CHAPTER 17
The war escalated steadily after the initial assault. The hostiles changed the rules by not only attacking military targets, but also attacking our civilian population centres, which forced the MOF to respond in kind. Our forces launched violent reprisals against enemy nests inside their own territory, and the MOF’s undisputed air superiority allowed the fleet to begin planetary bombardment against enemy outposts and positions. A long-standing rule of conflict on Big Red effectively meant that orbiting vessels weren’t to be used in conflict with the hostiles. This unspoken agreement remained in place for over twenty years, mainly to prevent retribution against the civilian population, but also to prevent retaliation against MARSCORP’s drilling operations. Likewise, the hostiles
