A Marriage of Convenience

Inferno Nostos

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ACT 3 - MISSION 32

Fighter squadron: 74th Templars

Description: The first joint mission between the GTVA and the Earth Alliance is a long-range reconnaissance mission.

Location: Ross 128e, Bell Installation, and an unknown debris field, Ross 128 (phase 1); Fomalhaut-Ross 128 jump node, Ross 128 (phase 2); Fomalhaut-Ross 128 jump node, Fomalhaut (phase 3); Unknown Shivan installation complex, Fomalhaut (phase 4); Fomalhaut-Ross 128 jump node, Ross 128 (phase 5)

Background

The truce between the EA and the GTVA is now in place, and a joint task force has been established between the GTD Ctesiphon of GTVA Special Operations Command and the EAD Basileus of the Earth Alliance Intelligence Directorate. Your initial mission is to search for the Shivan entry point into known space using stealth fighters.

Walkthrough

Only stealth fighters are allowed in this mission. Your choices are the GTF Vali light fighter, the GTF Graea heavy fighter, and the older GTF Daedalus if you unlocked it in The Devil You Know. All three are viable options. Alpha wing is paired with Crux wing from the EA. Pick one bank of anti-bomber missiles (Corinthos, Ghost, Venom) and one bank of anti-subsystem missiles (Stiletto).

After you launch from the Ctesiphon, there's some chatter before you're ordered to jump to the first waypoint, and Irving and Pasteur introduce themselves to Val, your new Earther wingman. At the first waypoint, you'll find a derelict Arcadia-class installation. Scan it as directed, but the scans don't show anything useful. Jump to the second waypoint.

At the second waypoint, there isn't anything, so you're ordered to jump to the third waypoint.

At the third waypoint, you warp into a battlefield with derelict Earther and GTVA ships. On arrival, the Shivans ambush you with a dozen SF Gorgon fighters. Destroy the Gorgons. Save your missiles during this dogfight. You don't have a support ship, and you'll need the missiles for later. After you've destroyed the Shivans, Karpinsky asks you to scan two of the derelicts. The data from the derelicts gives you the information you're looking for: the node the Shivans used to enter known space. Val says a prayer for the dead before you warp to the unknown node. Warp to the node.

The new node is guarded by a strong Shivan force, so you'll have to stealth your way through, keeping at least 500m from the Shivan ships. The easiest way to sneak through the cordon is to approach the node from below, which keeps you away from the fighter patrols. Jump through the node.

You arrive in the unexplored system. It's Fomalhaut, a trinary system that no human has ever visited before, with a Shivan corvette wolf pack at long range. Command tells you to fly to the waypoints and deploy the probes your ship is carrying. After you launch the probes, the Shivan corvettes jump out. Command orders you to follow the corvettes. Jump out again.

After this jump, you arrive at an SI Arachnas-class installation with a Knossos portal. Your job is now pure reconnaissance - follow your directives list and scan what they tell you to scan. As long as you don't fire weapons, the Shivans won't detect you. Weirdly, Command has gone silent. Once you've competed your scans, it'll take two jumps return to Ross 128.

On arrival in Ross, things have gone very, very wrong: the Earther escorts have turned traitor, and are attacking the Basileus. Your new job is to protect the Basileus. If you can spare the time, intercept the bombers, but your major priorities are to de-beam the Gorky using your Stilettos, then turn your attention to the Earther AWACS panels. Beta and Draco wings will arrive to reinforce you in the middle of the battle.

Once the Earthers surrender, return to the Ctesiphon.

Notes

• This mission marks the first appearance of Val, your new Earther wingman.
• There is a bad ending if you jump through the Knossos portal.
• After the mission, the Vasudans make an assault on the installation. The bonus mission Arachnicide allows you to fly as the Vasudan bombers making the assault.