Chapter 3: Celestial Strike Force One

The warm sunlight filtered through the grand windows of the base's parade hall, illuminating the polished brass buttons of the Marine dress blues. The air was filled with a sense of accomplishment and pride as the 24 candidates of Celestial Strike Force One stood in perfect formation, their hands rigidly at their sides, their gazes forward. It had been a grueling, relentless journey to this point, but now, after months of unrelenting training, they were finally here: Graduation Day.

At the front of the formation stood Colonel Nathan Drake, the Base Commander, tall and distinguished in his own dress blues. His voice rang clear and commanding as he addressed the group.

"Today marks a monumental achievement, not just for you, but for the Marine Corps," Colonel Drake began. "You have endured the trials, conquered the obstacles, and proven that you have what it takes to serve among the best of the best. Today, you are no longer just Marines—you are part of an elite force, Celestial Strike Force One. You stand at the precipice of something greater than yourself. You are the first line of defense against threats we cannot yet fully comprehend."

Selena felt a rush of pride as Colonel Drake's words sank in. She had fought tooth and nail to get here, to prove she deserved this moment. The trials had tested every ounce of her body and soul, and now, as she stood with the others, she knew she had earned her place.

Colonel Drake's voice softened slightly as he looked directly at Selena. "Lance Corporal Selena Vega, step forward."

Selena took a breath and moved out of formation. The weight of the moment settled on her shoulders, but she stood tall, chin high, as the Colonel took a step forward and pinned a Bronze Star to her chest. Next he took out a pair of Sergent Chevrons, pressed them into her hand and meritoriously promoted her to E-5 Sergent. The applause that followed was deafening, but it wasn't just for her achievement in making it through the rigorous training—it was for the success she had shown in every mission she had taken on, proving to her team that women could hold their own in the most dangerous and challenging operations.

As she saluted Colonel Drake, her mind flashed back to the countless hours of sweat, blood, and tears that had led her here. And for a brief moment, her father's memory flickered in her mind, whispering to her, urging her to stay strong.

The ceremony continued as each of the 24 candidates was called forward to receive their honors, but the pride of the moment was short-lived. A commotion at the back of the hall drew attention as Captain Martin Flanagan rushed in, his uniform sharply pressed but his face set with urgency. He moved quickly to Colonel Drake, saluting sharply.

"Sir," Captain Flanagan said, his tone serious. "I need to speak with you, immediately."

The Colonel raised an eyebrow but nodded, stepping aside with Flanagan. There was an unmistakable tension in the air, a shift that none of the Marines could ignore. Selena exchanged a glance with Corporal Sean Seaburn, who stood next to her. Neither spoke, but both felt it—the change in the air.

After a brief but tense conversation, Colonel Drake returned to the front of the formation, his face now somber. He addressed the candidates, his voice carrying the weight of authority.

"Graduation is over," he said, his tone cutting through the room like a blade. "The ceremony was for you to celebrate what you've accomplished. But there's no time for celebration. We have an emergency on our hands."

The group stiffened. Selena's heart rate quickened, and she felt a sudden surge of adrenaline. It had been only a moment ago that they were standing tall in their dress blues, ready to take on the world with pride. Now, the world was asking something different.

"I'm sorry to cut this short, but time is of the essence," Colonel Drake continued. "All of you need to muster immediately in the situation room. We're deploying tonight."

With that, the group filed out of the hall, their footsteps measured, the clinking of their Dress Shoes echoing in the empty space. It was clear that this was no ordinary mission.

In the situation room, the team gathered quickly, all business now. Major Gabriel Thompson stood at the head of the room, flanked by Sergeant Major Thomas Briggs and Jose Ramos, Supreme Commander of the Supernatural and Extraterrestrial Regulation Bureau (SERB). The room was dimly lit, the hum of technology the only sound as a map of Central America appeared on the screen before them.

Major Thompson wasted no time. "We've received a report of an object—an extraterrestrial object—entering Earth's atmosphere. A black sphere. We don't know its origin, but it landed somewhere in the remote jungles of Guatemala, near the ruins of Yax Mutal, the ancient Mayan city."

