"Never seen one go that low before. Their scouts usually stay around twenty-five klicks up. What do you think, Bradford? Is he landing?"

"Current course and present rate of descent hit Cologne dead on, sir. If it's not landing, it's getting close enough to drop something."

The Commander nods. "It looks like it. Garcia, get in touch with our Bundeswehr liason, I want local forces on alert in the area, and see if you can get us a radio link to some officer on the ground, so we can get some intel. Bradford, scramble a strike team to the Skyranger and prepare to launch on my orders." He frowns. "The U-FO's going upwards of Mach 5. Are there any fighters in the area with a hope of intercepting it?"

"Yes sir," Bradford thumbs his mic "Delta Squad, this is Central, load out immediately. Standard equipment, urban set, briefing en route to Cologne."

He taps again and listens for a moment. "Two Eagle-Cs scrambling out of Ramstein, six minutes out. Can't catch our bogey unless it lets them. I'm sure the French have something launching too but their Air Force still won't link into our network." 

The Commander shakes his head. "Figures. Nothing we can do about that now though."

"U-FO One has changed course and speed, new bearing eight-zero-point-two, new speed three-zero-zero klicks. Altitude is one thousand metres and dropping. Looks like he's coming in for a landing."

"That acceleration... the craft must have been subjected to thirty gees at least! Commander, this craft is most likely automated. A human-like crew would not survive that."

"Noted. Bradford, make sure to tell the crew they may be fighting robots here."

Delta Squad hurries to the waiting Skyranger, where several techs are performing various checks: landing gear, fuel levels, control surfaces. Eva's time in the FES ensures she's used to the idea of setting off on a mission at a moment's notice, but this is extreme even for her. She takes her seat, strapping on the four-point harness. From the deployment orders being issued over loudspeaker to her and the five other on-duty soldiers sitting in the Skyranger took three minutes and fifty seconds.

Nor is she used to knowing so little about a mission. They haven't trained for this action, and will apparently be briefed in the air.

"We have launch clearance." The pilot's voice hisses through the intercom. "Hold onto your asses, kids."

The Skyranger lifts out of its hidden helipad with more strength than grace, the heavy, lumbering craft pushing itself into the air with brute force. After it clears the treetop level, it begins to accelerate, its enormous turboramjets whining as it continues to pick up speed. Three minutes after takeoff, the craft has exceeded MACH 1 and is still accelerating.

Pierre isn't sure why they tapped him for team leader, but team leader he is. Once the Skyranger is in level flight -- still picking up speed, but not jumping into the air anymore -- he reaches out to turn on the small screen installed for briefings. Central Officer Bradford appears on video.