The next day, the barracks of Camp Genesis were eerily quiet. Marines sat in groups, heads low, bandaged and exhausted from the hell they'd just endured.
Then the news feeds lit up.
Every holo-screen, every comm device, every public channel in the Juno system carried the same broadcast.
⸻
The Broadcast
A UNE anchor's voice shook as she reported:
"Reports have now been confirmed. Last night's Frenzy Nihilist Organization attack was not isolated to Eryndor Prime. Six colonies were struck simultaneously: Endor, Haphti, Gumen, Jargon, Eryndor Prime, and Earth itself."
Jin froze, eyes wide. His breath caught. "Earth...?"
Marco's usual grin vanished. "No way... they hit Earth? The homeworld?"
Min-seo's face paled, his voice trembling. "Then nowhere is safe..."
The broadcast continued, listing casualty numbers, missing persons, destruction across multiple star systems. The words blurred together for many Marines, their eyes fixed on the burning holo-images of cities in ruins, bodies in the streets, and Frenzy banners spray-painted on shattered walls.
⸻
The Squad Reacts
Jerome gritted his teeth, clutching his side where bandages still wrapped tight. "They hit six at once. That means this was planned for years."
Raul slammed his fist against the table, anger boiling through him. "Those damn bastards! Kidnapping, killing, laughing... and now six colonies? They want us to drown in fear."
Asura, leaning against the wall, said nothing. His sharp eyes stayed fixed on the screen, but deep down even he felt the weight of it.
Jin whispered, voice barely audible. "So this... this is war. A real war. Not just battles... not just training... it's everywhere."
⸻
Closing Beat
Across the Juno system, civilians wept, families panicked, UNE soldiers clenched their fists.
The Frenzies hadn't just attacked.
They had sent a message:
Nowhere is safe. Not even Earth.
And everyone — Jin, his squad, the UNE, the CGS — knew it.
The war against the Frenzy Nihilist Organization had only just begun.
-
The announcement hit like thunder in the barracks.
General Shepherd's voice boomed across the intercoms, carried to every Marine, every officer, every soul in the Juno star system:
"UNE soldiers of Juno — prepare for deployment. Twelve million of you will move out within days. Destination... Earth."
The barracks went silent.
Then whispers rippled like fire.
⸻
The Squad's Shock
Jin's eyes widened. "Earth? The homeworld?"
Jerome leaned back, stunned. "I never thought... not once in my life... that I'd set foot there."
Raul whistled low. "The place where it all started. Humanity's birthplace. And we're being sent there to meet up with earths UNE force?"
Marco grinned nervously. "Kinda makes you feel small, huh? Billions of years of history, and now it's our boots going down."
Min-seo said nothing, but his gaze was distant — the weight of it pressing down even on him.
Asura stood still, arms crossed, but his silence wasn't from indifference. Even he felt the gravity.
⸻
The Briefing
Later in the war room, Shepherd stood with Mason and the CGS admirals, the holo-map of Earth burning behind them.
He raised his voice, clear and commanding:
"Earth was struck, same as Endor, Haphti, Gumen, Jargon, and Eryndor Prime. These six attacks weren't random — they were coordinated. Now, the colonies struck will unite on Earth. From the cradle of our species, we will strike back."
Admiral Folly added, his golden visor shining:
"Every colony, every star system attacked will send their best. Earth will not only be defended. It will become the command hub of our retaliation. Working alongside earths UNE forces."
⸻
The Marines React
Back in the barracks, soldiers began to chant. First softly, then louder:
"TO EARTH! TO EARTH! TO EARTH!"
The walls shook with the echo.
Jin clenched his fist, a fire in his chest. This wasn't just another deployment. This was something greater.
Raul shouted above the roar, "We're about to fight alongside Earths UNE itself, boys! HISTORY IS OURS!"
Even Asura cracked a small grin.
⸻
Closing Beat
Twelve million from Juno.
Countless more from other colonies.
And the cradle of mankind itself waiting.
For the first time since the Frenzies struck... the soldiers didn't just feel fear.
They felt destiny.
-
The starports of Juno shook under the weight of twelve million UNE Marines. Rows upon rows stretched farther than the eye could see, their visors glowing faintly, their rifles gleaming in the light of the rising suns.
The air vibrated with engines humming, carriers prepared, and banners of the UNE waving across the massive launch field.
Then came Shepherd.
⸻
The Speech
General Shepherd walked up to the towering platform, his presence commanding silence from millions. His voice carried through every comm, every helmet, every heart:
"Marines of Juno... sons and daughters of humanity.
Days ago, the Frenzies struck us. They bled our worlds. They kidnapped our brothers. They desecrated our cities. And they dared touch even the cradle of mankind itself — Earth.
But hear me now — they have not broken us. They have awakened us."
The crowd roared, but Shepherd raised a hand, calming them before continuing.
"We are UNE. For over two hundred fifty thousand years, we have fought monsters beyond comprehension — and we still stand.
Now we go where it all began. To Earth. To stand side by side with our brothers from Endor, Haphti, Gumen, Jargon... and Earth itself. From the cradle of humanity, we will rise again."
His voice grew sharper, louder, echoing across the vast starport.
"This is not a march to death. This is a march to victory.
By faith in Christ. By the will of God. By the unity of mankind.
