Special Operations Division

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The Special Operations Division is a military branch of the Terran Confederation Navy that specializes in covert operations aimed at defending the interests of humanity.

Overview

The Special Operations Division is a highly secretive military division that was established sometime after the founding of the Terran Confederation. Its members and commanders partake in operations that the conventional forces are not suited for. Its aim is to conduct intelligence-gathering operations against enemy forces in an effort to identify possible weaknesses in the enemy's offensive against humanity and to take advantage of those weaknesses in order to increase humanity's own ability to defend itself.

The Special Operations Division often enlists Terran military personnel who have proven themselves to be valuable assets in combat operations, and can thus contribute to the success of those operations conducted by the Special Operatives. The division employs the usage of many undercover starships and starfighters (Some of foreign and/or civilian designs) in an attempt to deceive enemy forces and increase their own efficiency in gathering intelligence. In many instances, the division engages in open combat with enemy forces if they present an immediate threat to either its operatives or humanity as a whole.

History

The Special Operations Division has been a staple of the Confederation Armed Forces for many years. Its strategic importance rose dramatically with the outbreak of the Terran-Kilrathi War, in which the Kilrathi Empire threatened to exterminate humanity in its quest for galactic dominance. Since the war's outbreak, the division has conducted numerous deep-space operations in an attempt to derail Kilrathi war efforts. Many of these operations have inflicted serious damage on the Kilrathi, but in spite of these successes, the war dragged on for nearly forty years, with no true end in sight.

Sometime after his retirement from active duty service in 2656, James Taggart of the TCS Tiger's Claw enlisted in the Special Operations Division, eventually rising through the ranks to become its Chief Field Officer of Intelligence. During his tenure with the division, he flew the TCS Bonnie Heather, a modified Free Trader-Class Transport. In 2667, Christopher Blair was transferred to the division in the wake of his exemplary service during the bloody Enigma Sector Campaign.

In 2667, the Special Operations Division launched a campaign to defend the Kilrathi separatist colony of Ghorah Khar, which had seceded from the Kilrathi Empire. Taggart and Colonel Blair eventually joined the fray on the Bonnie Heather in an attempt to defend Olympus Station, which was constructed to defend Ghorah Khar. Kilrathi traitor Ralgha nar Hhallas also joined the division and was assigned to command the Ghorah Kharran ground defenses. Whilst ensuring that the Ghorah Kharrans were well-supplied and their fleet protected, the Special Operations Division fought off five Kilrathi carrier groups that launched a brutal but unsuccessful assault against Olympus Station, saving Ghorah Khar.

It was during the action at Ghorah Khar that the Special Operations Division captured Crown Prince Thrakhath nar Kiranka, after an unsuccessful assassination attempt on his life by Kilra'hra pilots under the command of Khasra Fireclaw, Thrakhath's cousin. He was incarcerated aboard the Bonnie Heather, but later escaped after the vessel suffered a power failure, and would later exact revenge on his treacherous cousin.

(To be continued)