Chapter Two

The Interceptors had been flying for a couple of minutes when they had made a visual sighting with the UFO. This time, they didn’t need an Intercept course request from Moonbase because the Interceptors had automated guidance systems built which enabled the pilots to plot the co-ordinates themselves. Interceptor One was in the closest position to intercept and broke off from the formation.

“Interceptor One to Moonbase Control.” The pilot reported. “Have visual contact with UFO. Moving in to intercept.”

Just before the pilot made the intercept, Ed Straker’s voice emitted over his radio. It turned out that SHADO HQ was taking over the situation.

“This is Straker.” He said. “Be careful up there, Interceptor One? The UFO is increasing speed by the minute. Once it reaches sol. 20, there’s no catching up with it?”

“Sol. 20?” the pilot replied. “But sir, the UFO would burn up at that speed once it would hit the atmosphere?”

“Exactly.” Ed replied. “So don’t try to intercept. Follow it just in case it changes direction? Straker out.”

The pilot understood his ordered and flew his interceptor into position. He followed the UFO all the way to Earth, matching it’s speed as much as he could. The other two Interceptors followed closely behind, but were soon called back to the Supply Base. They were getting dangerously close to the Earth’s atmosphere and the UFO was still too far ahead. Knowing that he couldn’t risk his life and his craft, the pilot broke off the chase and re-grouped with the other two Interceptors.

As for the UFO, it was now penetrating the atmosphere at a fast speed. It’s trajectory was steep and undetermined. From the way it was travelling, it could land anywhere?

SHADO HQ

The UFO appeared on the scanner, which was next to Keith Fords station. Ed and Paul watched as the blip on the scanner, marked the UFO’s current trajectory. As the UFO headed closer to the ground, Paul realised where it was going to strike, but that wasn’t all. For some reason, the UFO wasn’t burning up.

“It’s impossible!?” Paul said in disbelief. “It should’ve disintegrated by now? How the hell is it still moving?”

“I don’t know?” Ed replied. “somehow, they’ve perfected the way they enter and leave the atmosphere. Nothing we have that flies could withstand a burn up at that speed?”

“I don’t like this?” Paul went on as he pointed at the scanner. “Look where it’s heading?”

“It’s heading for this studio?” Ed replied as he studied the UFO’s trajectory. “Sound an internal alert! All non-essential personnel are to proceed to the emergency exits immediately?”

Everyone in the room, reacted to the General order as they hurried in all directions. Ed turned to Lieutenant Ford and issued his next primary order.

“Get on to Skydiver Two and tell them to get Sky Two airborne?” He barked. “They should be in the vicinity of the studio?”

“Yes sir.” Ford replied, as he got to work on the radio.

“Do you think that it’s going to fire on the base?” Paul asked.

“What, at that speed?” Ed replied. “It’s more likely going to fly into us. That’s why I want to be ready for it.”

“Wouldn’t it be easier just to evacuate the base?” Paul said as he tried to hid his sense fear under his voice.

“Not in a million years.” Ed replied angrily. “I’ve already lost Moonbase. I’m not losing this headquarters as well. No Paul, Sky Two has to make contact with it in time?”

Paul had never doubted the Commander’s decisions before, but now he wasn’t so sure. He felt that they weren’t going to make the attack. SHADO HQ may have been built underground, but it sure wasn’t indestructible. He wanted to leave and find a place to hide behind, but he didn’t want to earn the reputation of a coward. He remembered the day when Ed told him and Alec that cowards would spend the rest of their lives in fear and he didn’t want that at all. Regretting that fact that he was ignoring is conscience, Paul stood next to Ed and tried to keep his nerves down.

Ed keep his gaze fixed on the scanner scope. As Paul saw it, Ed was doing his human statue impression as he wasn’t even blinking. The UFO was getting closer and closer to the it’s target. It was now confirmed by the computer. The base was the target.

“What are you going to do?” Paul asked, breaking the long silence that engulfed the control room. “It’s going to take at least five minutes for Sky Two to over fly the studio?”

“I’ll tell you what we’re going to do?” Ed replied, as he finally flinched. “We’re going to wait and hope.”

Skydiver (Sky) Two

“Launch Stations!” sounded the Captain, as he fastened his jacket and grabbed his helmet.
Skydiver Two was patrolling the Dorset coast when they received the order to intercept the UFO. It was code A distress signal which meant that Sky Two had to be launched in a matter minutes. The Captain slid down the entrance chute towards his attack plane as the main submarine angled up towards the surface. In the few seconds that followed, Sky Two broke the surface at a speed of Mark three.

As she hurtled through the air, towards the studio’s location, the Captain had got a visual race on the UFO. He was horrified at what he saw and had to report it to control.

“Sky Two to SHADO control.” He said. “Have visual sighting of UFO. Sir, it’s going to be tricky? It’s literally propelling itself like a missile!”

Ed’s voice crackled over the radio.

“Just get it, Captain! We’re running out of time?”

“Yes sir.” The Captain replied as he climbed his height for intercept.

The UFO was now beginning to steam up. Re-entry had damaged it slightly, but the excessive speed wasn’t accidental.  The UFO had overrun it’s motors, causing them to melt. It was now out of control like a missile. The Captain knew that if he was going to take the shot at the UFO, then it would have to count.

He dived as he had made a chance attack run. It looked good from where he was sitting as he tried to keep in line with target. He decided to wait until he was close enough to fire. He was now plummeting down to about Thirty-Thousand feet, when he began to catch up with the UFO. Squeezing the trigger, he took the shot. The missile hit the UFO and knocked it out of the sky. It didn’t explode all together as the blast knocked out of the dive. As the Captain levelled up once more, he could see the explosion had knocked the UFO off course. It was now heading for the coast line. The UFO produced thick red smoke as it careened towards the Dorset coastline.