Jose Ramos stepped forward, his face serious. "The object is unlike anything we've ever encountered. We've been monitoring its activity. It's not natural—this sphere seems to be radiating an energy signature that we can't explain. Its very presence seems to be attracting attention… from multiple factions. We've got intel that suggests multiple hostile forces are already converging on the area. We can't let it fall into their hands."

Major Thompson's voice was steady, but there was a hint of urgency behind it. "Your mission is to secure the sphere. Do not engage unless absolutely necessary. We don't know what we're dealing with, but we're not taking chances. This could be the key to something bigger, and we need to keep it out of enemy hands."

Sergeant Major Briggs, his arms crossed, added, "This is a high-risk, high-reward operation. Expect heavy resistance. We'll be deploying by air, and you'll be dropped behind enemy lines. From there, it's all on you."

The briefing ended with a sense of finality. The team moved quickly to prepare for the mission. Selena felt her heart pounding in her chest as she grabbed her gear, slipping into the familiar rhythm of preparation. She could feel the weight of the task ahead, but she wasn't afraid. This was what she was trained for.

Heading Out

After the briefing, the CFS1 team rushed to the barracks, shedding their Dress Blues for the familiar, camouflaged Jungle Utilities. The air was thick with the tension of what was to come. They grabbed their gear and, with no words needed, ran toward the waiting Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT) A4. The truck's massive wheels churned up dirt as it sped them toward the flightline, the rumble of its engine vibrating in the pit of Selena's stomach. She could feel the weight of the mission settling deeper into her bones with each passing second.

When the HEMTT came to a stop, they piled out, moving swiftly toward the helicopters waiting on the tarmac. The night air was cold, biting at their exposed skin, but Selena barely felt it. She was already in the zone, her mind sharpened by the briefing, her pulse quickening in anticipation of what lay ahead.

They boarded the CH-53E helicopter, the rotors beginning to spin as the crew chief gave the signal. The noise was deafening, the sound of the engines vibrating through the metal frame beneath her feet. As the helicopter roared to life, lifting into the night sky, Selena's senses sharpened. The steady rhythm of the rotors felt almost in sync with the pounding of her heart. The wind howled through the open sides of the chopper, chilling her skin, but inside, she felt a fire burning. The cold didn't matter. The power of the sphere, its shadow hanging over her mind, kept her focused. It was a presence that refused to be ignored, like a whisper in the dark that she couldn't shake.

This wasn't just another mission. This was a turning point—a moment that could alter the very fabric of the world.

The flight to Miramar was silent, save for the roar of the engines and the occasional jingle of gear shifting in the cargo hold. Each team member was lost in their thoughts, their eyes fixed on the mission, but Selena's mind was razor-sharp, cutting through the haze of the night. Her body, trained for this very moment, was alive with the rush of adrenaline. Every muscle coiled with anticipation, yet her mind remained calm, focused on the task ahead.

She glanced over at Seaburn, who was leaning against the bulkhead, his eyes half-lidded, the picture of calm. Selena knew better than to be fooled by his relaxed demeanor. He always looked this way before a mission—unruffled on the outside, but underneath, he was as alert as anyone. It was a quiet confidence that each of them shared. They had survived the rigors of Special Ops training, pushed through pain and exhaustion, and now, they were ready to apply everything they'd learned.

As the chopper cut through the sky, the team remained in their own heads, preparing for the unknown. Selena could feel the weight of the mission settling in, the gravity of what they were about to face pressing down on her chest. They were on the brink of something massive—something that could change the world—and every instinct within her told her this was just the beginning.

When the helicopters touched down at Miramar, the team quickly disembarked, hustling to the hangar where the stealth jet awaited them. The sleek, black aircraft stood in stark contrast to the bustling hangar around it—silent, powerful, and ready to take them wherever they needed to go. Selena could feel her pulse quicken as they boarded the plane, the hum of its engines vibrating through the cabin as they took their seats. The interior was sleek and futuristic, the dim lighting casting an eerie glow on the smooth, metallic surfaces. Large screens lined the walls, displaying real-time data and surveillance images from across the globe. This was no ordinary mission, and this was no ordinary plane.

