political-alliance-fragility

In this chapter, the Willamette Valley Defense Council evaluates a new infrared night vision scope prototype developed by the Servants of Cyclops, but the technology proves unreliable and insufficient against the ongoing Holnist threat. The council debates the limitations of technological defenses and the necessity of relying on human fighters, while Gordon, the symbolic leader, announces his plan to travel south to seek aid from the more experienced southern factions. The chapter highlights the tension between technological optimism and harsh wartime realities, as well as the fragile political alliances holding the region together.