Chapter Text
Before time began, there was the Cube.
We know not where it came from, only that it holds the power to create worlds, and fill them with life.
That is how our race was born.
For a time, we lived in harmony. But, like all great power, some wanted it for good, others for evil.
And so began the war.
A war that ravaged our planet until it was consumed by death, and the Cube was lost to the far reaches of space. We scattered across the galaxy, hoping to find it and rebuild our home. Searching every star, every world...
And just when all hope seemed lost, message of a new discovery drew us to an unknown planet called... Earth.
But we were already too late.
Memorial Held for Victims of Devastating Attack on SOCCENT Base in Qatar
DOHA, QATAR - (AP) In a solemn scene today, hundreds gathered at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar to pay their respects to the victims of the devastating terrorist attack that struck the Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT) Forward Operations Base earlier this month. The official death toll now stands at 267, a number that includes American military personnel, civilian contractors, and Qatari locals.
The attack, which remains under investigation, was reportedly the end result of a complex, covert operation involving pre-planted bombs in critical locations and an explosive trigger smuggled aboard a Sikorsky MH-53 Pave Low helicopter, which served to ignite stores of munitions and fuel. As a result, the SOCCENT base, which acted as a crucial staging ground for anti-terror operations across the whole Middle East, was utterly destroyed.
Flags flew at half-mast across Al Udeid Air Base today as grieving families, friends and former comrades gathered for a somber ceremony. At midday, General Glenn Morshower, the head of CENTCOM, delivered a heartfelt speech and eulogy, honoring the sacrifice of those men and women who lost their lives in the attack.
“Today, we remember the fallen heroes who served with unwavering commitment to advance the cause of freedom in this global War on Terror,” Morshower said. “Not just our brave soldiers, but the people of Qatar who hoped for a better future. On behalf of the President, and of all Americans, I pledge that their sacrifice will not be forgotten as we continue the fight for a better tomorrow. We will not waver in our goals, and nor shall we ever be intimidated by cowardly acts of violence."
However, the memorial was disrupted when Sergeant Jack Darby, a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment and only known survivor of the attack, burst on stage and delivered an emotional but rambling outburst toward the end of the ceremony. Before he was pulled from the stage, Sergeant Darby made the astounding claim that a giant, walking helicopter was responsible for the base's destruction.
“It wasn’t a bomb!” Darby shouted. “It wasn’t human! It was a machine, a giant walking helicopter! It tore through everything! Everything!”
Darby's outburst was met with calm, sympathetic concern from military officials. “Sergeant Darby is a hero, make no mistake,” a military spokesperson said. “But we understand the toll this event has taken on him. Today was merely a bump in the long road to recovery. But Sergeant Darby does not walk it alone, and we are providing him with all the support he needs to recover and put this event behind him.” Last week, Sergeant Darby was awarded with the Distinguished Service Cross and the Purple Heart.
At this time, no known terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and the perpetrators remain unidentified. The investigation remains ongoing, with Qatari and American authorities offering a sizable reward for any information that leads to identifying those groups or individuals responsible for the attack. But for now, at Al Udeid Air Base, one thing is clear: the fight is far from over, and the scars of those affected will not soon heal.