Sol’r Year 150.

Moon, I-CA High Command Center.

“Status Report.”

A lady spoke, dressed in white uniform adorned with two golden stars and two emblems fixed on each side of the shoulder, one depicting ‘I-CA’ and other ‘CL’. The lady had an authoritative vibe, but her demeanor radiated peace and solemnity. 

“Reporting. We are ready, R-Ad. Valerie.” 

Rear Admiral Amelia Valerie also referred to as R-Ad. Valerie, a two-star I-CA Naval Command officer belonging to the Commercial League.

“Understood, Commander Casey. Begin alignment procedure.” 

Commander Casey, I-CA Naval Command officer under the direct supervision of R-Ad. Valerie. She saluted to R-Ad. and instructed the officers seated on the seats on the command deck.

R-Ad. Valerie had her eyes glued to the huge screen in front of her. The bottom part depicted a mechanical device in the center of a ring shaped exterior which had three tripods on the top. Several of these structures seemed to be moving in a particular pattern aligning themselves, which could be seen on a graphical map on the huge screen.

“R-Ad. Valerie, alignment completed.” Commander Casey reported back.

“Understood Commander. May the universe have mercy on us. Initiate transmission procedure.” 

 R-Ad. Valerie commanded.

As soon as the command left her mouth, the command center reverberated with the echoes of mechanical clicks and voices. 

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The real-time feed on the screen was changing. The tripods on the mechanical device unfurled themselves as energy started to gather in the center of the device. Once enough energy was gathered, a beam of light tore through the atmosphere of Earth and connected to the rear of the farthest devices. This beam of light was then amplified and launched from the top to the next device. This process continued as the beam of light was amplified by the stream of these mechanical devices aligned in a specific pattern. Finally when the beam became thick enough, the last mechanical device launched the beam deep into space at a specific direction.

“Reporting. Transmission successful. Awaiting reply. ETA 6 hours.” Commander Casey reported.

“Understood Commander. I shall leave the deck in your hands.” R-Ad. Valerie instructed as she saluted.

Commander Casey saluted back, as R-Ad. Valerie left the command deck.

On the observation corridor, R-Ad. Valerie gazed at the beautiful blue planet with flashes of purple. There existed few large space-stations located above the planet. These space-stations were the symbol of might and power of the Inter-Continent Alliance or I-CA. Two of these space-stations were manned by officers of the I-CA Naval Command, each belonging to different divisions. The centermost space-station was an autonomous defense system under the control of the only independent faction from the I-CA.

R-Ad. Valerie sighed as her gaze landed on the third space-station. Even now she wondered whether the decision taken by the I-CA Senate was right or wrong. She had decided to follow her heart, but some corner of it screamed that her decision might prove to be wrong in the future. 

[R-Ad. Valerie. Requested on the command deck.]

A voice from the communication relay brought her back to reality. She stood up, straightened the creases on her uniform and moved towards the command deck.

As she entered, Commander Casey started reporting.

“R-Ad. Valerie. There seems to be a situation. Sensors are receiving a pre-relay disturbance.” 

“The source?” Asked R-Ad. Valerie.

“From the deep-space FOB. Estimated to be received within ten seconds.” Commander Casey replied.

“An early arrival, is it?” R-Ad. Valerie pondered.

Just as they were conversing, a huge levitating device above the Command Center started glowing with a pale blue light. The device was shaped like a cross with a cylindrical center. After a few seconds the plates covering the center slid open and a thick beam of light crashed on the opposite side of the device from deep space. The device rotated at a slow pace and a thin beam of light left from the side opposite to the crash and landed on another device placed above the Command Center. 

“Commander, transmission received.” Another officer on the deck reported.

R-Ad. Valerie nodded and gestured to proceed.

The officer decrypted the transmission, as Commander Casey asked them to relay the content on the screen.

As everyone on the deck understood the content of the transmission, a pin-drop silence descended on the deck.

After what seemed like an eternity, R-Ad. Valerie commanded.

“All hands, proceed with your work. The contents of the transmission are to remain confidential. Commander Casey to my office.” 

The command dragged everyone from their stupor as Commander and R-Ad. disappeared from the deck.