The Eternal Winter - Book 1 - Intermission (Patreon)

                     The Military HQ on the capital planet of the Terran Empire, Terra

“If you don’t get off your ass now and get to killing those frozen ones, then I’ll throw you out there myself!” General Edward North shouts while standing in his office and glaring at the lieutenant colonel cowering in front of him. The general is a Tier 5 symbiont host and has on a fancy set of red and blue cybernetic armor built especially for him, with his personal crest displayed on the right breast of it.

The lieutenant colonel is a Tier 3 symbiont host, and is wearing the same outfit as every other lieutenant colonel, but with his personal crest engraved on it.

He opens his mouth to complain, only to be cut off before he can even start by the general, “And don’t give me that bullshit about waiting till your breakthrough to Tier 4 to avoid getting turned. You have just as much a chance of being turned by a stray shard in here as you have out there fighting and actually being useful!”

The lieutenant colonel grimaces at that and begins to open his mouth again. But this time, the general narrows his eyes and uses the mental powers granted by the Tier 4 or stronger symbionts to order him, “Leave and go do your job. Now.”

As if dragged by some invisible force, the lieutenant colonel’s mouth slams shut, and he finds himself walking out of the room against his will and closing the door shut behind him.

Immediately after the door shuts, the general lets out a sigh and pulls up a report on his terminal.

/ Report by user Artoria Bellovick \

Greetings. This is a report containing knowledge on the phenomenon known as the ‘Eternal Winter’ for the higher ups of the Empire.

Through the use of researchers specializing on the planet known as Cocytus, we have confirmed the link between the phenomenon and the planet neighboring the capital of the Arctic Empire. And from there, an initial hypothesis has been made for the phenomenon’s origin and effects on reality including both proven facts and assumptions.

The hypothesis is as follows:

Some unknown action made by the Arctic Empire caused the planet Cocytus to release its cold atmosphere in a massive wave large enough to cover the entire universe. This wave brought with it the physics-altering effects of the planet itself, changing several parts of our modern physics including but not limited to the way electrons work in the universe along with capping the speed certain molecules can move at.
Furthermore, strange crystals containing an unknown radiation were spread at random throughout the cold atmosphere. The radiation has mutative effects on any biological being it enters, eliminating the intelligence of whatever it infects as long as they have both a heart and a brain, changing their base instincts, and mutating their body and form while making their new body’s natural environment the cold atmosphere of planet Cocytus.
These crystals are able to search out unique life signs with a base amount of intelligence to mark as targets. However, for some reason, they only target each life sign once per crystal and will not try again on the same target if they miss.

Actions have been made to revert the changes to physics, but only a bare minimum of progress has been made.
The only way we have found to do it is to clear out the cold atmosphere, as for some reason the shards cannot appear outside of the atmosphere. But the same is not to be said for the monsters, who can traverse the outside of the atmosphere, albeit with some more difficulty due to the heat.

Furthermore, reports from the seventh base located on planet Arran have proven that should a being that should have a heart and a brain be missing one or should have one replaced with a fully artificial one when they are infected, they will retain all of their intelligence and be turned into a new type of being designated a ‘Frost Infused’, or in shorter terms, an ‘Infused’.
This intel is classified at the request of the General of the Military, and therefore the identity of the only known Infused shall be left out of this hypothesis.

Lastly, the Eternal Winter has caused massive damages to the universe’s population and civilization itself.
The exact casualties report cannot be determined as there are thousands of bases throughout the Empire whose Direct Port holders are deceased or infected, and the other locations throughout the Universe outside of the Empire are not contactable outside of trips made by Tier 5 space adapted symbiont hosts.
However, the estimated loss in each city contactable has averaged to about a 70% casualty rate.

In conclusion, attempts are being made to take control of the situation by both military forces and researchers scattered throughout the universe, but even after the situation is put under control, the universe will never be the same as it was before now.

End of hypothesis.

To close out this report, I would personally like to express my appreciation towards the military and their efforts towards defending humanity from the Frozen Ones.

\End of Report/

The general’s face takes a turn for the worse as he reads through the report, only to turn cold once he reaches the part about the Frost Infused.

‘Damn scientist specified which planet he’s on and mentioned my censoring it?!’ he thinks while gritting his teeth. ‘Anyone in a high enough position will be able to figure out who it is from that!’

However, the cold rage on his face turns grim once he reaches the end of the hypothesis before he lets out a puff of mist in the cold room and sags back into his office chair.

“Just what were those Arctic bastards thinking…?”

After several seconds of silence pass, he swipes away at the report, just for a notice to replace it.

/ Notice \

User Governor Baal Ruth has attempted to use direct port ‘Legislature’.
Would you like to give them permission?

\End of Notice/

“What now?” he grunts out loud before giving the governor permission and immediately saying, “Hello, Governor Ruth.” However, just seconds after he greets the governor, another notice appears next to the connection notice.

/ Notice \

User Second Lieutenant Alexander North has attempted to use direct port ‘North’.
Would you like to give them permission?

\End of Notice/

A happy expression appears on the man’s face before he hears the governor declare from the other side of the connection, “General North, both councils have decided to call the Fifth Procedure.” This only makes the man’s smile grow even wider as the governor continues, “You and every other Tier 5 symbiont host are now permitted and ordered to enter combat against the Frozen Ones.”

‘It’s about time,’ the general thinks with his eyes locked on the notice about his son’s attempt to use the direct port, but the governor’s next words make the smile stiffen up slightly.

“Furthermore, the economic and legislative councils have both agreed to a declaration of war on the Arctic Empire once things stabilize. The councils will be expecting your answer as the General of the Military whether you support this decision or believe it should be overruled soon.”

‘War?’ he thinks with a frown before shaking his head and stating, “That decision will have to wait. For now, it’s best to focus on the Frozen Ones. You can expect my decision within three months’ time.”

A few seconds pass in silence as the general gets up from his seat and walks around the desk.

“Very well, general. We will await your answer,” the governor responds. “Good day.”

The moment the connection drops, Alex’s father gives Alex permission to use the port.

“Is everything okay?” the general asks as soon as it connects.