The Fort Orion Massacre

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James’s Note: I have really come to love the Project Golem world. Everything from the futuristic tech paired with archaic politics, to the Golem AI personalities, which I find strangely adorable. I hope you enjoy exploring it as much as I do. Let’s check in on Griffin and his pilot as they fight for Queen and country, but mostly for each other.

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These are the records of the Royal Investigation Committee’s inquiry into the incident at Fort Orion.

According to the testimony of Colonel Sutherland, lead project Officer in the Typhon region, a code black encrypted distress signal was received from Fort Orian Command on date 21-675-898. The transmission reported an attack by unidentified forces.

In accordance with code black protocols, all available military units were dispatched to intervene, but due to the remote location, only HMG Striking Griffin was in range for immediate response. The Golem was scrambled for emergency interception. 

The following is the combat log of Griffin Pilot as transcribed by investigators. All files are classified until released by this committee. 

*The combat log indicates HMG Striking Griffin is making a high speed tactical approach of the Fort Orion installation. It’s reactor is red-lined and it’s burning vertical take off thrusters to increase running speed.*

Griffin Pilot: Come on, Griffin, give it all you’ve got. We don’t know how long they can hold out.

Griffin: Speed at maximum, Pilot 

Griffin Pilot: We’re almost to the outer wall. I think it’s just over that hill. Did you tell them we’re coming?

Griffin: Transmitting now. Attention Fort Orion: The cavalry is on its way. Golem incoming.

Griffin Pilot: Hell, Yeah! Here we go. Use thrusters to get us over that wall and then you are weapons free. Engage at will.

Griffin: Affirmative, Pilot. Weapons free. This is going to be fun.

*Combat log shows Griffin clearing the wall using vertical takeoff thrusters and landing in the courtyard of complex A. Sensors read hundreds of hostile contacts, all being engaged by the depleted defences of the fort. Griffin immediately engages hostiles.*

Fort Orion Command (indistinct): Thank God, you… (inaudible).. Golem. You have to help… (inaudible)

Griffin Pilot: It’s ok, Orion. We’re here to help.

*Griffin’s weapon continuously discharge.*

Griffin Pilot: Griffin, can you tell who the hell these guys are? 

Griffin: Griffin reads no insignia, but their weapons and vehicle type suggest the Hycean Empire. Griffin suspects they are mercenaries. 

Griffin Pilot: Bloody cowards. Can’t even do their own fighting.

*Combat log indicates Griffin engaging  a mixed company of artillery and power armor using melee techniques. One of the mobile cannons is seized and used as a bludgeon. Multiple armored infantry are thrown bodily from the battlefield. The attacking forces are beginning to retreat *

Fort Orion Command: They are… (inaudible)… I repeat they are coming back. Do you re….

Griffin: Pilot, Griffin is reading incoming. Three signatures fast approaching the fort. The reactor signatures are massive. Griffin believes they are Golems.

Griffin Pilot: Yeah I see them. Bloody hell. Those things are huge.

Griffin: Griffin is reading their call insignia.

Call sign: Blood God

Call sign: War God

Call sign: Dead God

Griffin Pilot: Bugger me sideways. That’s the Balck Trinity.  I’d heard they were mercenaries, but I didn’t know they were working for the Hyceans. Griffin, request immediate backup.

Griffin: Already done, Pilot. They will be here in 48 hours.

Griffin Pilot: Christ! (Sound of pounding on the control panel) That’s just bloody lovely! They’ll be here in time to avenge our deaths.

Griffin: The fort can not fend off a Golem assault.

Griffin Pilot: I know! (Audible sigh) Ready to do something really stupid?

Griffin: Always, Pilot.

*Here the combat log is corrupted due to massive damage to the Golem’s main systems. As best we can determine, Griffin engaged all three hostile Golems in combat. 

Taking heavy fire from War God’s artillery, Griffin appears to have gained air superiority using it’s thrusters. After a salvo of Kingslayer missiles that dissabled War God’s main weapons and left arm assembly, Griffin landed on the larger Golem’s back. The sudden radiation spike on the sensors seems to indicate that Griffin ruptured War Gods reactor.

Sensors readings from Fort Orian show Griffin moving away from the fort at top speed, the remaining Golems in pursuit.*

Griffin Pilot: Are they still on us?

