Chapter 3 is up at last

Chapter Three

The Seagull X-ray flight to Nevada lifted off the next morning. The night had been a clear one with no further UFO activity. It gave Ed the chance to catch up on some reports that he had left before he flew out to Groom Lake. As the jet levelled out at two thousand five hundred feet, Ed pulled out the remaining report folders and continued his work. The sky was clear and visibility was good so he knew that it would  be a quick and peaceful flight. As he ploughed through the folders, he tried not to over excite himself at the fact that he had finally got his hands on a UFO. As he sat there and continued to think about the captured Alien craft, he couldn’t help but think about the possibilities of using the UFO to their own ends. Think of the technical advancements that they would discover? It could mean that SHADO could take it to the Alien’s home planet? They would finally have the answers to the questions that couldn’t be answered? One thing was for sure, it was a huge achievement for SHADO.

Just as he was getting towards the end of his work, Ed received a video call. The small screen in front of him, revealed Paul’s face. He was reporting from the testing facility.

“Ah good sir, you’re on your way?” he said.

“Yes, Paul.” Ed replied, looking at his wrist watch. “I should be arriving there in abut half an hour. How are things over there?”

“Everything here is set.” Paul answered. “Dr Jackson is on his way over our reverse engineer. They should be here in time for your arrival.”

“What’s Dr Jackson going to do?” Ed asked, as he displayed a frown.

“He’s going to check the  conditions of the Aliens before we attempt to put a man inside the UFO.” Paul replied. “He also wants to examine their life support systems?”

“Well I suggest you let him then Paul?” Ed said as he reached for the screen power switch. “I’ve got some un-approved reports to finish. I’ll see you there?”

“Very good sir.” Paul replied as his face vanished off the screen.


Groom Lake (SHADO Testing Facility)

The SSV jet finally touched down at Groom Lake I the hot desert sun. it a whopping ninety degrees as it was at the height of the summer period. As the jet came to a halt, the doors opened and Ed disembarked the craft. The heat didn’t effect Ed. It was if he could almost absorb the heat. He entered the security checkpoint and ID’d himself before advancing towards the hangar where the UFO was kept. Hangar 18. the infamous and largest hangar of the base. Ed had learnt of it’s history and knew that it was the best place to house their discovery. As he sat in the passenger seat of a blue SHADO jeep, he placed on his sun glasses to avoid getting sand in his eyes. As he took a look around the surrounding area, he spotted the hangar in the distance. He was pretty impressed at it’s appearance and what had been done to keep it secret.

The hanger roof was coated in a metal alloy which was designed to deflect radar signals. The side walls had two, huge, box shaped motors which were mounted at each side. It was said that SHADO had devised a way of pulling the hangar underground as to keep its secrecy.

“I take it that the UFO is in that hangar?” he said to the driver.

“Yes sir.” The driver replied. “But it’s scheduled to proceed underground in ten minutes.”

“Right.” Ed replied, as he sat back in his seat.

The hangar was even larger than he had previously thought as the jeep pulled up outside the main doors. As he left the jeep, he noticed that Paul was waiting for him. He approached Paul and displayed a grin on his face. Paul returned the gesture  and showed the Commander in.

“You did good work today Paul.” Ed said as he patted the Colonel on the shoulder. “A new phase in SHADO’s history is about to begin. I trust that you didn’t have a problem getting here?”

“No sir, it was a cinch.” Paul replied. “ We had to make sure that Las Vegas Airport to didn’t pick up on their radar but our escort attended to that.”

“Good.” Ed replied as he led himself into the vast hangar room infront of him. “Where is Doctor Jackson?”

“He’s onboard the UFO, making his inspection like he said.“ Paul answered. “He’s been in there over an hour now.”

“Right. Well Paul, I want to take a look at this for myself. Hopefully we’ll see what makes this thing fly?”

The, just as he entered the main room, every organ in the Ed’s body had gone numb. He was now staring directly at the Huge UFO, which was only sitting a few feet infront of him. It was an amazing but terrifying sight as it looked like the Alien craft was bearing down on him. He had seen an Alien close up before but it didn’t compare to what he was seeing now. Surrounding the UFO were an endless amount of multi-coloured cables which were linked from the craft to a number of small computer terminals. Technicians were rushing, in, out and around the craft as they were carrying out their orders. Amongst the crowd, Doctor Jackson emerged from the craft, holding a clipboard of his findings under his right arm. Ed could see that the expression the Jackson’s face was a good one.

“Well Doctor, what did you find in there?” he asked.

“Well the whole ship’s life support systems were emitting in Oxygen.” Jackson explained. “I was able to find the generator which was responsible for this and I’ve concluded that the Aliens were all human. They breath the same air as we do without any side affects. Now we’ve realised this before in a previous case, but I’ve always believed that let alone they were human, they were still taking in that Oxygenic liquid.”

“Please be more specific Doctor?” Ed replied. “Are you trying to say that the Aliens were breathing in Oxygen without their helmets? Without their liquid?”

