[static filled screen, lower left corner states 12Sept70]
[static clears, resolves on face of dirt-encrusted rebel.] This is Red Tagger. I’ve compiled this report for my fellow New Gibson Freedom League members; pass it up the chain as it contains important information to follow.
[Red Tagger glances off-camera briefly] I don’t know how long I have to transmit this – the Blakists have been getting better in triangulating our positions, despite the jamming equipment. Cell eighteen got caught last night and I’m not sure when… [man pauses, wipes his eyes, smearing grime]
[Red Tagger looks down, apparently typing. Clicking sounds are heard.] Yesterday we managed to help a rogue ComStar King Crab set up an amubush near Fogel Park and brought a Robe Shootist down using the ambush tactics that the Captain taught us. Then, out of nowhere, this...this...thing just blitzed us and blew that ComStar pilot down. We were about to advance and crack the cockpit to grab him when…[man looks into lens]…when this happened...
Screen flips to a battlerom image, a King Crab lies in a heap, partially buried. Staccato gunfire can be heard in the background. Suddenly, the camera pans fast, up into the sky. An object is shakily bracketed and followed on its downward trajectory. The object is a bird-like BattleMech with taloned hands and back-pointing spines. Red at the top and fading to black at the legs, the ‘Mech is highlighted with metallic gold trim. Landing with a heavy crunch, the ‘Mech perches atop the downed King Crab and squats. With blinding speed, a taloned hand reaches down and tears the cockpit open, the pilot now a bloody smear across the razor-tipped knuckles.]
[Red Tagger’s voice] We don’t know what this is, really. The Captain had heard rumors of new ‘Mech designs near the old Castle Masters location; I’m guessing this is our first confirmation of such rumors.
[Camera zooms in on the ‘Mech’s logo, a black downward-pointing broadsword impaling a golden, fanged skull with glowing red eyes, overlaying an inverted red triangle on the letter “A”. Jerking heavily, the camera zooms back as static washes over the picture; the ‘Mech has turned directly towards the lens and elevates its right arm. A muzzle flash, and the camera explodes into static.]
[Red Tagger] I don’t know what the hell this is. I don’t know who they are, except that it’s Word of Blake. What I do know is that it tore the Captain’s Awesome into pieces within a matter of seconds, then that…thing…clawed out his body and rained his blood on the street.
[Red Tagger looks around wildly as the camera shakes slightly.] Dammit. I’ve been on too long. [He squeezes his face into the lens.] Get this out, pass it on. We need help, people. Or the NGFL will die. [He backs off, looking left.] Oh, shit. [He slaps downward, off camera.] Tell my sister I lo- [Blue light overwhelms the image, camera dissolves into hard static.]