The small frontier settlement of Node was largely successful due to its strategic location between several sources of iron and coal, which is precisely why the Imperium burned it to the ground and set up their own automated mining operation. Before the Clockwork had gained a significant foothold, UCSA troops launched an attack that covered the escape of Node’s few surviving refugees. Grateful to the UCSA for saving his life and hungry for revenge at the loss of his friends and family in the attack, Darius Shepard joined the army as soon as he came of age.
