There's nothing I can do but return to work. I want to yell into the darkness of the early-morning Rotunda. Wherever you are, Simon Lorn, I want to scream, pull your shit together. I've worked too hard to let this be for nothing.

At 0559, I'm fuming, buzzing off nerve endings that fizzle in abrasive energy. I'm standing straight as a racked rifle, waiting for my twenty new operators to arrive.

I hear them shouting, stampeding toward me with thunderous clamor from their heavy footfalls against steel floors. Level 1 quakes with their approach. They crash through the halls—a brawny group of men and women with strapping physiques and flippant airs. They grab at each other, charging like gathering storms ripping at fields.

I let my anger at Simon arm me with my newest weapon. I'll use this pent up animosity to whip them in line.

They halt before me making two lines so sharp, I could cut flesh with them.

As impressed as I am, I still need to demonstrate who's in charge.

"As of last night, the rest of the URE was briefed on Operation Homecoming." I dare any of them to show signs of heavy breathing. None do. "Which means the world is about to blow out a shitstorm. It's our job to make sure when the civs start losing their goddamn minds aboard ARC10, we're there to shut it down A-S-A-fucking-P."

They don't even breathe out of sync.

"Our mission is to get two thousand civilians safely to NOHA. On my ship, you will see militia presence, but you will answer directly to me. Am I clear?"

"Yes, Ma'am!"

"Because you're stuck with me, you'd better start sharpening your asses now if you're going to make it through the next five years on ARC10." I stare into their hardened faces.

I thought this would be cathartic. Not even close.

"Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Ma'am!"

"Laps. Now."

"Aye-Aye!"

Level 1 facilities are littered with militiamen and VIPERs. As of now, there is nothing to distinguish one from the other except my memory.

As I observe them, I perceive the unexpected presence of Kai at my shoulder.

"Commander Lorn," he nods.

The new title is weird in my ears.

"Commander Kamalani."

Kai inches closer.

We say nothing to each other but observe our operators fly around the track like idle birds of prey.

"These kids, they've got so much to learn. Were we ever this young?" This is what I would have said if this were Dean. But it's not. My rancor grows again.

"Kids? These aren't kids, Lorn."

One of my own, Levi McCroy, a bulky boy of twenty with bulging arms, catches my gaze. I lower my lids to glare. The kid shakes his mop of brown hair out of his eyes and runs faster.

I see Kai's point.

"Besides—" Kai slides close. "I'm basically the same age as most of them. I bet if you let me, I could teach you a thing or two."

I scoff as the memories of his hands resurface of their own volition, blasting away some of the rigidity in my stance. "You've yet to make it beyond the first button of my pants."

He barks out a chorus of laughs. The moment melts into normalcy.

Kai opens his mouth to respond when I sense something strange—something akin to a soft rupture below me, like a stray charge of electricity found its way to my feet.

I remember this rumbling.

"Invaders," I whisper. They've never been this close to the URE before, but I recognize the sudden surge of displaced pressure similar to how my boot recognizes my foot. "They found us."

"What? How?" Kai raises an eyebrow, incredulous for nearly a full second.

He hasn't been Topside as much as I have. He hasn't smelled the sour funk of bowels liquified under the heat of Invader beams.

My panic must be visible over my face. Kai's brow forms a stiff line. His jaw clenches as the reality of our situation grips him. "They can't breach fortifications, can they?"

The others combat veterans search to confirm their suspicions. They search out for the others who can sense it, too. Seconds later, they bark orders to their units.

Sirens blare.

Our PAHLMs vibrate.

***ALERT***

LOCKDOWN PROCEDURE ALPHA

HARD POSTURE - WEAPONS TIGHT

SECURE POST SECTORS

Previously stationed guards sprint into the room to initiate procedure. My earpiece erupts into a flurry of chatter. I am unable to differentiate any of the voices.

The VIPERs seem to be the few who don't participate in the chaos. They return to me to wait for my orders.

I strain to hear what SCOPE assigns our unit. "We've got to put East Hatch on lockdown."

Kai races south to secure his station, dispersing his team into position.

"We've got Reapers outside the wire," one militiaman shouts to another as they rush past. He points to the small opening leading to the upper stairs. Beyond those stairs is the hatch that leads Topside.

There are always twelve of us out there at a time.

Colonel marches into the room, shouting over the noise, "Keep a hard posture. Keep your shit tight."

Someone kills the alarms.

Our PAHLMS vibrate noiselessly.

***ALERT***

COMMENCING LOCKDOWN

MAINTAIN POSTURE

"Umpire, Grant." I motion my two largest VIPERs forward. "Lock these hatches now!"

With their hands on the hardware, they wait for my cue. I find the correct codes on my PAHLM, slap my hand against the scanner, and nod to them. The two large men strain against the heavy metal bars, grinding their teeth with immense effort. They slam the bolt into place.

I lean against the shuddering wall of the URE to peer through the window. Two stairwell guards face us, witnessing the finality of the lockdown. Slowly, they turn toward the opposite hatch facing the sky. The Earth shudders violently around them as they clutch the railings of the stairs. Beyond that hatch, two more militiamen stand sentry.

The URE vibrates violently beneath us.

The guard closest to the outside hatch releases the railing quickly enough to make the sign of the 'H' on her chest.

The other takes one final glance back at us.

This is unprecedented. Unheard of. In all my years in Earth's Militia, in all the years of the URE's existence, the Invaders have never found us.

How did this happen?

Silence douses the URE.

Somewhere in a series of locked bunkers, far below the surface of the earth, the people of the United Regions of Earth wait. I hope Simon is there.

The rumbling builds momentum until the ceiling cracks. Dust explodes in storm clouds. It rains on us as we crouch around the hatches.

Militiamen running from one end of the room to the other collapse from the violent tremors.

A blinding light flashes through the portholes. I flinch away from the flare.

With his rifle at his chest, Kai gathers his VIPERs. Even from where I'm crouched, the ravenous hunger in his cerulean eyes are palpable.

A second, brighter light fills the cavernous room of Level 1, taking us all by surprise. We shield our eyes from the rays.

When the light recedes, there is a pause that stretches expectantly. The comms rise to life with the calls for casualty evacuation. They call for medics to Level 1.

As slowly as it appeared, the quaking wanes to stillness. When the URE ceases its rumbling, the VIPERs stand with me. They wipe the dust from their eyes.

The two in the stairwell cautiously ascend the stairs to peek out the window of the hatch. While gazing at something in the Topside, the woman forms the sign of the 'H' one more time across her chest.