TERRAHAWKS: Enemy Unknown
Terrahawks is property of Southern Star Media.
Chapter 1: Dark Moon Rising
AMAZONIS PLANITIA, MARS:
GOOD FRIDAY, 2020
"Planet Mars. A stepping stone towards planet Earth, and a step closer to the enthrallment of the species known as humanity."
Those eerie words hung over the base radio like an axe.
"Activate distress beacon. Set for 579 UHF." the commander ordered.
The computer processed the order and began to play the message.
"Terrahawks, this is Lowell Base, Mars. We are an unarmed research facility. We are broadcasting the following in all Earth languages. Mayday! pomogite! aider! hilfe! helpen! hulp! msaada! pomocy-"
An orbital bombardment cut the message off as the base was wiped from the face of Mars. High above the planet's surface, the attackers' ships gathered around a central ring and docked. A smaller command ship occupied the center of the ring, and the assembled super-ship landed on the site of Lowell Base.
"Now, to begin the enslavement of mankind…" the voice whispered as one of the ships left Mars.
ESMERALDAS, ECUADOR:
A white colonial house loomed over a rolling lawn in the middle of the jungle. Apart from its location, nothing would have seemed out of the ordinary at a glance. However, it was far from an ordinary house. Beneath it was a sprawling underground complex known as the Hawknest: the main headquarters of the Terrahawks.
"Hiro, what's the story here?"
Lieutenant Hiro looked up from his workstation inside the Terrahawks' primary transport craft, the Battlehawk.
"Hiro?"
"Doctor Ninestein, we are still working on the exact-"
"I want the abridged version."
Hiro turned around to face his boss, the eminent Doctor "Tiger" Ninestein.
"The Mars base was destroyed by orbital bombardment, presumably by whatever that thing on the site is."
Just then, the video recording showed one of the components of the invaders' base lifting off from the surface of Mars. Ninestein turned to the lieutenant.
"Hiro, I think it's time for you to go back up."
"Ten-ten."
Hiro walked out of the Battlehawk and made his way to the shuttle facility.
Well, at least we're prepared now. he thought as he walked.
Half an hour later, Hiro arrived at the shuttle launch. Preflight checks had been completed earlier. He grinned as he put on his flight suit and boarded the shuttle, which the team had taken to calling the Treehawk for some reason. He wasn't sure why, but perhaps the disguising of the launch pad as an oak tree had something to do with it.
"Hiro, you are clear for ten-fifty." Ninestein announced over Treehawk's radio.
"Hawknest. Ten-ten."
As the faux oak tree opened up, Hiro jockeyed the throttle to full power, smiling as the familiar sense of the G-forces slammed him into his seat.
It's good to be back.
"I take it that roaring sound was Hiro lifting off, Tiger."
Ninestein turned to face the source of the remark. In this case, it was Captain Katherine Westly. Or as the public called her, "Kate Kestrel".
"It was, Kate."
"Anyways, I was wondering if the destruction of the Mars base would impact my tour schedule-"
Ninestein rolled his eyes.
"Welcome aboard, Lieutenant."
Hiro waved at the battleship-gray spheroid that greeted him as he disembarked from Treehawk. A red band with yellow sergeant's strips adorned its "forehead".
"Space Sergeant 101, I presume?"
"You presumed right, sir."
"All is quiet on the front?"
"It's never quiet here, sir. We are but sentinels, watching the heavens for as much as a whisper."
"And the Mars invasion?"
"Highest priority. If those invaders get to Earth, my boys here on Spacehawk will have locked onto it and opened fire before they can even hail."
Hiro inwardly smiled. His student had done well in his absence.
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
The location of Hawknest was determined by cross-referencing the location given in the show's introduction sequence with Google Earth.
