Morning came quietly. And Aurora woke before everyone. She lay still for a moment, staring at the ceiling.
She then got up, showered and dressed in a black suit, pulled her hair back into a tight tail.
As she grabbed her keys and headed for the door, she found her father waiting in the foyer. He was clutching a small projection marble.
"Wait up, Aurora." he said. "I'm coming with you."
Aurora stopped, her hand on the door handle. "You're coming with me? Did they call you in too?"
Elias shook his head. "No. But I'm going to present something that might finally solve our problem. It's a project I've been working on for years."
Aurora looked at the marble in his hand.
"Alright, Dad. Let's go."
They drove together. And the base rose ahead of them. Inside, Aurora spotted Director Wallace near the command floor. She took a slow breath and walked toward him.
"Sir." she said. "Why did you lie to me?"
Wallace looked away, staring at a distant holographic map. "You and your squad are our last line of defense, Captain. And you already know that, if the pilots lose their morale, the sky falls and everything ends. I couldn't risk you losing your edge because of the chaos on the ground."
"The truth wouldn't have made us lose our edge." Aurora replied. "It would have made us aware of what's at stake if we relax."
"I know." Wallace said, finally looking at her. "And I'm sorry for that but I've brought because we need to discuss what comes next. We don't have much time."
He led them into the Grand Briefing Room. They entered the room. And the six chairs were occupied by holograms of directors from across the world.
"Everyone." Wallace announced as they entered. "Captain Aurora Cross and Dr. Elias Cross will be joining today's council."
"Directors." Aurora and Elias said in unison and they took their seats.
The meeting started immediately. The Russian director spoke first, her face stern. "We've seen the reports from the European Ground Front and it's a disaster. Russia though is volunteering to send three divisions for medical support and five thousand additional ground troops."
The British Director chimed in. "We'll authorize two more pilot squadrons to target the colonized bases. If we can disrupt their supply chain, maybe the ground troops may stand a chance."
The European Director nodded weakly. "Thank you. We are drowning out here."
Director Wallace leaned forward. "Seeing what happened in Europe is proof that the Elyrians are advancing faster than we predicted. It's only a matter of time before we lose this war entirely. I called this meeting so we can come up with a contingency plan, a real one."
The Chinese Director spoke up, his hologram flickering slightly. "We have been discussing the construction of underground sanctuaries. If we cannot hold the surface, we must flee. It may be our only way to preserve the human race."
"It's not a bad idea." the USA Director added. "We have to consider survival over victory at this point."
"Underground?" the Russian Director snapped. "That is not a plan, we would only be handing our planet to these monsters and living like rats in a holes."
"But there is no other way!" the USA Director shouted. "We've been fighting for five years and we are losing! The human race is on the brink of extinction. We cannot keep relying on the South African Clyck Squad to defend the entire planet. They are only human after all."
Aurora couldn't stay silent anymore. "You're right about one thing." she said, her voice cutting through the shouting. "Fleeing for cover isn't the option. I've been proposing a solution for years – let me create an academy under my squad. We can train hundreds of pilots to fly like us. We can birth a whole army of elite units but every time I bring it up, you dismiss it. It's like you don't even want to win this war."
The European Director sighed. "Captain, you know we want to win but training takes years and we only have weeks or less."
"Just let me and my squad train the survivors!" Aurora pressed. "Give us the resources!"
Dr. Elias Cross cleared his throat. "Excuse me." he said, standing up and tossing the projection marble onto the center of the table.
Blue map erupted from the marble. It showed a complex, ring-like massive gate.
"We can also use my plan." Elias said. "I've been working on this for a long time. A Space Jump. The fact that these aliens are here is proof that there is life across the stars. Logic dictates that not all of them are hostile. We can use this jump to send a messenger far beyond our galaxy to find help."
The British Director narrowed his eyes. "Say they do find other species, there's no guarantee that they are not as hostile as Elyrians. Or worse, what if they join the Elyrians? We could be inviting our own executioners."
"We won't know if we don't try, will we?" Elias replied. "Right now, the executioners are already at the door."
The USA Director leaned in, studying the schematics. "Wait... Dr. Cross, looking at this plan of yours... this looks like a one-way jump. There's no return vector."
Elias lowered his head. "It is."
"This is absurd!" the European Director yelled out. "A one-way trip into the unknown? Who would even volunteer for a suicide mission with no guarantee of success, let alone a return? It's a waste of resources."
Aurora stood up, slamming her hands on the table. "How is my father's plan any different from what we do everyday? We pilots, we don't have a guarantee of coming back home when we fly into a swarm of a thousand enemy ships but we go anyway. And at least my father has a vision that offers a chance of total victory, instead of just waiting to die in a basement."
"We don't know if it will even work, Captain." the Japanese Director said softly.
"What do we know?" Aurora shot back. "We even don't know if we'll see tomorrow. We don't know if the next alien ship will be the one to glass this city or even the world. Nothing is guaranteed, we are living on a lifeline and my father is the only one in this room brave enough to offer a way out. And if you cowards don't see his vision, then that's on you. And you can go ahead. Go hide in your holes."
She reached out, snatched her father's projection marble from the table and looked at him. "Let's go, Dad."
They stormed out of the room before the Directors could even find their breath.
Wallace followed them into the hall. "That was no way to speak to your superiors."
Aurora didn't even stop walking. She looked at Wallace over her shoulder. "Everyone who looks down on my father doesn't deserve my respect. And if you're here thinking I'm going back in there to apologize, then you're wasting your breath."
"Captain!" Wallace shouted, but she was already gone.
They reached the car and climbed inside.
Dr. Elias just stared at his hands. "I should've known." he whispered. "I should've known it was a stupid idea."
"It's not stupid, Dad." Aurora said, her voice softening as she looked at him. "They're just too scared to see it and they're stupid for looking down on you."
Elias shook his head. "No... they're right. No one would want to volunteer for a plan like mine."
He reached for the door handle. "I need some air, Aurora. I'll see you at home."
"Dad, wait..."
But he was already out, closing the door firmly. Aurora watched him walk toward the edge of the military plaza – looking like a man who had lost everything.
She gripped the steering wheel. And looked at the projection marble sitting in the cup holder. She took a deep breath and drove away.