The air was hot, and the sky was cloudless. Dust and flies were everywhere. But what else was new at U.S. Air Force Base Oak Kim, at the foot of Mount Hedge, Nevada?

Chief Master Sergeant Morris, the Senior Enlisted Advisor of the installation, walked with an authoritative thump in his step as he made his way to the Command Center. This installation wasn’t just in charge of keeping the nation’s skies safe, after all.

They also watched the stars.

As Chief Master Sergeant Morris entered the Command Center, the junior enlisted personnel stood up to greet him, but he put them at ease with a quick downward wave of his hand. He made his way over to the enormous LRSDAN (Long Range Satellite Alert Defense Network) table, where Staff Sergeant Courtney, the Technical Operations Chief, waited.

“Good morning, Chief Master Sergeant,” Staff Sergeant Courtney greeted, shaking his hand with a firm grip. Despite her short stature and visible scar on the back of her neck from a burn, Staff Sergeant Courtney was anything but weak. Her hair was always pulled back in a tight, at-regulations bun and her uniform was always crisp.

“Good morning Courtney,” Chief Master Sergeant Morris nodded his head. “Why did you call me here?”

Staff Sergeant Courtney gestured to the green-and-black screen of the giant table, which was flashing with odd gray blips of varying size.

“We’ve been getting these abnormal readings for the past two hours, Chief Master Sergeant,” the Staff Sergeant explained. “Every time they blink out, they seem to be coming closer to Earth.”

Morris mulled this over.

“I see. Do you have any idea what these objects are? Is it a meteor cluster, or are there life forms?”

“We still aren’t sure, Chief Master Sergeant. All of our readings keep coming back with nothing. However, the pace of these objects is alarming. Should we put the base at full alert?”

“Yes,” Morris said without hesitation. “Notify the installation that all missile silos are to be opened and aircraft should be ready to go at a moment’s notice. I will notify General Hudson of this development. Get moving. Now!”

“Right away, Chief Master Sergeant!” Staff Sergeant Courtney replied, then immediately turned and began barking out orders.

Outside, the emergency siren began to blare, and airmen scurried about as they began to make the necessary preparations. The runway became filled with pilots, technicians, and other personnel who knew exactly what the siren meant.

War was coming.

And they would be the first line of defense.

Chapter 1: Darkening Horizons

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