Timestamp: Event +2Hours
Location: NORAD, Cheyenne Mountain, Montana
Colonel Michael Collins had spent the last hour pacing up and down the monitoring room and asking a lot of questions. And almost every one of them had to do with TA150D, and most of those had been asked by one Lieutenant General Robert Smith first. Or from someone that was currently on the phone with the General.
In the time since TA150D had disappeared off the screens, NORAD had been a hive of activity. Colonel Collins' monitoring room had been joined by four more in the complex along with the radar station at Malmstrom AFB and to a lesser extent the radar towers at Logan International Airport in Billings and the Middleton Space Center in Colorado.
The search and rescue helicopters out of Malmstrom had been flying nonstop and in waves to insure that at least four were in the area at all times. The Interceptors from Malmstrom and Edwards had refueled at Malmstrom and were back in the air flying patrol over a 200 mile radius of the last know position of TA150D. The squadron from the air base near Saskatchewan had left half of its planes at Malmstrom and the other half had returned to their home base. The half squadron that had stayed had been added to with a full squadron from a base near Alberta. The planes out of Eielson AFB had refueled and were now back on station and half of them were now on stand-by alert for the next 12 hours.
Collins had just completed another round of the room, stopping at each station and getting updates from each person:
Airman Chris Matherson and Airman First Class Charles Freeman who monitored US Airspace could only report on the problems all the military craft flying in and around Montana were causing for the US air traffic controllers across the nation as they rerouted air traffic away from Montana.
Senior Master Sergeant Elizabeth Shackles and Master Sergeant Adam Mitchell manned one set of monitors that watched near Earth Orbit, and Second Lieutenants Jay McAdams and Isaac Washington manned another. They reported no change in any object in orbit. Collins had them split all the tracked objects up between the two teams, and then split the objects again with other teams in the complex so that every object would be closely watched with the other teams reporting back to this room.
Sergeants Stuart Evans and Jimmy Hartford manned the monitors that watched the area outside earth orbit, the space between the Earth and the Moon and beyond. They, just like the others, had nothing new to report.
Collins had nodded as he got each report, patted a shoulder here and there, and then made his way to his desk, the desk that General Smith had taken over.
Collins stood patiently as Smith finished talking on the phone. By this time, he knew that Smith was on a video conference call with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, along with the US President and a Global Justice agent. Collins didn't envy the general's position, fielding questions by that group of individuals. And from what he had heard so far, based on the questions that Smith had been asked, they all wanted to know the same things: where is TA150D now, where did it come from, are there any more of them coming, and what is the NORAD doing about it?
"Colonel Collins has in update for me: a moment, please," Smith said as he pushed a button on the phone. On the screen in front of him, the image of the people displayed nodded their heads.
"Sir, there is no additional signs of other craft in either Lunar orbit, or Earth orbit. Also, we still have not found any signs of Tango Alpha 150 Delta since it disappeared an hour and half ago." Collins said. He paused for a moment then continued, "Also General, we have been working with NASA, JPL, and the experts at the Middleton Space Center trying to come up with any suspected planets that might be able to support life on the trajectory first detected by Tango Alpha 150 Delta. But with it having come from the far side of the moon, the course could be any direction from there."
Collins stopped at this point and looked at Smith for any instructions.
Smith again touched a button on the phone, and then listened to whoever was speaking.
"Mr. President, if you would give me a moment, Sir," Smith said as he pressed a series of buttons on the computer. Then he looked up at Collins and said, "You need to make sure you ear-bud is on Colonel, The President has a question or two for you."
Collins had just enough time to let what Smith said hit his brain before he could hear the President's voice in his ear-bud. As the voice started speaking, the big monitor changed. The map that it had been showing the area where TA150D was last reported became smaller and moved to one side. The rest was now displaying the same images that were on the desk computer.
"I'm assuming by the look on your face, Colonel, that you can now hear me," said the President.
"Yes Sir: quite well, in fact," said Collins as he tried to hide any nerves he felt at being addressed by the President.
"Colonel Collins," the President said, "I understand that you were the senior officer on station at the time when the Invade1 first appeared. I'm also sure that you are a little under the gun, but I think you are the best person to answer a few questions for us."
Collins nodded as he waited for the first question, for the first shoe to drop.
It didn't take long.
"Colonel," The President said, "we've heard General Smith's assessment of the situation, but I feel that it would be prudent to hear your side of the situation."