Griffin: Affirmative, Pilot. They are at .5 kilometers and closing. 

Griffin Pilot: Good. Let them chase us and give the fort some room to breath. What do you think our chances of taking them are?

Griffin: Virtually nonexistent, Pilot.

Griffin Pilot: Yeah, buddy, that’s what I thought. So what do you vote we do?

Griffin: Griffin votes we rip of their bollocks off and shove them down their throats. 

Griffin Pilot:(Audible laughter) Griffin, I bloody love you. Alright, prepare to turn and fight. Let’s kick their asses.

Griffin: Griffin loves you too, Pilot. Preparing to kick ass.

*A compilation of Griffin’s remaining combat logs and Fort Orion’s intermittent long range sensor records have allowed investigators to extrapolate the following.

Griffin appears to have reversed course suddenly, closing to short range combat with the hostile Golems. The whine of Dead God’s main laser battery charging is audible throughout the engagement. Blood God appears to have engaged Griffin in melee combat, it’s anti-Golem gyroscopic blades overpowering Griffin’s shields. 

Damage to Griffin’s chassis indicates a point blank firing of the Kingslayer missile system. This appears to have exploited a close range weakness in Blood God’s shielding, resulting in catastrophic damage to the hostile Golem. 

The damage to Griffin was marginally less severe, although records indicate that its weapon systems, as well as the right arm assembly where disabled.

It is at this point that Fort Orion’s sensors register the firing of Dead God’s Goliath lasser battery.*

Griffin Pilot: Christ! (Coughing and labored breathing audible) Griffin, damage report!

Griffin: It would be easier to list what is not damaged, Pilot.

Griffin Pilot: Damn it. Then get us out of here before it can fire again.

Griffin: Leg assemblies at ten percent. Movement speed compromised. 

Griffin Pilot: Then use the thrusters! Get us over that cliff and buy us some time.

Griffin: Acknowledged. Brace for impact.

*The crater at the cliff base indicates significant damage was sustained. This appears to have fully incapacitated Griffon’s chassis.*

Griffin: Attention, Pilot. Your vital signs are erratic.

Griffin Pilot: You’re not looking too good either, buddy. Can you pick up that bastard on sensors?

Griffin: Affirmative. Dead God is descending the cliff and will reenter firing range soon.

Griffin Pilot: Well, I guess there’s a certain freedom in being totally screwed.

Griffin: Pilot, I am detecting multiple massive atmospheric entries.

Griffin Pilot: For the love of God. It’s not like they need more reinforcements!

Griffin: They are not their reinforcements, Pilot. They are ours.

*The following events were recorded by the Seventh Auxiliary Fleet, HMS Reaper, as acting flagship. The fleet made planet fall ten kilometers outside of Fort Orian after abandoning its post in defiance of orders and immediately engaged the hostile Golem.

Two squadrons of Harpy class fighters began skirmishing maneuvers, each suffering over fifty percent casualties. Three Leviathan Class Destroyers began a sustained bombardment of the enemy position, while two escort class vessels locked onto Griffin with tractor beams and pulled the fallen Golem out of range.

The hostile Golem’s Goliath laser struck two of the destroyers. All hands were lost. The battleship HMS Reaper fired a Moon Dagger micro-planet buster at the enemy position from orbit.The resulting crater compromised Fort Orion’s walls, but otherwise did not significantly damage the base. Enough wreckage of Callsign: Dead God was collected for it to be confirmed destroyed.

Captain Redwall of the HMS Reaper made the following statement when asked about his defiance of orders.

“Yes, we had orders not to leave our post, but seeing as those were a stupid orders, I chose to disobey them. That was one of Her Majesty’s Golems under fire, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to sit by and let a Pilot die on my watch.

Besides, I’ve always wondered what would happen if you dropped a Moon Dagger on a Golem. Now I guess we know.”

Griffin Pilot is in intensive care, but is expected to recover fully. HMG Striking Griffon’s chassis was unsalvageable. As the AI core was recovered in good condition, a new chassis is under construction with significant upgrades. 

Due in part to testimony delivered by Griffin Pilot, as well as Project Golem’s lead engineer, this committee recommends Captain Redwall face no official charges.