside the warp layer, the Blue Barrier sped toward the Wolf Star Sector, 4,000 light-years from Fertile Star.
"The vast galaxy, conquering all directions."
"Being able to follow the fleet and travel the universe is truly a blessing in life."
The recruits, watching the shimmering warp corridor from their cabin windows, reflected on the disappearing beauty of Fertile Star.
Inside the cabin, which housed eight recruits, including Charlie Hoenheld, the others were local residents from the primary universe.
Most of them had only traveled briefly to Earth or the Moon with their families, with some never even visiting Mars.
For them, boarding a warship and entering a warp layer capable of rapid interstellar travel was an exhilarating first experience.
As they chatted and settled into their shared cabin, the recruits prepared for the long journey ahead.
The real training would only begin once the Blue Barrier reached the Wolf Star Sector and dropped off the Imperial Guard recruits. For now, they had some time to relax.
However, the moment their warp journey ended would mark the start of grueling "hellish" training, followed by direct involvement in the campaign to eradicate the jackal pirates.
Excitement mingled with a hint of nervousness.
As military enthusiasts, they were familiar with the major battles before and after the Empire's founding, particularly the Battle of Charity City.
That battle had brought together the most elite forces, including Primarchs, Astartes, and even the black-scaled dragon Nidhogg, leaving a lasting impression on them.
The upcoming campaign against the interstellar pirates was highly likely to involve space boarding operations.
For many of them, it felt like "landlubbers" who had never been near a river or lake suddenly being thrown into deep water—it was both thrilling and anxiety-inducing.
Meanwhile, as Charlie Hoenheld and his group made their way to the Wolf Star Sector in the Halo universe, the Space Wolves in the Alien (LV-426) universe were preparing to head toward Earth (LV-426) for a full-scale offensive.
Their 14th Company Captain, Logan Sigurd, had already received the green light for a "total assault."
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