Enlistment Soars After Port Howard Drive 02/09/3133
INN - Interstellar News Network
PORT HOWARD—With fears of war just around the corner, and the future of The
Republic in doubt, the Towne Militia Enlistment Drive in Port Howard drew record
numbers of young, able-bodied men and women eager to do their part to ensure the
security of Towne. Officials at the capital city recruitment center reported earlier
today that preliminary figures alone after last week’s annual drive have increased
seven hundred percent over last year, a surge not seen in the history of The Republic.
“Just last year at this time, we had only about 40 or 50 potential enlistees come
through this office,” said Captain Annabelle Kemiko of the Towne Militia, who heads
the Port Howard Militia Recruitment Center. “Combined with similar figures planet-
wide, we were looking at another below-average year for recruits. By yesterday alone,
however, we’d seen over three hundred volunteers come through these doors, and I
understand that other offices are seeing similar figures.”
Kemiko attributes this rise to fears of war that continue to grip the people of Towne,
especially after the recent surge in heavy fighting that has touched worlds as close as
Addicks, Ankaa, and Ozawa. Last week’s annual enlistment drive, however, may have
boosted these numbers as well, with stirring speeches such as former army Major
Bryce Shorter’s impassioned call to arms for the future of Towne. The additional
incentive, which would allow residents who serve a five-year military stint to gain full
citizenship and voting rights in The Republic, has also been attributed to the increase,
Kemiko added, who also noted the historic trend of rising recruitment numbers during
election years.
Shorter, a ComStar military commentator and Towne native who has publicly decried
the shortage of militia manpower in past interviews, cautioned that even with
recruitment on the rise, today’s enlistees won’t be ready to protect Towne for many
months to come.
“It’s a sad state of human affairs,” said Shorter. “To protect our peace, we must
prepare for war. Our world is in grave peril, with hostile powers emerging all around
us—including those we have yet to see. The Dragon’s Fury, the Steel Wolves, and
even the Spirit Cats and troops loyal to Bannson Universal have surfaced to hit worlds
only a jump away. Sooner or later, it will be us, and we still haven’t the strength to
resist.”
Whatever the reason for the rising figures, the Towne Militia is not complaining about
the influx of new recruits, who may be called up to defend our world in what many
feel will be dark times. Still, not everyone shares the militia’s enthusiasm.
“Decades under Devlin Stone’s benevolent, peaceful rule have been swept away by
the people in power, and I’m not just talking about the Exarch, his Knights, or even
the wayward Prefecture warmongers,” Ricardo Montague told reporters at a Port
Howard antiwar rally. “Right here on Towne, we see everywhere the preparations for
war. Are we going to be invading some other peace-loving world now? Are we going
to become the killers of other people’s children? What will we tell Stone when he
returns to see what we have become?”
“And as we raise this great army, who will tend the fields, and who will dig the
mines?” cried another activist, known only as Lisa. “We have nothing anyone else
wants and everything our own people need. We have no business in anybody else’s
wars— for any reason!”
Towne Log
+ And once again, we hear the sabers rattle. I said it before, and I’ll say it again: That
Legate of ours will be the death of us all. :- Hippee
+ How’s that, Hippee? All we got here are more people than ever wanting to sign up
and defend Towne. Or would you rather have the next Dragon’s Fury or Spirit Cat
incursion happen in your own back yard? :- Kurious
+ And building our own little army here is supposed to stop them? We go raising
troops, and some of our neighbors may consider us a threat. We don’t have much
that anybody would come fighting over, but if we get all militarized, you better believe
someone’s gonna want to pin us down, just to be safe. :- FMLurder
+ You sound more like Hippee every day, FML. The fact is there is an awful lot of
industry here, including some new defense contractors. That’s the kind of thing that’ll
really bring attention our way, not just some citizen’s militia. :- Chungabunga
+ From the ashes of the order, Devlin Stone will return to bring us a better, stronger
Republic. Can’t you all see this is but a test, and only those most loyal to the
Protector’s dreams will get through this alive? :- Hop4Evr
+ Spoken like a Blakist freak, Hop. Stone would be rolling in his grave right now. . . . :
- GM01379
+ I don’t believe you people! People all over this planet are taking the extraordinary
step of signing up, putting their lives on the line in case we ever do get attacked, and
all you can do is blame it on political warmongering! You ought to be showing more
fragging respect than that! :- LaneyHL
+ Oh? Did you sign up, Laney? :- FMLurder
+ As a matter of fact, yes! What of it? :- LaneyHL
+ It’s worse than I feared. . . . :- Hippee
INN - Interstellar News Network
PORT HOWARD—With fears of war just around the corner, and the future of The
Republic in doubt, the Towne Militia Enlistment Drive in Port Howard drew record
numbers of young, able-bodied men and women eager to do their part to ensure the
security of Towne. Officials at the capital city recruitment center reported earlier
today that preliminary figures alone after last week’s annual drive have increased
seven hundred percent over last year, a surge not seen in the history of The Republic.
