"The first recorded continuous event happened at Alpha point approximately 45 minutes ago," Gabe addressed the Council. "Intelligence sent a surveillance drone after we lost connection with our established comms station. The video you're about to watch is what it recorded."
The video showed the dead goblins around the event center's black hole. The video was sped up until the second wave of shield wielding goblins exited the event. The video showcased the marines attacking the goblins. Soon, the goblins stopped coming and the video ended.
Besides Gabe, John and Elenor, the other councilors faces all showed extreme shock. No one made a sound for a long time. Eventually the Speaker spoke up.
"I think we have had enough time to process. Please continue Gabe."
Nodding, Gabe continued.
"In response to this video I have elevated the military to high alert. Military personnel across the Western Nation are on stand by, ready to react at a moments notice. I have called this meeting for two reasons.
"The first is to have Councilor Robert Stone notify the other two nations. We will have to try and work together for a global military response to the events," Gabe said while looking towards him.
"I have sent the relevant files to the other nations. The Eastern Nation has denied our request. They claim that if they move labor away from food production, 20% of their population will starve this upcoming winter if they accept our request.
"The Central Nation has also denied. They claim several of their major cities have events within range of them. Their people have witnessed some of them and are panicking. They need their military for both peace keeping and neutralizing the portals."
"Are there any events within range of our cities?" Councilor Elizabeth Snider quickly asked. She's one of the councilors who voted against Gabe leading the investigation operation and the head of resource procurement.
"We have not currently confirmed any events within range," John answered. "We have all available drones scanning population centers and nearby areas," he continued.
"How many confirmed events are there? How many are going to go continuous today?" The councilor who asked was Luke Forres. He's the head of manufacturing.
"There are currently 472 confirmed events. There are another 1521 unconfirmed events. That is only within the Western Nation. Of the confirmed events, 23 are scheduled to go continuous by the end of the day," John reported.
Again, the room fell silent hearing that. John continued talking.
"I have more bad news, too. Recently a cargo ship moving resources between the Antarctic Archipelago and Melted Ice Port experienced similar signs of an event while in transit. This is the first recorded occurrence in open water. This has led our analysis to believe the ocean is just as populated as the land. If oceanic creatures leave the oceanic events, then water-based shipping may no longer be possible."
More silence. Heavy, dense and oppressive.
"We wouldn't have been able to help the other nations even if we wanted to," Robert said dejectedly.
"What about the air?" Elenor asked.
"What do you mean?" John replied.
"We have now confirmed portals both on the land and in the sea. The next logical jump is portals in the air. Have we confirmed any portals in the air?" She clarified. Understanding her point, John answered.
"No. The interference range of an event before it becomes a portal is only about a mile. With Earth's atmosphere being more than 6000 miles thick. The likelihood of a portal forming close enough to the ground that we'd encounter it is minuscule at best."
"It is my hypothesis then that portals are forming not just on land and in the sea, but also up in the atmosphere. I do not think it is too far fetched to say that they could also form in space," Elenor proposed.
Hearing Elenor's proclamation, a sense of hopelessness fell over the councilor members. Seeing the councilor members fall deep into their thoughts, Speaker Diane realized she needed to light a fire of hope in them.
"There is no understating how much of a potential threat these portals bring to our dying world. However, we have survived political revolutions, World War Three and an ecological collapse. It's going to take a lot more than a few hundred goblins to kill us," Speaker Diane said with conviction.
Grunts and nods of approval showed on each of the 12 other councilor members' faces. The signature fire of stubbornness burned in each of the councilors' eyes.
"We will need an overwhelming military response. We cannot allow these threats to escape the portals' area of influence," Elizabeth Snyder said.
Simultaneously, each members' eyes locked onto Gabe's Holo avatar. Unlike before, there was no pity coming from their eyes. From Thomas's face, you could tell he still didn't accept Gabe as a councilor. However, he didn't speak up, he knew Gabe had proven himself enough that he couldn't have him replaced.
"I think I can speak for all of us here," Diane started, "but will you lead the military with vigor and confidence to protect this nation from the threats before us, Commander Gabriel Romas?"
