Date: October 17, 2045, Time: 03:42 UTC
The stars watched in silence as Earth slumbered beneath a shroud of ignorance. In space, the International Space Station bobbed serenely, a tenuous relic of human aspirations, its various modules humming with activity. On the inside, six astronauts were performing an orbit tune-up, oblivious to the fact that their final transmission had already been sent.
Above them, the Vexari fleet dropped out of warp. No warning. No signal. Just a brief disturbance in space, then a swarm of vessels— sleek, obsidian, blade-like shaped craft. And they moved in absolutely perfect formation, swift and silent.
The leading vessel It was the flagship of Grand High Lord Vorr'Kesh, who was one of Velhthra's most awarded hunters. Within its command chamber, Vorr'Kesh knelt before a pulsing ball of light—the Queen's Feed.
The chamber echoed with Velhthra's voice, her instructions translated into waves of power.
"Commence the harvest,"
Vorr'Kesh bowed, his armor clicking softly. "As you command, my queen." The feed ended
A second feed, Vorr'Kesh commanded. "Begin orbital sweep. Target all major satellite stations. Leave no eyes in the sky."
Within seconds, the fleet dispersed. A concentrated lance of plasma shot out from the ships and tore at Earth's network of satellites. First one communications satellite after another went dark. Military surveillance systems went dark.
Then came the final blow. A precision strike on the International Space Station. The hull ruptured. Alarms blared. The astronauts scrambled but had nowhere to escape. There was a flash of white light, and the station crumbled and scattered in silence like ashes across the upper atmosphere.
Earth's orbit was now blind.
Date: October 17, 2045, Time: 04:15 UTC
The second wave descended. Thousands of Vexari vessels disrupted ranks and plunged toward the atmosphere. Bells and lamps in cities across the world flashed the news in emergency alerts. Radar systems failed to detect the invaders. Panic spread.
Sirens wailed in New York as civilians poured into the streets. Tokyo was covered with descending Vexari vessel lights as the skyline glistened with the glow of setting vessels. The streets in Johannesburg were painted red where civilians lay dead.
The Vexari did not speak. They did not negotiate. They attacked.
Havoc beams of energy sliced through skyscrapers. Shockwaves flattened neighborhoods. Military forces mobilized defenses, but they could hardly keep up. The Vexari had penetrated Earth's defense grid before descending.
On board Korr'Thal, a Command High Lord observed the pandemonium from a holographic display with Vorr'kesh. Their faces remained impassive.
"Begin ground deployment," he ordered.
Pods erupted from the underbelly of the ships, filled with Vexari soldiers. They landed with seismic force, shattering streets and fueling fires.
The invasion had begun.
Date: October 17, 2045, Time: 05:00 UTC
Onboard the leading vessel, Vorr'Kesh's voice echoed.
"Dominion is earned through spectacle. The prey must run. The prey must fall. The prey must never rise."
capture the best of them
At the same time, around the world, mankind screamed.