The skies were filled with explosions, and alarms. Captain Shogo Jenius struggled to keep control of his VF-23 Aurora, as his squadron was being overwhelmed by the Invid horde, all he could hear was the screams coming from his doomed comrades, as an Invid trooper came behind him. Shogo kept his cool, and switched to Guardian mode, as the Aurora's legs came down, and boosted him upward. Switching to Battloid mode, he fired the Destabilizer at the Invid, destroying the trooper, but another came up behind him, and fired. Shogo's Aurora exploded in a blaze of fire.

A single sentence flashed over and over.

"SIMULATION COMPLETE."

Despite the realism of the simulation, Shogo was on board the UES Lexington, an Ark Royal class Strike Carrier, on patrol at the edge of the Solar system with the escort carriers Hyperion, and Plato in close formation. But, Shogo couldn't believe this new simulation, it was considered to be impossible for the Invid to overcome the Shadow Technology, they were completely dependent on Protoculture, and the Flower of Life to keep themselves alive, and to detect their enemies. "That's one great program, huh boss?" Lieutenant Bill Jackson said, with sarcasm dripping in his voice. Shogo shook his head. "No, but I can see where their going with it." Shogo said, while Bill looked confused. "How?" Bill asked, as he scratched his head, "We know that the Invid can't punch through the Shadow Technology, so why make a program for it?" Shogo looked at him, "Because the results show that we're getting too reliant on the Shadow Technology, and that will be our downfall." Shogo said in a dead serious tone. Shogo yawned, and said "I think that I'll go grab something to eat, you want to come along?" Bill shook his head. "No, I think I'll try to see if I can beat this program." Bill grinned. Shogo laughed. "Of course, I remember the last program, you were in it for three days straight." Shogo turned and walked out the door, as Bill got into the simulator.

Shogo walked down the cramped corridor to the Mess Hall, as he was walking, he noticed that the ship was unusually empty, but remembered that there wasn't as many crew members during peacetime as there usually were. Lessons learned from the Invid were that pilots were always necesary personnel, so there was only a skeleton crew aboard the Lexington. Shogo walked into the Mess Hall, and noticed L:t. Commander Ameiko Kinryu sitting at the table near the door. "In case we were attacked while we're eating." She explained on the day she joined the squadron. Since then, Shogo decided that the squadron should sit near the door, after all, it wouldn't be right to have a member of their squadron eating alone. When Shogo picked up his food, a form of steak that seemed to look more like a fried chicken breast, he sat down with Ameiko, and started a conversation. "Have you tried the new simulation?" He asked, wondering how she did. Ameiko swallowed the chewed-up meat in her mouth. "Yes, I found that the program was unrealistic as the Regis gave us her word that she would not invade Earth again."
"Yes, but what if she decided that breaking her word to protect the future of her race?"
"Then we destroy them. The times have changed since the Second Invid War, and we proved it in the Third war too."

"Isn't that a little arrogant?"
"How so?"

"That's the attitude that brought down the Army of the Southern Cross."
"They were arrogant because they had power, I'm simply stating facts."

Shogo laughed, he had found Ameiko to be very intelligent, however, he felt that if something that went against her logic, then she would undoubtibly be confused, and stating it would be impossible. Lt. Robert Baker noticed them, and walked towards them, food in hand. "How was the new program Captain?" Robert grinned. "It was horrible, I died everytime I tried." Shogo laughed. Robert joined in, as Ameiko only smiled because of the food in her mouth, but joined in after swallowing the food. The rookie pilots in the Mess Hall decided at that moment not to try the new program, if the elite Phoenix Squadron couldn't win, then they had a snowball's chance in hell. As the three Phoenix Squadron pilots calmed down, Robert had a more serious look. "Did you hear about the Terra Nova colony fleet?" He asked. Shogo nodded grimly. The colony fleet was supposed to colonize the planet Terra Nova, but they disappeared. "According to the news, the fleet just simply disappeared, not even scrap was found." Robert said, his eyes betrayed some sadness as he had family on the fleet. "I heard that we're supposed to be headed to Terra Nova." Shogo said, "War may follow if it's the cause of an alien race. Though, I don't believe it's any known race." Shogo shot down the thought that it could have been the Invid responsible for the act. Robert sighed, "Then we'll never know who caused the fleet's disappearance." Robert looked down at his food. "We don't know if they're dead." Ameiko said. "All we know is that they disappeared." Ameiko knew that the thought would cheer up her comrade. As Robert opened his mouth to talk, an alarm went off. Everyone in the room knew what that meant, and no drills were scheduled for the day. "See I told you." Ameiko yelled over the alarm as they were running to the hanger. Bill caught up to them, "What's going on?" He asked, alarms blaring, and explosions rocking the ship. "We're under attack!" yelled Shogo. The pilots of the Veritech squadrons changed into their flight suits, and headed to their fighters. Their bright orange VF-23 Auroras proudly showed their allegiance to the Earth, with the UER insignia, as well as the Phoenix Squadron's insignia, a phoenix rising from the ashes, with the words "Rising from the Ashes" displayed under the bird. The Auroras launched from the launch bays, with strange mecha attacking them. "Phoenix One here, anyone else make it out alive?" Shogo asked, worried about the welfare of his pilots.

"Phoenix 2 here." Ameiko replied.,

"Phoenix 3 here." Bill replied

"Phoenix 4 here." Robert replied.

The unknown mecha reminded them of lobsters, actual lobsters, not the kind associated to the Invid. The mecha actually had claws, and were using some kind of weapons that completely obliterated their targets. Fortunately for the Lexington, and escorts, they were too large for the weapons to completely work on them, but there were large holes in the ships, and no scrap. An Aurora vaporized in front of his fighter. "God, this is terrible." Shogo thought, he couldn't get a missile lock on these mecha, and the Destabilizers were too slow to hit the enemy. The dogfight went on for several more minutes, when he heard the flight officer, Commander Elizabeth O'Keefe tell the Veritech squadrons to return to the ships, as the fold generators were ready. "No need to tell us twice." Shogo said. He didn't feel like being calm, but he had no choice. Combat was something he couldn't lose control in, as it would end in his death. "Okay Phoenix Squadron, let's go home." Shogo said over the comm.
"It's better than getting killed." Ameiko said.

"Oh damn, and just as I was having fun getting my ass shot up." Bill said.

"Roger." Robert said.

Shogo, and the rest of his squadron hit their afterburners to the Lexington's hanger, as soon as they reached the hanger doors, they slowed for a safe return, however, the mecha had other plans, as they chased every fighter, planning the fighters to smash into the hanger's walls, causing massive inner damage. But, the new ships of the line had anti-air laser turrets firing at the mecha, and kept the retreating Veritechs covered. As soon as the last Veritech made it onboard, the Lexington and escorts activated their fold drives, but the Hyperion took too much damage, and ended up exploding from the damage inflicted. "Running away." Shogo thought. "A perfect start for the newest war."