Data Entry_

For those who are reading, this isn't Prower, but his Commander, Shadow. I've been asked to give detailed logs of recent events, and while I may not speak as eloquently as Miles, I'll give every detail:

The Emperor's been busy dealing with allies and breaking the UO's hold on other people, but he's getting too involved, too personal.

He and I led a battalion into an underground tunnel system where we found men, women, children, and even elderly, all caged up like wild beasts. They'd been marked for slavery, sex trade, and some had been given marks I'd never seen before.

It was a damn trafficking ring!

I've seen what some call evil before, but most of that had nothing on this, so I was hardly surprised when Prower himself unloaded his entire magazine at those responsible…but I knew something was up when he hit them in their knees instead of just offing them. I noticed he looked detached, yet he gave orders left and right with a ferocious intensity that hinted at something dark lurking just below the surface. The moment we entered those tunnels, Miles wasn't the same again…looking back on it now, I think witnessing a slave trafficking up close was what finally broke him.

The first thing I clearly remember him doing was ordering the traffickers who had surrendered to move to the center of the room, followed by calling for his Automated Assault units to move into the tunnels. I vividly recall knowing what he had in mind for the prisoners, and questioning his judgment in the matter. After ordering our men to finish clearing the tunnels, he turned his attention back to the traffickers, now surrounded by our mechs, and ordered the machines to…burn them alive…

He gave the command, and within a minute, the prisoners were rolling on the floor, shrieking like the damned as their fur evaporated and the flesh underneath melted off. When I backed away to escape the skyrocketing temperature, I took that as my que to look away, not wanting to watch what I could still hear…can hear it even now.

After the screaming stopped, I looked back at the Emperor who stood there motionless, not even blinking at the still fresh carnage he'd witnessed. I knew he'd gone into shock and took the liberty of leading him away from the scene, but as we made it back to the surface he fell to his knees and lost whatever he'd eaten before the operation.

I told all nearby personnel to guard the perimeter around us, mainly to turn their focus from the Emperor who was on his hands and knees letting out muffled sobs, babbling incoherently under his breath.

Placing a hand on his shoulder, I told him, "Listen, I know what you're going through-"

But that was all I got out before he glared up at me and, with renewed focus, said, "You don't understand. You will never understand what I'm going through!"

He was definitely out of it. Knowing he needed strong guidance at this particular moment, and that he trusted me to be blunt with him, I took him by the shoulders and told him, "Miles! I've done things worse than this. It hurts and nothing will undo it, but that's part of war, and we do it so others won't have to. You, me, and others do the unthinkable so that our children and their children won't have to. Not on our watch!"

Out of my peripheral, I noticed the nearby troops still focusing outside the perimeter. If they noticed what was going on behind them, they weren't showing it.

"Besides," I continued, squeezing his shoulders again, "those people you saved are watching. They are in desperate need of reassurance that we are indeed the light that pierces a darkened veil, and the hands that freed the rest of this war-torn land. My men and I are awaiting your orders."

Taking a moment to adjust his armor, Miles finally replied, "Round everyone up and return to HQ. We'll debrief there.

The dropships arrived shortly after. After a fast ride to the outpost, Miles had collected himself enough to address the Mobians we'd rescued as they exited onto the airstrip with us.

"Good people, you are free! The Empire of Mobius offers you refuge and protection as we rejuvenate these lands! You are no longer prisoners treated as cattle. But rather, a new and free populace! And the Empire welcomes you!"

Some cheered, some cried tears of joy before he'd finished, but all were clearly grateful.

While they were being ushered to the medical bays for examination, Prower pulled me aside and said, "I wasn't myself back there…I've never seen horror of this extent before, so thank you for pulling me back from the brink."

I told him, "Everyone stumbles, but getting back up is what makes you a man- and a leader."

Still somewhat lost after that day's encounter, Miles said, "I want to save as many of them as I can. I will not let that happen to anyone else!"

