It has been almost a year since the first Irish team came through the Cavan gate to Minerva.
Almost a year of unending fight against the ferocious D'Worff pirates of the Aran islands.
But that strange time-dilating effect also means that only 7 weeks have passed on Earth…
When the first team got back through the gate, they were astounded to find out that what to them seemed a week long trip, had in fact taken only one day. Just another mystery in a mysterious land.

The first encounter with the D'Worffs had been a messy affair. Almost immediately a D'Worff group had opened fire on the new arrivals and decimated the Irish reconnaissance team. Heavy massive bullets making terrible wounds, tore through men and it was only thanks to their previous combat experience with the English invaders that there were any survivors at all.
It soon became obvious however that those huge slug throwing guns didn't have much range, and the Irish were almost all accomplished sharpshooters. They were able to keep the enemy at bay with their Mausers and Enfields, and the single Lewis gun made short work (pun intended) of the more audacious D'Worff.

Hand to hand fighting was an even more gruesome affair. At first glance those puny figures looked like easy prey in a brawl. It took a few bloody, often fatal, mistakes before the Irish changed their view.

Perhaps the weirdest thing was that most of the D'Worffs spoke a heavily accented English with many old Gaelic words interwoven. The professor has a theory on this but that makes the fact no less eerie.

And it wasn't just the D'Worffs. Aside from the pugnacious leprechauns there were also humans on Minerva. Most were pirate associates of the D'Worffs, but also Hominis, often slaves.
Most of the humans however viewed the Irishmen as better associates than the d'Worffs (who despised humans and Hominis alike - and they quickly threw in their lot with the invaders. Oddly enough at least one group of D'Worffs did the same thing. From them the Irish learned most the things that now made them such vaunted experts on all things Minervan.

The island where the gate is located, is part of a small group called The Arans, another further indication that Earth and Minerva have a common history.
To the North East across the sea is a big landmass where none of the humans had ever been.
According to legend it is a land of ice, fire and giants.

Due East, another land, probably connected to the first one but with a much milder climate.
It wasn't yet known to the Irish if any humans lived there, but all agreed it was teeming with D'Worffs, all fighting against one another. It is called Uranus and the lands of the High Emperor are situated there.

But the biggest prize, and at the same time the biggest threat, is the continent to the South West.
Perhaps just a huge island, it is called Engülland, and the favourite prize of the pirates, for that is what most of the Aran inhabitants are.

Anyway, the fact that the foul Britons have invaded yet another country (be it on another planet…) is just an added incentive for the Irish who feel a common cause. They will hurt the Sassenach any way they can!
After cleaning out most of the d'Worffs on the Arans, the Irish are now looking for new opportunities.

And there are opportunities aplenty. Raiding Engülland is but just one of them.

On Earth a Turkish gate has been found and Enver Pasha has requested German help.
The Germans have been Ireland's' staunchest ally in their bid for freedom, and it is largely thanks to them that Irish troops have been able to withstand the British onslaught.
Large shipments of modern weapons have reached Ireland and German volunteers are training Irish troops.
When the German High command learned of the Irish expeditions, they asked for advisers and the Irish have gladly honoured this request.

Gust Costers - editor in chief.