Contrary to contemporary claims that Stone's Coalition had no foreknowledge of the Word of Blake's Space Defence Systems prior to Operation Scour, several early intelligence gathering operations exposed the deadly system. Somehow, the intelligence gathered by these raids was seemingly overlooked or intentionally buried, leading to significant causalities at the hands of these SDS on several Word of Blake Protectorate worlds.
Take for example Diemen IV. In May, 3076 a Mercenary unit in the employ of Alys Rousett-Marik conducted a punitive raid - striking several Word positions and then Evading pursuit and retreating off world.
That unit's findings caused enough of a stir among the FWL Resistance high command to warrant a second attack - this time in force - in mid-July, with the same unit supporting elements of the well known Kell Hounds Mercenary regiment.
Following a bitter fight, on world Blakist forces abandoned Van Diemen IV and fled off world.
Coalition forces found evidence of an incomplete ground-based system defence setup, including hardened launch sites, radio and guidance equipment and generators. A factory had also been setup to build missiles capable of being guided into orbit to strike at intruding starships.
All of this setup was hardened, underground and built by slave labour at a terrible cost. After discovering the thousands of prisoners - some military, most civilian dissenters - being forced to work under these shocking conditions, the Mercenary commander of the initial raid clamoured for a follow up strike.
Somehow, this intelligence was not shared throughout the rest of the Coalition, despite the proliferation of similar sites throughout the Protectorate.
The Blakist in charge of running Van Diemen was killed in that July attack, however many victims of the work camps and factory allege the real masterminds were never prosecuted (or escaped with short sentences) in lieu of providing the Republic with their knowledge.
- Military Affairs Journal, Volume IVX, New Earth Publishing, 3095
The following is a download taken from our snatch and grab team off Van Diemen. A joint Task Force 101 and ComGuard unit carried out the operation, with a Mercenary Mech unit providing support.
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The image is a sickly green, shot through night vision goggles. It shows rough terrain - rocks and tangled, stumpy trees. In the distance there's bright sparks of light that show up white hot in the googles.
"Van Diemen IV" glows in the top right corner.
Suddenly, the image is moving - it bumps and stutters as the wearer crawls through the long grass.
Slowly it refocuses on the light sources: buildings, ringed by a chain link fence topped with razor wire.
There's movement inside and outside the wire - several cowled and cloaked figures patrol, carrying rifles and wearing bulbous, enclosed helmets.
A text box opens. In June, the Resistance made the decision to raid Van Diemen IV. After Mercenary elements under Colonel Felix Cavalli made contact with the on world resistance and learned of large scale prison camps, a small special forces element infiltrated in to take prisoners.
One of the Guards has stopped nearby. He's clutching his carbine loosely and appears casual. Suddenly, there's an explosion and the vision briefly blinks to compensate for the influx of light.
When it resumes, the guard is standing and staring towards the main gate which is a smoking ruin.
There's a distinctive THUMP, CRUMP of mortars and more explosions hit the compound
A gold reticle centres on the gaping guard. And then the top of his head explodes off and he slumps to the ground with a clatter.
The images surges forward as more mortar shells hit.
Now the image shifts. It's a top down view, showing 10 or so buildings laid out in a grid pattern. Figures dart between the buildings and there's the occasional flicker of tracers.
DRONE 001 flickers in the top left corner.
The image zooms down to where two figures are pulling an unwilling third along, one of the armed men turns on the third and cuffs him with his rifle butt.
NOTES: Your Grace, attached is the download of our operation on Van Diemen. Based on initial interrogations I'd recommend returning in force as soon as possible.
Our snatch and grab was carried out by a jointly commanded unit made up of our Eagle Corps and some of the ComGuard's remaining SF troops - our man LaCroix shared joint command with the ComGuard's Demi Precentor Nate Dexter - and for the most part was an overwhelming success.
After receiving intel from the local resistance they pinpointed an outlying facility as an easy target. It was a processing centre for raw materials being routed to the massive industrial project the Word has just outside the capital. Using mortars and recoiless rifles as a distraction, several teams moved in and took prisoners.
Three of the four detained were Protectorate Militia, but we have suspicions about the fourth woman - unfortunatly, she took the first opportunity presented to cut her own wrists and later died in surgery.
That level of fanaticism is usually reserved for ROM and suggests we are dealing with a bigger threat on planet that guessed.
The three remaining POWs were very helpful and I've attached all the relevant intelligence.
- General Nguyen Ngai
Flat 2D image shows a tall, thin and haughty woman with long blonde hair pulled back into a severe ponytail.
She's wearing the white robes of the Word of Blake and appears to be in a busy office - she's holding a noteputer in one hand and pointing with the other.
A giant Blakist broadsword is displayed behind her
We have a positive ID on Precentor Taya Mattihorn. Van Diemen IV's Word appointed governor. She appears to be a long term Blakist bureaucrat and held a variety of positions throughout the FWL and FedSuns. She arrived in Van Diemen in late 3074 but we believe she's little more than a figurehead.
The next image is a shorty, stocky man with jet black hair slicked back. He's got piggy little eyes and a mean mouth. In the picture he appears to be berating someone off screen.
This is Precentor Gustav Zedtwitz - we are fairly certain he's the real power behind the throne. He's also almost certainly ROM.
Born to Marik nobles, passed out of Sandhurst in 3049 and saw action against the Clans. Trained as a Mechwarrior, we're not sure when he defected to the Word but there's almost no records on him for the next few decades, suggesting he soon joined ROM.
We believe he's in charge of security for the Word's big project on world.
Third image is of a tall, blonde man wearing dark green fatigues and battle dress. He appears to be directing troops.
General Martin van Joop is a local native, appointed to command the Van Diemen Protectorate Militia. Previously a FWL officer, he readily joined the PM when his homeworld joined the Protectorate. We believe his appointment and rank is based more on loyalty than actual skill.
The last image shows a bullish, bulky man with a shaved head. He's wearing a lab coat and is talking with Zedtwitz. The Blakist broadsword is displayed prominently on his coat.
We have a name but not much else on this one: John Garrick. High ranking Wobbie who appears to be in charge of the actual goings on at this mysterious factory site.