Sacrifices

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MISSION 15

Fighter squadron: N/A

Description: If there is a better time to do this, it's now.

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Background

You feel that same old sensation once again—that you are the core of the universe; it moves when you do. You felt it ever since the Second Shivan Incursion, but that felt like a sheet of paper leaning on your back compared to how it feels now.

Rear-Admiral Carey does not share your concern that the GTD Orestes is in danger in Delta Serpentis; she is more concerned about getting the Temeraire's battlegroup back up to full strength before attempting to head back. You kept from telling her about your connection to the Vishnans, fearing that you will be considered to be mentally unstable and sent to the medical ward.

You respect the Admiral, but you also know that, if you stay any longer with the battlegroup, it will be too late.

Walkthrough

This is a scramble mission, so you cannot select your loadout. You will be flying a Spacesuit. As for armaments ... you don't need to know, and you won't need them.

This mission is essentially a playable cutscene. It begins with a short clip showing a modest Vishnan fleet, consisting of one large destroyer-sized vessel, as well as several smaller escort cruisers and fighters, after which it cuts to you, following them in their wake.

As you catch up to the fleet, two ships warp in from behind you. It is Corey and Taylor. The Temeraire was notified of your coop-flying, and both of them volunteered to get you back. However, the both of them are not going to bring you back by force. The only thing they want to know is why you left.

You explain the situation, telling both of them that, in summary, there are some things that cannot be confronted as a team ... such as giving up your humanity to save your own father and fulfilling your destiny. You add that you have known this somehow ever since you were a kid, and back then, it was so easy to pass it off as paranoia, but as the years went by, you lost your mother and wife to the Shivans during Capella, leaving you with only your father. You admit that you were lying when you mentioned that you lost your father back then as well. Taylor and Corey, having seen the writing on the wall, put it bluntly across that you were going to save Admiral Bei Wen Jian, commanding officer of the GTD Orestes, as well as his entire battlegroup in Delta Serpentis.

Corey then brings up a proposal that leaves you speechless: he and Taylor are willing to follow you and merge with the Vishnans as well, adding that if Rear-Admiral Carey ever sees them again, you can spin a yarn and tell her that the Vishnans forced them into it.

You eventually tell them, however, that merging with the Vishnans was a decision you made a long time ago. The three of you know that there was nothing else that can be done, and exchange goodbyesfarewells.

As both Corey and Taylor leave, the Vishnans speak to you. Fly into the fighterbay of the Sacred Keeper, located at the top front section of the vessel, to merge with the Great Preservers.

Notes

• Preacher wing consists solely of Vishnan Missionaries, despite the Vishnans having another ship class called "Preacher".
• The Vishnan vessels will accept orders from you, so if you wish to make a beautiful entry, order the Vishnans to form on your wing. You'll be escorted in to the Keeper by a phalanx of firefly-esque drive flares.
• Because spacesuits don't have subspace drives, a shuttle from the Temeraire can be found drifting behind the player's start point where Sam abandoned it after using it to reach the mission area.
• This plot twist is a divisive one. Some consider Sam's decision to join the Vishnans a beautiful and original stroke. Others consider it poorly explained and unbelievable.
• Completing this mission unlocks all techroom information regarding the Vishnans.

Total number of forces

Forces involved
Belligerents
Samuel Bei Cheow Keng	Vishnans	GTVA
Ships
1 GTEP Hermes Temeraire Shuttle 6	1 Vishnan Sacred Keeper Vishnan Sacred Keeper 3 Vishnan Arbiter Arbiter (3)
Strikecraft
1 Spacesuit Alpha 1 Bei	12 Vishnan Missionary Missionary (6) Preacher (6)	2 GTF Aurora Beta 1 Corey Beta 2 Taylor