NORAD- January 5th, 2020

Major General Markabi strolls down the long hall filled with the portraits of long dead members of Majestic. He gave a slight scoff, after today he wondered if his portrait will be among them, and then realized he didn’t care. His hair white noting his advanced age of 77, his blue eyes sharp, and determined. Down the hall was the empty conference room, his final destination, and as he reaches it, he closes the door behind him, and locks the doors. A distant sound of scuffles and heavy thuds can be heard just outside the other entrance.

 Sergeant Cole appears dragging a unconscious soldier into the room and then heads back to grab the other one. After Cole finishes stashing the two stiffs, he locks the doors behind him, and comes back to take the firearms from the hips of the soldiers. Not even needing to be told, he heads off to the control room inside and starts hacking procedures.

Markabi sighs, Cole is a good man he doesn’t deserve this type of end but he was the most loyal of his staff. He steps up the raised platform to the podium, he makes sure the American flag can be seen in the background. The camera in front, staring ahead waiting to come alive but for now staring into its own mechanical void.

He thinks back to how this enfolded, the terror that rippled through the most toughest generals, and set the gears of government to quietly start to work against impending doom. Markabi and a few others protested that people needed to be warned but it was of no use. The rest of the Majestic refused stating national security. Rather than spreading the military to help protect civilians and aid in getting them prepared. The military will be only used to protect the most important parts of government and military assets. Markabi got together with the 5 other dissenting members and came up with a plan. 

The room was darkened, figures sat around a conference table, their uniforms can be lightly seen in the soft white light. The radar apart of a top secret black project is playing live images of space just outside the Solar System. Blips of light of varying sizes can be seen mostly still except the movement of newly arriving blips. 

“I’ll make the announcement to the public.” Markabi spoke up during the infighting.

“They will kill you, Markabi.” Jeffenson said puffing at his cigar. Sweat was running down his forehead. 

“I know. Do you think that scares me? After all that we have seen death doesn’t sound as scary as it once did in our youths. We all will probably die anyway might as well go out with a bang, fuck Robertson. Even at the end, he can’t see past his own damn ego.”  Markabi grumbled. “I just wish that I could rip that stick out of his ass and beat him with it.” 

“So while you bite the bullet, what shall the rest of us do?” Wilson, a Air Force General replied. Her short cropped blonde hair is lined with a few grey hairs.

“In the distraction that the announcement will cause, the rest of you get all your assets ready to go underground. We can’t possibly win an all out fight against them but we can be a thorn in their side in building a resistance base against them. We have other allies as well.” Markabi directed.

There came a loud scoff from his left as Major General Wilson situated himself in his chair. “Those love and light pansies will sit back in their seats and watch us being slaughtered. They have a standing non interference policy remember, Markabi?” 

“I really don’t think they will allow it, Dan. Not all of them anyway.” 

“Our announcement could bring about riots that are counterproductive to our intentions.” Allaway, a Major General himself said toying around with a coin sending it from one hand to the other.

“I don’t think so, the society has become distracted, skeptical. In the past this has always helped us since rarely do people ever look up anymore. Robertson will chalk it up to some extravagant prank and most of the populace will believe him.” Markabi gave a small laugh

“So why even make an announcement? If people won’t believe us?!” Wilson annoyed but still looking towards the outer galactic satellites images. They were just sitting there, waiting for their cue. 

“Cause Robertson isn’t a very clever fellow, he will move military assets into the cities, national guards into the smaller ones, and the local defense units like the Civil Air Patrol will be stationed around the smaller towns and supplementing the national military. He will want to stave off any potential riots or mass hysteria even if there is no hints of it. We will get what we want and it will be Robertson who does it.” Markabi smiles at the irony as the others nod in agreement. “I’ll make the announcement tomorrow, be prepared for anything.”

“Good luck and God’s speed” Warner said speaking for the first time. His eyes fixated on the radar as more blips started to appear. 

“At the end, we are all into the void now.” Potts, a Navy man his whole life from a line of former Naval officers said his eyes distant as he draws in a puff from his cigarette. 

The memories fade off into the distance as Cole reappears, giving a thumbs up, and Markabi can see the camera light is on. He clears his throat, looks directly into the camera, and prepares for his destiny. 

“My fellow Americans….”