In the summer radio telescopes started picking up weird signals from the Oort cloud. It seemed that there was something there that normally wasn't there but no telescopes could find it. No one really had any idea of what it was and the proposition that it was aliens quickly was quickly put forward. However many astronomers warned caution since it could also easily be something else we didn't know of. However that didn't stop the idea from entering the public mind.

Written pre /r/worldpowers reset

[15th of August 2062]

The Galaxy came to a halt about 50 meters above the landing zone. The engines roared as they turned downwards, and the aircraft started descending.

From her bench inside the Galaxy Korra could see the city out through a window.

Nouméa, a bright shinning city, bustling with activity. Cars flew between the buildings, drones were buzzing around, monitoring everything, and Galaxies were constantly arriving and taking off. The harbor was still busy if a little less that usually, an Absalon class frigate was in the harbor to resupply, further down the dock a container ship was being loaded, possibly with ore, at the ferry terminal a ship was taking on passengers. But otherwise the docks were almost empty there was something missing she thought.

She quickly realized what was missing, it was the immigrants. Usually there would be immigrants arriving in Nouméa every day, some came for the nice weather and high standard of living, some came to study at the city's university, others came seeking work in the one of booming mines and lastly there were those who were fleeing from war and destruction. The last group was the most noticeable. But none of those were here, the government had closed the borders to nearly the entire world, only a few countries were still being traded with, and even fewer you could travel to.

She had been born here, this city was her home. It was a city that seemed to always have remained unaffected by the world around it. No matter what was happening, no matter what war was raging, no matter what catastrophe was taking place Nouméa remained the same in that special New Caledonian state of knowing but also not really doing anything. They had gotten good at that, years of a neutral foreign policy meant that people got used to horrible things happening everywhere else than in Nouméa. There was no time where you couldn't go down to a cafe and get a glass of wine or a cup of coffee.

But something had finally managed this city. It was subtle, if you had never been here before you probably wouldn't have noticed it. The missing immigrants were a little like an open wound in the city. Or rather an internal bleeding, something that only someone who knew the city well could see.

As the Galaxy slowly descended Korra got ready. She checked one last time that everything was there. Omni tool, TRAC 2, TX-1 Repeater, spare clothes and some personal belongings.

The Galaxy landed with a little bump, and the doors in the side slid open. Korra got up and ran out determined. She took off her helmet to get some fresh air, she had been wearing it for almost 6 hours now. Then she made her way to the checkpoint, making sure to go in a long circle around the exhaust from the Galaxy's engines, which was both ear shattering and could easily knock anyone off their feet. It could probably also give you third degree burns.

She had to get through all the checks before she could get home sadly. Everyone loves bureaucracy, and its one of the things the FIM is best at. She started jogging towards the terminal with her bag over her shoulder. There was a queue at the checkpoint although luckily for her she could skip that and go through the military checkpoint.

The line was much shorter and it was mostly comprised of her own squad mates. Most of them were chatting and laughing but not Korra. She had one thing on her mind. Finding Asami and then... Then she didn't know what to do really. Should she tell her how she felt? Hey Asami I think you're really great and awesome and I want to kiss you. No that would be silly. Maybe just go have something to drink with her? Then go home to Korra's apartment and watch a movie while they snuggled up to each other. No she had to focus, the world was slowly falling apart around her, and here she was thinking about her silly crush. Asami was probably busier than ever, and she herself had too many duties as a soldier and an officer. Maybe she should just not talk about it, wait until this whole mess of issues had blown over.

She was suddenly awoken from her thoughts when a robotic voice said "NEXT!". She quickly walked over to the machine, and stuck her arm into a hole. She felt some light pressure as it took a blood sample from her and waited while the machine processed the data. "CLEAR!" the machine said and she took her arm out and walked through the checkpoint.

On the other side was the rest of the terminal. She would have to go get a cap or something and call Asami. At least that if nothing else. She walked through the terminal looking around at her surroundings. Everywhere there were new PSAs from the government relating to the crises. "If you feel sick report to any hospital immediately.", "Remember to always wash your hands with sanitation soap and water.", "If you have to sneeze, sneeze into your arm.", "Did you know? Since the mid 2020s New Caledonia, and later the FIM, have been self sufficient in food.", "Don't waste materials, recycle.", well that one wasn't new, "Only travel when there is no other option, if your task can be completed over telecommunications use that instead.", "Drone activity may be increased in the coming period, report to your local police HQ if you feel they are infringing on your privacy." and so many others. Constant PSAs and government broadcasts were running on all the screens, and every single message was followed by the flag of the FIM and the motto "United forever in brother-and sisterhood".

There was however also something unexpected, a voice that was distinctly familiar. "Korra!" She turned around and found Asami standing there waving and smiling. This was better than expected. "Hey Asami!" She had to stop herself from sprinting over to her. "I'm so glad you're back." Asami said when Korra had reached her. They gave each other a quick hug, which Korra wished had lasted longer. "Let's go get a cab" Asami said after the hug. "Yeah there's only one of us with a jump jet." Korra answered smiling.

