Battle Group Frostclaw 3D Render, Digital Artwork by emarukk

! REPORT

Battle Group Frostclaw

3D Render by emarukk

The Confederation missile corvette CWS Ladoga was the lead ship of the "Frost Claw" battle group, a fleet assigned to patrol the icy asteroid fields orbiting star 569049-A, better known as Verdantia space.

On paper, Frost Claw had little business operating in a system so deep inside the Inner Circle, near In-World territory. But the orders came from high command, naturally undebatable, unexplained. Frustrated sailors and marines passed the time running inspections on ice haulers and harassing small-scale mining operations. The Confederation claimed their presence was a vital war effort, securing supply lines in the name of victory against the rebellion brewing on the borders of the Expanse.

Frost Claw patrolled around crucial points in the star system, but ships never docked at Verdantia Station. Soldiers lucky enough to be rotated into station security were envied by the rest of the fleet, who could only dream of fresh food, civilian interaction, and potential romances. For most, life aboard the patrol ships meant claustrophobia, monotony, and the nagging sense that they were being wasted. There were reasons for an assignment that fought against common sense. But none of those were ever spoken aloud outside In-World's protected halls.

The first was simple and the most secret: the war was not meant to end.
The Confederation and its trade company overlords had learned to profit from prolonged conflict. They knew very well that a century of war had reduced the rebellion to scraps. Powerful battle groups like Frost Claw were kept far from decisive strikes. Victory was never the objective. Perpetual containment was far more profitable. Instead of engaging enemy fleets, Frost Claw was sent to abuse and harm ice barges that didn't fly under trade company contracts.

The second reason was fear. The member states of the Confederation were tired of funding a war their citizens barely understood. Leaders were running out of explanations, and people questioned the value of a military that had never fought. Politicians, encouraged by trade company lobbyists, had begun pushing for "leaner, outsourced" security solutions.
So, instead of fighting the rebellion, warships like Ladoga were put on display, not to protect the frontier but to remind the weak who still held power.

PROFILE

Digital Drapery CoTue, Apr 01

Karma: 6,623

Your piece paints a stark and compelling picture of war as a business, where power is maintained not through victory, but through careful stagnation. The atmosphere of quiet frustration among the crew is palpable, and the way you hint at the larger, unspoken truths makes the story feel both grounded and unsettling.

The contrast between the soldiers restlessness and the cold efficiency of the Confederations strategy is especially effectivethese warships arent fighting battles, theyre enforcing economic dominance. The choice to focus on life aboard the Ladoga, rather than grand space battles, adds a unique, almost claustrophobic tension that really sells the theme.

If anything, Id love to see even more of the personal stakesperhaps a moment of dissent, a conversation between officers questioning their orders, or a glimpse at how this endless war personally weighs on the crew. Adding those layers could deepen the emotional impact and make the storys quiet horror hit even harder.

Overall, its a gripping and well-executed exploration of power, corruption, and the futility of war when profit is the true objective.

! REPORT

PROFILE

emarukk

Karma: 2,199

Tue, Apr 01

Thank you! We will eventually come to the warships and officers close to slipping to the side of rebellion. Everybody is not stupid. Some people draw lines and make conclusions. (Can you already see that KGB is like the security police under the Ministry of Internal Affairs? Making sure people in positions think right).