A chill ran down his spine, and his breath caught in his throat. He had never been given so much responsibility and respect. Granted, not everyone had been fully convinced of his capabilities, but it was enough to give him a much needed boost of confidence.
He stood a little taller. His eyes held a small but bright fire of confidence. He cleared his throat and spoke with an authority foreign to himself.
"We do not yet know where or when these portals bringing enemies will appear. We do not know if all portals will bring enemies, allies or nothing at all. We know practically nothing about this catastrophe. But, I do know one thing. I know that we are strong. I know that we will defend our planet."
Gabe paused and looked into each avatars' eyes. Slowly he saw recognition from them all, even if begrudgingly.
"I will be relying on each of you to do your jobs properly. I guarantee, that if the military receives the support that we need from each of your departments, then we will not just withstand this assault. We will push back our enemies and claim overwhelming victory."
In the Pit of the Command Center, the Holo table with the 13 councilor members was surrounded by a ring of officers. All movement stopped as every single person in the Command Center listened in to Gabe's speech.
He was spreading the fire of determination that Speaker Diane had started. Soon, every single person in the Western Nation will share that fire.
"I will handle informing the masses. Please focus on eliminating our enemies," Councilor Samantha Stone announced.
Samantha Stone was Robert's wife. The two controlled the Western Nation's image and mission both internally and externally. The two made a power couple of political command and control.
Internal affairs was the opposite of extraterrestrial affairs. It focused on writing the Western Nation's laws, rules and regulations. It was also the sector in charge of the propaganda machine that controlled the general populace.
Without Internal Affairs, panic and desperation would be widespread throughout the nation. The fragile sense of peace they now cherished was this sector's main responsibility to maintain and improve.
Just as Gabe was about to respond, his temporary secretary, Private Jacob Orthez, suddenly reported.
"Sir, Alpha team has made contact again. A yellow flare was spotted by the comms station."
The Councilors on call also heard his report. Even though some of them were frightened, none of them cowered. Even though they may lack confidence in Gabe, they had utmost confidence in their military.
If their advanced technology couldn't deal with their more primitive enemies, then many of them thought that they deserved to be killed. Wooden clubs vs highly advanced electromagnetic weapons should be an easy win.
"Has the intelligence drone returned yet? Do we have any idea what's going on?" Gabe asked in a hurry.
"Negative, sir. Intelligence's surveillance drone isn't programmed to exit interference range for another 10 minutes."
"What about our commandeered delivery drone? Has it returned to the comms station?"
"Also negative, sir."
Disappointed, Gabe's hands turned into fists. His knuckles turned white at the pressure. He couldn't lose his cool now. Not after the other councilors' opinions of him rose so much.
He was getting increasingly frustrated at the interference produced by the portals. The lack of consistent communication was difficult to deal with, especially in the age of technology. He turned towards Councilor Elenor.
"Elenor, R&D's top priority needs to be on punching through the interference. If we can't see what's going on, how are we to topple our enemies?"
"Understood. If I remember correctly, the intelligence agents on-site reported the communication wires we set up earlier managed to get some noise through the interference. If we can manage to insulate them…" she trailed off. Her mind already working on solutions.
Seeing Elenor, Gabe was confident they would get results soon. Communication was his primary issue right now. So far the goblins had not posed an issue in terms of weaponry. In both offense and defense, the Western Nation's technology far surpassed them.
As long as they could solve the interference issue, the military should be able to defend themselves. Reaching that thought, Gabe's stomach turned sharply. Something about that thought was wrong, but he didn't know what part.
Time passed quickly as each council member planned what their departments could do to help the military. Unfortunately, it wasn't much. The damages of funding and winning a war was simply too much for the planet.
If this was prior to the ecological collapse, then this would be a nonissue. Practically a small hiccup on the road to progress.
Soon, Jacob reported once more.
"Sir, Intelligence's surveillance drone has left the interference range."
"Put the video up for the Council to see," Gabe ordered.
The only sounds that were heard in the Command Center was the sound of Holo desks typing and steady breathing. Every officer that didn't have a job was watching the footage with rapt attention. Suddenly one of the officers couldn't contain his surprise and shouted for everyone to hear.
"Is that a fucking fireball?"