The steady hum of the Ark's engines filled the cabin as Ethan and his crew prepared for what was supposed to be a routine cleanup mission. The remaining Vrak forces had been located near a remote village in northern Canada, and this would be the first live combat operation for Earth's Space Force using their newly developed alien blasters. It felt like the calm before the storm, with everyone focused on their tasks, though the tension was palpable.
Ethan stood in the cockpit, his eyes fixed on the view outside as the landscape of frozen tundra passed beneath them. The bitter cold was visible even from their altitude, snow covering the ground like a thick blanket, with jagged mountains rising in the distance. The location was remote, perfect for the Vrak to hide.