“Yes.” Jackson confirmed. “They were entirely human.”

“Well I be.” Ed said with a shock expression on his face. “Where are the Alien’s now?”

“Unfortunately, they died upon impact.” Paul stepped in and answered.

“I see. So the Aliens appear to be more humanoid. The question is why? Perhaps, they want to adapt to our living conditions before they step foot on Earth? Maybe they believe that they can survive longer with our living conditions?”

“Or maybe there is another reason?” Jackson added. “You see, so far they have been abducting humans for transplant procedures. Perhaps they are abducting humans for different purpose now.?”

“Recruitment?” Ed replied as he realised what Jackson was saying. “Perhaps they recruiting humans to join them?”

“I don’t understand?” Paul asked.

“Well it’s quite simple if you think about it?” Ed explained. “Lets say that the Aliens have been abducting humans from the Earth. They subject them to harsh experiments and procedures, they brainwash them and then they convert them into their own race. They then have Aliens who can withstand our life functions, but once again, the question is why?”

“It sounds like they’re building up their numbers?” Paul replied as he folded his arms. “But they would only do that if they were going to launch a mass attack or even an Invasion?”

“And yet again, it brings us back to our invasion theory?” Ed continued. “It’s all coming together.”

“But we do stand a chance?” Jackson pointed out. “If we can find out how to operate this UFO, find out how it works then surely we can use it to our advantage?”

“Yes, but things like that take months even years.” Ed replied. “If they’re going to make their move, then it’ll be soon.”

The situation was beginning to look beak and Ed knew that time was running out, but what they didn’t know was that danger was heading their way.

Moonbase Alpha

Alec Freeman, Virginia Lake and John Koenig had sprung themselves into action as SID had detected another UFO sighting. It was heading on a different course as to the previous one, which had took it away from the Moon itself. Luckily, the Interceptors were now operating from Alpha and not the supply base, which meant they intercept any UFO from a closer range. The red alert siren sounded and the Interceptor pilots hurried to their new launch tubes. SID’s computerised voice echoed over the huge radio antenna.

“UFO on positive track. Bearing 5432 sol decimal 8. trajectory, Earth.”

“5432?” Alec said as he repeated the co-ordinates. “That means that it’s heading for Nevada?”

“Of course.” Virginia replied. “It’s heading for Groom Lake? The SHADO testing facility. Commander Straker and Colonel Foster are there now.”

“It’s going to destroy the base.” Alec realised. “Probably because of that UFO that Paul brought in earlier? John, get those Interceptors up there immediately?”

“Control to Interceptors, Immediate launch.” John ordered as he yelled into the microphone. “And intercept that UFO?”





The Interceptors launched off one at a time from their new silos. They were flying in their standard triangular formation and the UFO had quickly come into view. Interceptor One reported to the control room immediately after he had spotted the UFO.

“Interceptor One to Moonbase Control. Have visual contact with UFO. It’s increasing speed. Now travelling at Sol. 9. Are going in for Intercept.”

“Confirmed, Interceptor One.” John replied over the radio. “Good luck.”

Interceptor One rushed into intercept and fired it’s missile at the speeding UFO. The explosion was negative as it missed the UFO by metres. As he returned to base, Interceptor Two took the next attack run. Unfortunately, the same result occurred as the second Interceptor failed to hit the target. Interceptor Three now had a slim chance of destroying the UFO as it was now close to the Earth’s atmosphere.

“Interceptor Three to Moonbase control.” The pilot reported. “I can’t make an intercept. UFO has entered Earth’s orbit.”

“Return to base, Interceptor Three.” Alec’s voice crackled over the radio. “It looks like Captain Carlin will have to handle this one?”

Interceptor Three broke of it’s pursuit of the UFO and headed back to base. The pilot was annoyed as it was his first Interceptor flight and it could’ve been his first intercept. Minutes later, he touched down, waited to be lowered into the hangar and headed for the exit chute. Once he disembarked his craft, he could hear Alec’s voice over the intercom.

“Control to all personnel. Moonbase will remain at yellow alert until further notice. All Interceptor pilots are to report to the standby lounge.”





Up in the control room, Alec was on the line to Captain Carlin, who had just started his patrol in Skydiver One. He would’ve contacted Ed at HQ usually, but in this case, he was technically in command. It was now his responsibility to see that the UFO was destroyed. Just a he switched off the radio link with Skydiver, John called out to him from the scanner.

“Alec, it’s changing course again?” he said.

“It’s heading directly for the testing facility now?” Alec replied as he studied the scanner with his own two eyes. “But it’s descending at a weird angle? It almost looks as if it’s going to collide with the base.”

“A Kamikaze UFO?” Virginia added as her eyes widened.

“It looks that way, and it’s going to hit the base like an atom bomb!” Alec said. “I’d guess impact is in twenty minutes.”

Alec knew what was going to happen. He just didn’t know what to do? Sky One could intercept it, but it would be a long shot. Whatever the chances were, Ed,  Paul and Jackson had to get out of there.