With the doors sealed and the engines roaring to life, Selena's mind focused completely on what lay ahead. The sphere. The mission. The unknown. They were about to confront something that was far beyond anything they had encountered before. And this time, there would be no turning back.

The Plane Ride to Guatemala

"Welcome aboard," said Jose Ramos, his voice calm but with an edge of urgency. The briefing had already begun, and it was clear this was no ordinary mission. He gestured for the team to take their seats as they filed in, and Selena settled into a seat near the back. Two SERB agents, both clad in tactical uniforms, were already seated at computer terminals, their fingers flying over keyboards as images flickered on the large screens mounted around the plane's walls. Ethan Carter, a tall, wiry man with sharp eyes, and Isabella Nguyen, a quiet but intense woman with dark hair, were already hard at work.

Jose moved to the front of the cabin and nodded toward the screens. The agents began their briefing, and Selena's eyes locked on the images that filled the screen.

"Satellite footage," Isabella said, her voice steady. "What you're seeing here is the Black Sphere, a mysterious object that has recently made its descent to Earth."

The image zoomed in, revealing the black sphere streaking through the atmosphere, its descent controlled yet unnatural. The team watched, their faces illuminated by the light of the screen. Selena's breath caught in her chest. It wasn't just any object; the sphere radiated something unnatural, an energy that seemed to pulse with a life of its own.

Ethan's voice cut through her thoughts. "This is when the sphere landed in Guatemala, in the heart of the Mayan ruins of Yax Mutal. We've got multiple satellite images showing it sitting there, untouched."

The image shifted, revealing the black sphere nestled in the overgrown ruins, the landscape surrounding it eerie in its stillness.

"Notice the unusual patterns around the sphere," Isabella added, zooming in. "These aren't just ruins. The glow you're seeing is coming from the ground—something's radiating from beneath it, and it's not natural."

Selena leaned forward, her fingers gripping the edge of her seat. The glow was unnatural, and it wasn't just a faint light—it pulsed, almost as though it were alive. Her instincts screamed at her. This was bigger, more dangerous than anything they had expected.

"That light?" Jose asked, his tone serious. "We've been monitoring it, and the readings are off the charts. This is more than a piece of ancient technology. This sphere is emitting a kind of radiation we've never encountered before. Whatever's inside, it's powerful."

A quiet murmur of disbelief rippled through the team, but Selena's mind was already processing the information. She could feel the weight of the situation pressing on her chest. The mission was no longer just about rescue—it was about stopping something that could change the course of history.

The plane's engines hummed beneath them as it sliced through the dark sky, taking them farther from safety with every mile. The team was silent now, their thoughts consumed by the gravity of the briefing. Selena could almost hear her heart pounding in her ears, her hands itching to grab her gear. They were heading into unknown territory, and there was no turning back.

The images shifted again, showing strange, glowing symbols on the ruins around the sphere—an ancient language that didn't seem to belong to any known civilization. Ethan leaned forward, his face bathed in the glow from the screen. "These symbols? They're not Mayan. They're older—much older. Whatever this is, it's not just a relic. It's a beacon."

The weight of his words sank into the team. Selena's pulse quickened. A beacon? To what? And who else might be listening?

"We're heading into the heart of that jungle tonight," Isabella added. "What's waiting for us on the ground is still unknown, but we know this: the sphere's presence is attracting attention from forces far beyond our understanding."

Selena looked around at the team, her eyes meeting each of theirs. This wasn't just a mission. It was the beginning of something that could change everything. They were about to face a force that could not only alter the course of their lives but the fate of the world.

The plane's engines hummed louder as it neared the drop zone. A sense of finality settled over the cabin, a quiet, resolute understanding that whatever awaited them below, they were ready to face it.

As the plane cut through the darkened sky, Selena couldn't shake the feeling that her life was about to change forever. This wasn't just another operation. This was something much bigger, much more dangerous. The jungle loomed ahead, and with it, the dark power of the Black Sphere.

They were about to make history—if they could survive what awaited them in the heart of the jungle