“Sky Two to SHADO control.” The Captain reported again. “UFO has been damaged. It’s heading away from the studio and towards the Jurassic coastline.”

Just as he said that, something else happened. The UFO was levelling up as if the wind carrying it down the ocean. It was then that the Captain decided to follow it down. As flew down to follow the UFO, he continued his report to HQ.

“Wait a minute?” he continued. “It’s levelling up? it’s not going to dive into the ocean. It’s going to skim it instead?”

“Follow it down Captain?” Ed replied. “I want that UFO? Don’t let get away?”

“Yes sir.” The Captain replied as maintained his height and speed.

Below him, the UFO finally met the ocean surface. It skimmed along  the surface a for mile until it finally came to an abrupt halt. Following closely behind it, the Captain brought Sky Two into a fixed position. He was now hovering over the floating Alien craft.

“Sky Two to SHADO control. The UFO has stopped.” The Captain signalled again. It’s just floating there? There are no sign of any survivors.”

“Captain, I want you to remain there and hold your position until SHADO sea forces arrive. I’m sending Skydiver One over there now.” Ed replied once again. “They should be there with you in thirty minutes?”

“Yes sir.” The Captain replied as he folded his arms and waited. 

SHADO HQ

Ed was now interested in one thing. He wanted that UFO. It had been one of his goals for many years and now, it was his chance to finally get his hands on one. Obviously, he couldn’t leave control, but he decided to send Paul out there to retrieve it from here. He also knew where he was going to send it to for experiments. He was going to send it to the secret scientific testing base at Groom Lake in the Nevada Desert. It was formally known as the mysterious and infamous Area 51 that was until SHADO took over it in 1983. Ed was going to have the UFO delivered there for tests and hopefully reversed engineered.

Turning to Paul, who was now relieved at the recent events, Ed was about to provide middle aged Colonels orders.

“Paul, I want you fly out there and personally see that the UFO is sent to the SHADO scientific testing  facility at Groom Lake? Tell them that HQ has sent them a present?”

“Yes sir.” Paul replied as headed out of the control room.

A call then came through from Moonbase. Ford handed the phone to Ed.

“Colonel Freeman’s on the line for you sir?” he said as Commander took the phone from his hand.

“What is it Alec?” Ed said bluntly down the phone.

  Moonbase Alpha (Now Operational)

“Ed, Moonbase Alpha is now fully operational.” Alec replied on the other end of the phone. “We’re waiting to receive the first flight of Moonbase personnel. How are things down there?”

“They’re good down here, Alec.” Ed replied. “I have myself a UFO. I’ve sent Colonel Foster over there to see that it’s delivered to Groom Lake.”

“That’s brilliant.” Alec said. “I’ve decided that I’m going to stay up here with Virginia for a day or two.”

“Don’t tell me why? I already know and it’s fine by me.” Ed replied as he sussed out the reason. “I’ll see you in a few days then.”

Alec said his goodbye and placed the phone down. Virginia smiled as he turned to face her and smiled. They were about to spend some time together after all.

“Well now that we have three days together, what shall we do?” Virginia asked, as she held Alec’s hand.

“Let’s go to your quarters sweetheart.” Alec replied. “I’m sure I have a bottle of Malt Whiskey somewhere that can come to some use for us?”

“I’ll take you up on that offer.” Virginia chuckled as she took Alec’s arm and the two of them walked off down the hallway.



Two hours later, the first Lunar Module flight arrived at the base. Aboard the Module, was the first arrival of the Moonbase Personnel. The base was said to sustain three hundred men and women on the base, most of which were new Interceptor pilots. Among them was the newly appointed Moonbase controller, Colonel John Koenig.

John had been selected to control Alpha as he had served as Captain for the Dreadnaught test flights, which took place back in 1981. He joined SHADO in 1987 after a UFO incident took place, killing his parents and his wife. He wanted to avenge his family, but didn’t know how to. In 1988, John had gotten himself involved in another UFO incident, when he saved Ed Straker’s life. the Commander of SHADO had been involved in a serious car crash after a UFO forced him off of the road. John pulled him out of the wreckage and nursed him back to health. In the weeks that followed, he told Straker of the incident that killed his family and in return for his good deed, he was offered a place in SHADO. John accepted and in the days that followed, he trained to be a Moonbase Controller. Maybe even a Colonel? By 1989, he was given the rank of Controller and was immediately ordered to report to Moonbase Alpha.

As he stepped out into the corridor via the new travel tube system, John finally met Alec. Shaking him by the arm, John exchanged his pleasantries. He has knew Alec ever since Ed’s accident and had gotten to know him very well.

“Alec, it’s so good to see you?” John said smiling.

“John, welcome to Moonbase Alpha.” Alec replied grinning. “I take it you had a safe trip?”

“Sure did. I heard about that UFO.” John replied as he and Alec walked down towards the Command Centre. “I hear that Straker’s going to have the scientists do a spot of reverse engineering? I wonder what they’ll find?”

“Something interesting and useful I hope?” Alec responded. “It’s taken us nearly a decade to capture a UFO so there better be something in it for us?”

“Well we’ll have to see?” John said, chuckling. “Right now, I have strict orders to manage the arrival of the new Eagle transporters.”

“Oh yes. I remember now?” Alec said as he clicked his fingers in a friendly gesture. “They’re meant to be craft that will replace the Lunar Modules? Well I hope that they can fly alright?”

“What’s that supposed to mean, Alec?” John asked, raising a brow.

“Oh nothing, just that they’ll be subject to UFO attacks like the Module’s were?” Alec answered. “They’ll need to be manoeuvrable if a UFO was to intercept one of them?”

“We’ll see, Alec.” John assured the Colonel. “We’ll see?”