“Just last year at this time, we had only about 40 or 50 potential enlistees come
through this office,” said Captain Annabelle Kemiko of the Towne Militia, who heads
the Port Howard Militia Recruitment Center. “Combined with similar figures planet-
wide, we were looking at another below-average year for recruits. By yesterday alone,
however, we’d seen over three hundred volunteers come through these doors, and I
understand that other offices are seeing similar figures.”
Kemiko attributes this rise to fears of war that continue to grip the people of Towne,
especially after the recent surge in heavy fighting that has touched worlds as close as
Addicks, Ankaa, and Ozawa. Last week’s annual enlistment drive, however, may have
boosted these numbers as well, with stirring speeches such as former army Major
Bryce Shorter’s impassioned call to arms for the future of Towne. The additional
incentive, which would allow residents who serve a five-year military stint to gain full
citizenship and voting rights in The Republic, has also been attributed to the increase,
Kemiko added, who also noted the historic trend of rising recruitment numbers during
election years.
Shorter, a ComStar military commentator and Towne native who has publicly decried
the shortage of militia manpower in past interviews, cautioned that even with
recruitment on the rise, today’s enlistees won’t be ready to protect Towne for many
months to come.
“It’s a sad state of human affairs,” said Shorter. “To protect our peace, we must
prepare for war. Our world is in grave peril, with hostile powers emerging all around
us—including those we have yet to see. The Dragon’s Fury, the Steel Wolves, and
even the Spirit Cats and troops loyal to Bannson Universal have surfaced to hit worlds
only a jump away. Sooner or later, it will be us, and we still haven’t the strength to
resist.”
Whatever the reason for the rising figures, the Towne Militia is not complaining about
the influx of new recruits, who may be called up to defend our world in what many
feel will be dark times. Still, not everyone shares the militia’s enthusiasm.
“Decades under Devlin Stone’s benevolent, peaceful rule have been swept away by
the people in power, and I’m not just talking about the Exarch, his Knights, or even
the wayward Prefecture warmongers,” Ricardo Montague told reporters at a Port
Howard antiwar rally. “Right here on Towne, we see everywhere the preparations for
war. Are we going to be invading some other peace-loving world now? Are we going
to become the killers of other people’s children? What will we tell Stone when he
returns to see what we have become?”
“And as we raise this great army, who will tend the fields, and who will dig the
mines?” cried another activist, known only as Lisa. “We have nothing anyone else
wants and everything our own people need. We have no business in anybody else’s
wars— for any reason!”
Towne Log
+ And once again, we hear the sabers rattle. I said it before, and I’ll say it again: That
Legate of ours will be the death of us all. :- Hippee
+ How’s that, Hippee? All we got here are more people than ever wanting to sign up
and defend Towne. Or would you rather have the next Dragon’s Fury or Spirit Cat
incursion happen in your own back yard? :- Kurious
+ And building our own little army here is supposed to stop them? We go raising
troops, and some of our neighbors may consider us a threat. We don’t have much
that anybody would come fighting over, but if we get all militarized, you better believe
someone’s gonna want to pin us down, just to be safe. :- FMLurder
+ You sound more like Hippee every day, FML. The fact is there is an awful lot of
industry here, including some new defense contractors. That’s the kind of thing that’ll
really bring attention our way, not just some citizen’s militia. :- Chungabunga
+ From the ashes of the order, Devlin Stone will return to bring us a better, stronger
Republic. Can’t you all see this is but a test, and only those most loyal to the
Protector’s dreams will get through this alive? :- Hop4Evr
+ Spoken like a Blakist freak, Hop. Stone would be rolling in his grave right now. . . . :
- GM01379
+ I don’t believe you people! People all over this planet are taking the extraordinary
step of signing up, putting their lives on the line in case we ever do get attacked, and
all you can do is blame it on political warmongering! You ought to be showing more
fragging respect than that! :- LaneyHL
+ Oh? Did you sign up, Laney? :- FMLurder
+ As a matter of fact, yes! What of it? :- LaneyHL
+ It’s worse than I feared. . . . :- Hippee
| February 9, 3133 |