We are UNE Marines... and we do not fall."
⸻
The Departure
The soldiers roared in unison, the sound like a quake across the system.
"UNE! UNE! UNE!"
Jin stood shoulder to shoulder with Jerome, Raul, Marco, John, and Min-seo, their chests swelling with pride. Reaper, Hunter, and Hudson were nearby, silent but ready, their visors glowing gold-blue in the light.
Asura stood still, but his eyes burned like fire.
The gates opened.
Millions of Marines surged forward into colossal interstellar carriers, each ship swallowing entire legions.
Engines flared. Quantum Cosmic Drives spun to life.
⸻
Closing Beat
As the ships lifted from Juno and pierced into the heavens, Shepherd's voice echoed one last time in their helmets:
"Next stop... Earth. The cradle. The beginning. And the place of our retaliation."
The stars stretched, warped, and vanished into light as the fleet jumped.
The march to Earth had begun.
-
The carrier's interior thrummed with energy. Rows of Marines strapped into harnesses, the low hum of reactors filling the silence.
Jin stared at the polished floor for a moment before standing, weaving his way through the crowded bay until he found Reaper.
⸻
The Question
Jin's voice was uncertain, quiet under the constant noise.
"Reaper... these Frenzies. The FNO. I know the history books from school — but it was all vague. Who are they really?"
Reaper looked at him, visor reflecting Jin's young face. For a long second, he said nothing. Then his voice came low, steady, carrying weight.
"...The FNO are no alien. No outsider. They're us. A rogue faction of humanity that chose chaos over faith, destruction over order. They've existed longer than you've been alive, longer than you think. But now..."
He glanced toward the forward windows, where the void of space shimmered.
"...Now isn't the time for stories, kid."
Jin nodded, unsettled.
⸻
The Jump
A voice boomed over the carrier's comms:
"All units prepare for Quantum Cosmic Drive. Secure yourselves. Standby in three... two... one..."
The hum deepened. Space bent outside the viewport. The stars twisted into streaks of infinite light.
Then—
FLASH!
In a single instant, they were gone from Juno.
⸻
The Arrival
One heartbeat later, the carriers reemerged. The view outside was overwhelming.
Before them loomed Earth. Blue oceans shimmering, clouds swirling across green and brown continents. The cradle of mankind, untouched by millennia of war, still standing as a symbol.
The fleet spread across the void: colossal interstellar carriers, each holding 150,000 Marines, lined the orbit. Thousands of support craft and patrol ships buzzed around them. In total, twelve million UNE soldiers from Juno alone now hung in Earth's sky.
Jin's heart pounded as he pressed against the glass.
"That's... Earth..."
Jerome whispered, eyes wide. "The place where it all began..."
Raul whistled low. "Man, we're really here."
Even Asura leaned slightly forward, silent but fixated on the planet below.
⸻
Closing Beat
The fleet's engines dimmed, Earth's glow filling the carriers.
Humanity's cradle awaited.
And with it, the first united retaliation against the Frenzy Nihilist Organization.
-
The VTOL cut through Earth's skies, its engines leaving sapphire trails. Clouds parted, revealing landscapes below that none of them had ever seen outside of holoscreens. Vast oceans glimmered beneath sunlight. Mountain ranges stretched like the spines of titans. Cities stood proud, built upon the ancient foundation of mankind.
Jin leaned forward in his seat, eyes wide.
"...It's beautiful..."
Raul pressed against the window, grinning. "Better than Novara. By a long shot!"
Marco smirked. "Farm world ain't got nothing on that view."
Even Jerome, still nursing bandages, whispered: "So this is... our ancestors' home."
Asura said nothing, but his gaze never wavered from the window.
⸻
Landing at Fort Terra
The VTOL descended into the heart of Fort Terra — Earth's largest military bastion. The base stretched like a city itself, massive hangars, landing pads, barracks, and shining towers fortified with layers of shimmering defense barriers. Thousands of UNE flags rippled in the wind.
The VTOLs lined up in formation, unloading wave after wave of Marines onto the tarmac.
The moment Jin and his squad stepped off, their boots hit Earth's soil. The ground felt heavier, richer. Something primal stirred in their chests.
Raul yanked his helmet off first, gasping as fresh air filled his lungs. "Oh my God... this air...!"
Marco followed, laughing. "Feels alive. Different. Can you feel that?"
Jin hesitated, then slowly removed his helmet. The breeze hit his face — warm, natural, pure. His chest swelled as he drew his first breath of Earth's air.
"...It feels like home," he whispered.
⸻
The Atmosphere
Around them, soldiers were doing the same. Hundreds of Marines removed helmets, staring in awe at the sky, the wind, the scent of greenery they'd never known. Some dropped to their knees in tears. Others prayed openly, thanking God for letting them live to see this day.
Min-seo's eyes glistened as he muttered, "It's like... it remembers us."
Reaper, standing nearby with Hudson and Hunter, lifted his helmet just enough to breathe the air, his voice low.
"Earth. The cradle. The beginning. Remember this moment, kids. You may never feel something like it again."
⸻
Closing Beat
The squad stood together, wind brushing across their faces. For the first time, they weren't just UNE soldiers.
They were sons of Earth.
And from its soil, humanity's retaliation against the Frenzies would rise.
——————————————————
To be continued...