"Yes Sir, Mr. President." Collins said, "In the years after Warmonga and Warhok's attempted actions to take over or invade Earth, NORAD, with the assistance of Global Justice, NASA, JPL, Dr Wade Load from the Team Possible Foundation, and the Middleton Space Center, placed a number of satellites in Earth and Lunar orbit creating detection net in space: The Planetary Early Alert Net Unit and Targeting System."
"You mean "Schroeder's Blanket" Colonel?" the President asked.
Collins just nodded as he thought he heard a chuckle from the people behind him that was quickly shushed when the President mentioned the name the press had started calling the net shortly after it was up and running. The name was first mentioned by a reporter from the Dallas\Fort Worth area that just happened to be named Charles Schulz. He had noticed the initials for the net spelled out "PEANUTS" and thought that was funny and nicknamed the net for one of the best known objects in the Peanuts cartoon strip. The Net did form a detection blanket around the Earth: a security blanket of sorts, and the most famous security blanket in the world belonged to Linus Van Pelt. So he started calling it "Linus' Blanket' in all his stories about the net, and it spread when the news wires picked it up and started using too.
Unfortunately, like a lot of nicknames the press had given things over the years, it had stuck and been sealed when the last President, President Anita Wong, the first female and the first person of Asian decent that had been elected to the office, had used the name in a press conference. And in a double strike of bad luck, she had mixed up the characters. Being a classically train Pianist, she mistakenly said Schroeder, her favorite Peanuts character, not Linus. And the Press ate it up and ran with it. Now even NORAD, in its briefings, was referring to it that way as well. Collins took a deep breath and continued.
"The net was designed to give us an early warning system in case the Lowardians or another alien race attacked us. As I'm sure you all know, approximately 2 hours ago, that detection net picked up an unidentified object emerging from the dark side of the Moon on a trajectory that would have it entering the Earth's atmosphere. The object, which we labeled Tango Alpha 150 Delta, made a number of trajectory changes that brought it into Earth orbit and then onto a reentry course. Tango Alpha 150 Delta then entered US Airspace and disappeared off our screens as it slowed its speed over the state of Montana."
Collins paused to take another breath, but was not allowed to continue as the President took that time to speak up.
"We are aware of that Colonel. I wanted to know your take on the situation. Do you think this is another invasion attempt by the Lowardians or by another alien race?"
Collins turned to face Smith, looking for an answer as to what to say to the President's question. Smith made a gesture with his hand, a kind of wave that Collins had seen before: the general's way of saying, "Well, go on."
"No, I think that this is neither the Lowardians nor another hostile alien assault, Mr. President." Collins replied.
"And you're basing that on what piece of Intel you have Colonel Collins that we don't?" asked the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
"When Warmonga and Warhok tried their takeover, we started losing satellite communications worldwide, not to mention those symbols that were also found worldwide. This time, there has been no loss of communications, no strange symbols, and no disruptions of any sort. This leads me to think that whatever or who ever this is, they're not hostile. At least: not yet, anyway." Collins said in a calm and level tone.
There was a pause for a moment and no one said a word. Then the Global Justice representative spoke up.
"There's something you're not saying Colonel, isn't there?" the Global Justice agent said, her voice was also calm and level. But Collins could see something in her face, in her eyes, that told him she just might understand.
"And you are, Lieutenant Commander?" Collins asked, making out what he thought was Lieutenant Commander's clusters on her uniform, but he was not completely sure.
"Commander Lindsey Peterson Du, US Navy. Currently attached to Global Justice, under the direct command of Dr Possible," said the young woman on the screen, then she leaned in a bit closer to the camera and a crooked smile appeared on her face as she added, "But you didn't answer my question Colonel Collins, there's something you're not telling us."
Collins looked at the screen and into Commander Du's eyes, and then told the part that he had been holding back.
"It just doesn't feel right."
The looks that Collins got varied from shock, to surprise, to disbelief. All but from Commander Du, she just nodded.
"I understand Colonel. I've spent quite a bit of time with Kim and Ron Stoppable. I've learned the hard way, and so has Dr. Director-Possible, that with them, anything really is Possible," Commander Du said with a bit of a smile and laugh in her voice.
"Colonel, some of my colleagues here might not have learned from the last time something dropped in on us this way, but I can tell you that Global Justice and Dr. Elizabeth Possible most assuredly did. And being as she is Kim Stoppable's Aunt; she has more then reason enough to learn. How about I give you some of her thoughts on this?"
Commander Du paused for just a second. She held up a finger and then continued.
"First, the best way to take over someone or place is to separate them out. In this age, the best way to do that would be to stop every form of commutation that you can. To do that worldwide, you would need to stop all satellite commutations. That has not happened."