Sympathetically, I told him, "I've been through a lot, myself. One thing I've learned is that war never changes. Suffering never changes. But we can stop it, for a while."

Nothing was said as we got back onto Miles' mobile command center (MCC), which was a black, jet-like speeder fit for an emperor, but longer with an extra set of wings near the center and big enough to house a lower cargo deck fed by a back door with blast proof windows- all of which required a double cockpit at the front. Miles seemed lost in thought, while I simply had nothing to say. It was fortunate that the survivors and POWs had been rescued because that gave us the next phase to distract us; a brilliant mix of blue and amber light hit the center of the city as if the sun itself passed judgment.

Helios 1 was indeed a force to be reckoned with, using only a tenth of its firepower to completely erase the city.

It was also becoming routine; find UO stronghold, send ops to evac civilians and prisoners, whitewash the place, recharge and repeat. The blast could even penetrate underground tunnels and bunkers, leaving the enemy no place to hide from the proverbial wrath of the Almighty. And this was merely the beginning; though we rained hell upon those who opposed us, we were simultaneously paving the way for repopulation and reconstruction. Rebirth and renewal, but not without breaking some omelets…

After seeing the blast, we almost fell into our seats as the MCC began to shake from heavy laser fire. Miles nodded to me and I ordered the unit to suit up. As soon as I had, we got hit hard and part of the hull sprayed fuel. One of the soldiers working in the cargo bay came up doused in it. Right about then, Miles told us he had the Blue Typhoon in route, but the ETA would be 15 minutes. Sighing, I radioed for an immediate TDG (Touch, Drop, and Go). We would offload in a quick landing and the craft would switch to emergency fuel as it returned to base.

After touching down, the ground crew swept heavily North as we pushed back towards where the laser came from. Soon, we were met with machinegun fire. I grabbed Miles and dove into the brush. Exchanging glances, Miles and I knew for a fact that the UO only used energy weapons. I called for a ceasefire, and as the blasters from my men fell silent, so too did the enemy's. Miles sent up a nanodrone to scout forward. Within minutes, he stood and waved his hands shouting something in a different language as he rushed forward, narrowly avoiding my attempt to grab him. I feared that he was about to be riddled with hot lead, but it remained quiet, save for Prower conversing with someone in that strange language from before.

Sweeping North to catch up with him, we were met with machinegun fire that didn't harm anyone but still knocked a few of us down before Miles put a stop to it.

There in the middle of the field, surrounded by a mixture of my men and the other militia, stood Miles Prower, and Tikal Pachacamac, granddaughter of the really late Chief of the Echidnas clan. Her militia was diverse but included Mobian ancients, or officially: Forerunners of Angel Island as they are so dubbed in prewar records.

They'd been underground during most of the war between our Empire and the Union of Order, which meant that Tikal was unaware of nearly everything, including the death of Sonic. Some sentiment and a few tears later, I asked her how she managed to nearly take down our craft. Apologizing, she motioned for what looked like her second in command to bring something forward. The brute carried an old cannon from one of Dr. Robotnik's crashed ships. However they had reworked the energy compartment to carry something far greater than a battery pack.

Miles' eyes grew wide, and when I looked closer, I could see why: The compartment carried the green, cyan, and red Chaos Emeralds. For those who are unaware, each emerald resonated with a special energy that gave the emerald its color. The ones here were the green nature emerald, the cyan spirit emerald, and the red power emerald. And Tikal was using them as battery packs…

Being on good terms with Tikal, Miles convinced her and her motley crue to align with the Empire. Shortly after, the Blue Typhoon descended for pickup. And with that we were on our way to HQ. However, this time, Miles stayed onboard, leaving me in charge as he and the MCC made its way to the ARK.

Judging by the look in his eyes, his mind was working on overdrive. Whatever he's planning, I hope it works out for him.

-This is the end of the update. I am going to send this to Miles and the next entry should be by his hand. I am still curious as to whether anyone would read this, but what's done is done.

This is Shadow, signing off.