Building upon the original intelligence ‘scrape’ done by the UASV Grayback, an infiltration and operations support AI is injected by the same vessel into the planetary and orbital network employed by the Shil on Earth. It’s main tasking is to effectively monitor all probable insurgency operators and gently nudge situations to ensure a higher rate of survival. This effort is especially targeted at surviving US, Mexican, and Canadian military personnel, the AI utilizing behavioral and personal history patterns on top of the list kept by the Shil’vati of said personnel. It’s secondary objective is to act as the ‘man in the middle’ through various human and Shil’vati hardware to permit encrypted untraceable communications.

One of the first contacted is General Paul D. Ripper, USAF, and primary head on the hydra that is the Free Army of Colorado and the general resistance elements in the rocky mountain theater. One of the main organizations responsible for keeping the rockies either black or red by Imperial ‘safety’ classifications.

Named for the Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion, Operation MARION would be the beginning of Ghost Fleet’s intervention on the North American continent and would serve as a roadmap for any future endeavors elsewhere on Earth. With contact established and some vetting done by both boots on the ground (Marine STRIKE teams deployed by stealth dropship and Omicron Special Detachment troops in plainclothes) and via AI ‘snooping’ that the Imperials could only dream of. The first contact was carried out by a Major of the UAMC direct with one of General Ripper’s own surviving Majors. Terms where set, agreements made, and the start of site selection for stage three was begun.

The primary item traded at this meeting on a mountain top was several cases of AN/PCS-201 encrypted handheld digital COM sets. For the first time the FAC had fully secure digital communications.