Second Hephaestus Independence War

The Second Hephaestus Independence War was a short conflict between the Gigerdi Alliance and its' former colony world, The Free Republic of Hephaestus. This conflict took place three months after the Hephaestus War of Independence. The conflict has been badly reported in the GA territories and controlled media, and the entire covert campaign has only recently came to light.

Warning Signs

Three months after the short but intense Hephaestan war for independence, the citizens of the new republic were starting to enjoy their lives as normal productive citizens. The Hephaestan government believed, that the GA would not be willing to attack anymore due to the Hephaestan alliance with the DHR. The Hephaestan government had been lulled into a false sense of security, since the GA had stayed dead silent for the past months right after the initial liberation of the Hephaestus system. Things were about to change, however.

The Hephaestan attachè to the DHR, a former Gigerdian senator of the Democratic League by the name of Jul Hadok, quickly sent message of his arrival to the Hephaestan government. Ambassador Hadok informed the Hephaestan leaders, that the DHR hackers had uncovered information along with the support of a few sympathizers in GA space about an attack. This attack against Hephaestus was to be carried out in complete silence and secrecy. The GA had been mobilizing at least twelve carrier-sized elements in the neighbouring systems for the assault.

The Hephaestan government reacted to this threat quickly, but ultimately knew, that there was no way that they could win against superior numbers, once again.

Second Attempt

The Hephaestan forces quickly set up a defensive perimeter around the main planets of the system. Large minefields were laid to the orbits of the planets, and patrols were doubled in the area. Meanwhile president Gren Vayne held a speech to the Hephaestan people, in which he confirmed the rumours that an attack by the GA into the Hephaestus system was imminent. What the enemy did not know at the time, however, was that the Hephaestan forces had quickly mobilized their entire resources to defend the entire system.

As the GA forces jumped into the system first with just scouting elements, the Hephaestan forces led the invaders to believe, that the entire system was unprepared for an attack. The invaders first came in small numbers, but the Hephaestan forces were instructed to ignore them, and to wait for further instructions.

The bigger GA ships then jumped into the system. They jumped close to the orbit of Hephaestus I, since that was the best place to quickly launch troop transports to the ground. Little did the GA captains know, since they found themselves sitting in the middle of minefields. The Hephaestan forces disabled several transports that jumped into the system, and small firefights broke out between the two sides. The GA capital ships in the orbital minefields found maneuvering extremely hard, and some of them even received heavy damage from the mines. The Hephaestan forces offered the GA ships a safe passage out of the system, which the GA commanders in the fleet accepted. The GA had received a bloody nose from the fight, and quickly left the scene. A Hephaestan commander serving in the fleet by the name of Det Luther recieved a Hephaestan Purple Trident medal for his actions during the conflict.