She held up a second finger.
"Two, there are just something's that no technology, man-made or alien, can over come. Or at least we think so. For you to talk to your forces on the other side of the planet, you would need to overcome the line-of-sight issues as no form of commutation can broadcast through the Earth. The best and easiest way to do that is the way we did it: Satellites. The quickest way to setup what is needed would be to take over ours. As we still have control of them, this too has not been done."
Again, Commander Du paused just long enough to add another finger.
"Third, in all the time since the Invade1 as shown up on the screens, it has not replied to repeated attempts to contact it from us, nor has it made any attempt that we can see to contact us. Tell me Colonel; as a military man, if you were given those mission parameters, what would you think the objective was?"
Collins didn't have to think for long before he replied: "Covert Recon."
Commander Du nodded then added another finger.
"Fourth, add to that the number of course changes they made. They followed a known well established pre-planned re-entry flight path. Once out of orbit, they made a number of course changes that let them avoid any chance of encountering commercial air-traffic while at the same time avoiding any kind of confrontation with the forces sent out to intercept them without hurting or damaging anything.
If you ask me Colonel, I think they know what they want and they know where it is… Montana. I think it's a drop-off or pick-up mission."
But before anyone on the conference could say anything, Airman Matherson's Georgia accent filled the room.
"Colonel, Tango Alpha 150 Delta has just shown back up on radar."
Collins turned to Matherson and started moving in her direction as he called out, "Here we go everyone, make sure we don't loose it this time."
Just has he got to Matherson's station, he said in a clear tone of voice "Status report Airman."
"Sir," Matherson said, "It just appeared on my scope. It's within 5 miles of its last location. It appears to be hovering at just over 820 feet." Matherson paused for a heartbeat, the added, "Correction Sir, it's increasing its height: System now as it at over 1,000 feet and climbing."
"I've got the helo's heading to intercept now Colonel and redirecting the closest interceptor group," added Airman First Class Freeman.
Then, without warning, both Matherson and Freeman said the same thing at the same time:
"Holly crap…"
"Report!" called out Collins at almost a yell. He continued, "And somebody give me back my board."
Someone quickly returned the big status board back to normal, and TA150D could be seen moving across the board very fast.
"I just thought that thing was fast earlier, Colonel," Matherson said as Freeman starting calling out the projected trajectory, "whatever that thing is, it just went from standing still to over Mach 4 in seconds and its still picking up speed."
"Confirmed, Colonel," added Freeman, "Target is now at Mach 7 and increasing."
"Tango Alpha 150 Delta is now climbing at a 45 degrees Sir," Matherson said, "It's about to go hyper sonic."
Collins turned to looked over at Senior Master Sergeant Shackles and Master Sergeant Mitchell and called out, "Shackles, Mitchell: do you have Tango Alpha 150 Delta on your screens?"
Without looking up Shackles answered "Yes Sir, entering our screens now."
"Crap: that is one fast ship," Mitchell said just loud enough that Collins heard him.
"Got it over here too, Sir," called out Lieutenant McAdams.
"Whatever that thing is, Sir," Lieutenant Washington said, "I don't think they plan to orbit. It's not making any adjustment to it course Colonel, they are heading straight out."
Collins looked at General Smith, and saw him talking up a storm. He had just enough time to remember his ear-bud was still active and broadcasting everything he said and heard. Pushing it out of his mind, he quickly moved over to Sgt's Evens and Harford.
He didn't need to say anything, Evens beat him to it.
"I've got it Colonel. Tango Alpha 150 Delta is heading right back where it came from Sir."
"Confirmed, Colonel," added Hartford.
"Speed?" Collins asked.
"Off the scale," was all that Evens said.
"At its current speed, it should reach the Moon in less than four minutes. That is, if it doesn't keep increasing its speed," Harford said.
Collins just stood there and waited with everyone else in the room. He could hear General Smith still talking, and he assumed the conference call was still going on. Then the quiet in the room was broken by Smith asking him if they were sure it was TA150D. Collins didn't even check.
"Yes Sir, General Smith." He took a moment then added, "What else could it be?"
"Tango Alpha 150 Delta is going behind the Moon in 3… 2… 1… Mark," counted Hartford.
No one made a sound, as they waited to see if it would come out of the dark side. After watching a clock on one wall count 30 seconds, Collins heard Sergeant Evans mutter under his breath:
"And back to wherever it came from."
Collins took a deep breath and turned to face Lieutenant General Smith, knowing that whatever had happened, it was not quite over yet. He still had to report.
To be continued…