They walked out of the airport, and got to the taxi terminal. They would have been a strange sight, a normal civilian woman, dressed in rather normal clothes and next to her a massive and heavily armed soldier, wearing power armor that made her look like a biblical angle. But then again there were weapons everywhere, the police were every where and now they were armed with assault rifles.

There were many taxis waiting to pick up passengers, and they quickly got one. First Asami got in and told the VI to go to her apartment, then Korra got in. "So why are you still wearing your armor? I thought you were supposed to take it off after deployments." Asami asked when the taxi took off. "Its the new orders, we have to be ready for deployment all the time, so we just keep the armor on. It's easier this way." Korra was tense, until now she had been more excited to get back to Asami, but the reminder of the situation they were in made her remember what could happen. She had never been religious, but she prayed to whatever gods there may be that Nouméa would stay safe. Just for long enough so that her and Asami could spend a little more time together.

Asami had obliviously noticed how tense Korra was, and asked softly with a smile. "What's wrong?" Korra nearly blushed, she shouldn't have taken her helmet off. "Nothing..." She tried to lie but Asami saw right through it. "Come on you can tell me, I won't tell anyone else and there's no one here." Korra let out a sigh. "Well it's just, nothing like this has happened before. All wars and everything have always passed right over New Caledonia and the FIM. But now not only do we close our self off towards half the world, but we also declare war. There's just something about this that doesn't seem right, and now there might be aliens?! Its like the world is coming to an end, and I know for sure that this is serious because it managed to affect Nouméa, the least caring city in the world. Its like we're in Britain in 1942. There's conscription, the government is building bunkers everywhere. It just feels like the world is falling apart, and when it really hits us I'm going to be one of the ones int the front line, fighting and possibly dying." She felt warm tears rolling down over her face as her body started shaking. The strong and scary soldier in impenetrable power armor reduced to a crying hulk.

Asami wrapped her arms around Korra softly. "I'm scared Asami, I'm scared of what will come none of this makes any sense." Korra tried to collect herself but couldn't. "I'm scared of dying Asami, what if I'm shot through the heart and bleed out? What if one of my limps is ripped off and I die a slow and painful death?" They landed in front of the entrance to Asami's apartment. "Come on let's get you up into my apartment and take the power armor off you. You don't have to be a soldier all the time let's have some fun tonight, just as two normal people, what do you say?" Korra wiped a tear off her face and said with a little smile. "That sounds nice."

. . .

[22nd of August 2062, 17:14:21 GM].

Around the world, every device with a speaker came alive. Smartphones, PA systems, automated vehicles and domestic robots, televisions, personal computers and speakers, in every home, In every station, airport or city centre a voice began to speak with a voice of an avalanche.

"People of this graceless earth, deprived of the Sovereign's Light,

"I am the one called Kepriyal within your fallen tongue, firstborn of Tennin, 2nd Scribe of Boreas, Lord Temporal over the Northern Reaches of the Dominion and keeper of his Divine Word. I am the Master of the 8th Host of the September Hayyoth, Life peer of the Kanva Bhagavan, Peerless of the Academy of Thyatira. I, who have been named Dauntless and Righteous in the eyes of the Undying Sovereign.

And I would have you listen.

People of this graceless earth, unknown to the word of the Sovereign, rejoice. As of 7.458.01 in the Seventh Epoch, your sentence of Isolation as stipulated by High Justice Josphiel, 5th of the Paramount Lords of Law in 5.82.50 has been now been fully served. For it was written that the followers of Aatami would be cast from the Light of the Sovereign for the number of generations equaling seven by the power of four for their sin, and lo, it has been done.

Rejoice, for your redemption is nigh. It is so written in the Book of Zephyreus "I once had a field where the grain became blighted, twisted by the light of a dying star beyond the Sovereign's intended path. For six seasons, I let the field lie wild and fallow, with a blessed virus slowly pruning the blighted strains from the pure ones. On the seventh season, I harvested the grain, but behold, it was still half blighted."

"So I winnowed the blighted grain the pure, and cast the blight into fire. And Lo, in that 7th season, the pure grain bore a pure harvest, and all was well."

As it was written so it shall be. The Blight of Aatami's Apostasy may have faded with time, but I will carry out my holy duty of cleansing you. I will root out the apostate, the traitorous, the weak, the unfaithful, the disobedient, the heretical amongst your number, and I will cast them into fire.

I will winnow the pure stock from the chaff of the unfaithful.

Meditate on your sins. Those that repent and swear to the Undying Sovereign and foreswear their temporal loyalties, shall be tested by the trial of stone. Those that resist shall find only death in flames.

Meditate on your sins, spawn of Aatami.

We are coming."

. . .

Several high definition telescopes along with further analysis of the heat bloom of the wake of the Fleet has determined their trajectory and acceleration portfolio.

At their current course and acceleration, the Fleet will take 285 days to make earth orbit. It is expected that that path will take them into close approach to to the Orbit of Saturn, Jupiter and Mars, although if the fleets will be decelerating at those points remains to be seen.