The Alien Fleet
By 2106, nearly 5,000 years of human history had finally brought civilization to a rich harvest. Humanity, the only sentient species on Earth, had changed the rules of the world with its relatively small body. In just 50 years of solar system revolution, humans had expanded across the entire region covered by the Sun’s light. All nine planets of the solar system had been colonized, and even the most remote Pluto now had a forward base, serving as a launch pad for humanity’s exploration beyond the solar system…
However, conventional methods of space travel were far from sufficient to reach the Milky Way galaxy. Simply crossing the solar system took humans half a year—those distant stars remained unreachable and unknown. This prompted the rise of a space revolution aimed at achieving superluminal travel. In just five years, humanity, ever resourceful and diligent, had completed the theoretical and material groundwork for superluminal flight, and unmanned spacecraft experiments were now on the schedule…
Unfortunately, the universe had its own schedule. Humanity had conquered the solar system, but it was still far from conquering the cosmos…
June 17th, at Pluto’s only manned base, the personnel were going about their usual routine, monitoring various instruments. Hundreds of solar probes—technically, they could be called planets, but calling them “solar system probes” sounded more reasonable—transmitted data from the farthest regions humanity had reached in the solar system.
“Shepherd 117 reporting: Unidentified flying objects detected at coordinates N112E79U241. Estimated number: 100,000. Speed: 1/2 light speed, decelerating, currently approaching the solar system…” The monotone electronic voice delivered a report that seemed mundane at first. However, it was ten minutes later when humanity realized this was the most shocking report in Earth’s history.
“Damn, what is this? They suddenly appeared, and according to their coordinates, they should have been within the detection range of Shepherd 208 first! 1/2 light speed! 100,000 of them! What are these strange things?” The duty officer quickly toggled the data, “Could they be a virus?”
“Information access, switching to visual mode.”
“My God! What is this?” All personnel in the room were stunned. A gasp filled the room, followed by complete silence.
On the large screen, there appeared an endless array of strange-shaped spacecraft. Massive hulls, thick armor, colossal cannons, and various small space vehicles darting between them, with flashing, multicolored indicator lights…
“Activate all nearby operational satellites. Monitor these unidentified… no, these warships. They must be warships!” After 30 seconds of shock, the on-site commander regained his composure. “Immediately notify Base Commander Colonel Carson… and report to the Jupiter Sector Command, as well as the Earth Interstellar Development Headquarters and the Alliance Council!”
“But, under normal circumstances, we can’t report to sectors higher than the Jupiter area. As for the Alliance Council…”
“This is a special circumstance, Lieutenant!” The commander interrupted the officer’s hesitation.
Two minutes later, Base Commander Colonel Carson rushed into the command center. It was hard to believe that his once-physically fit body could move with such speed, proving that the rumors of his special forces training, where he ranked 7th, were true.
“Sir! We have a communication signal! It’s coming through our own relay satellites! Oh my God, they forced their way in! How is that possible?”
The fleet image on the screen disappeared, replaced by a face resembling that of a standard military officer.
“People of the P119 star system, Earth humans, greetings. I am General Aks, the vanguard commander of the Wind and Thunder Empire’s expeditionary fleet from the Gemini star system. I represent Emperor Aksra of the Wind and Thunder Empire in issuing an evacuation order. You are required to withdraw all necessary assets from the P119 star system within 20 hours. After that, we will destroy all remaining assets—civilized life forms included—humanity of Earth!”
“Why?!” Colonel Carson demanded loudly.
“I have no obligation to answer your question,” Aks replied coldly. “However, I feel it’s necessary to communicate through your relay system because we are temporarily unable to access the circuit systems on your home planet, Earth! The reason is simple: not many star systems are suitable to be the cradle for a civilization. P119 is a very suitable one. We need it! You must transmit this message immediately, because your base won’t survive the next hour in P119! We need it to prove our strength!”
“You… what did you say… hey! Wait a second!”
Ignoring Colonel Carson’s protests, the screen went completely black.
“What’s going on? Switch to satellite detection frequency! Send out a communication request!”
“Sir… all the detection satellites in the vicinity have been destroyed! We can’t get any information from them anymore!”
The room fell into another deathly silence. Only Colonel Carson’s faint voice could be heard murmuring, “This is an invasion—blatant invasion! An alien fleet is invading…"
“Sir, the message has been sent to Earth! Are we preparing to resist or abandon the base?” The on-site officer quietly asked.
“Prepare anti-aircraft firepower. Order the base defense fleet to launch and engage,” Colonel Carson said in a pale voice. “We can’t give up the base after receiving a threat. That would land us in military court…”
