[ WP ] For years we thought spacecraft were being sent out for exploration , NASA have just announced they 've been driving back an invasion , and as of today , they have failed .

`` *Everything* we've sent up?'' 
 
 `` Pretty much. There were a few probes that were sent purely for exploration and data gathering, but most missions had a strategic goal directly related to CERBERUS, in addition to any publicly-stated mission.'' 
 
 `` Apollo?'' 
 
 `` The primary goal for most lunar missions was the placement and maintenance of nanomachines and other mimetic devices for remote construction.'' 
 
 `` What about Curiosity?'' 
 
 `` Mars missions were preemptive in nature: making sure the enemy did not have any forward bases there.'' 
 
 `` Were there any?'' 
 
 `` None that we found. They seem to prefer Venus as a staging area; we speculate they prefer the heavy atmosphere.'' 
 
 `` They're already on Venus?!'' 
 
 `` Yes, General. There are three facilities that we're aware of: two on the ground and one in low orbit. Attempts to disable or neutralize them have had minimal success. The Venera nuclear devices either failed to activate or were shot down. Vega's gamma ray bursts did not have any noticeable effect; the same for Magellan's biowarfare suite. Cassini's particle beam *did* take out their supply depot, which probably bought us about 5 years.'' 
 
 `` Comm satellites? GPS?'' 
 
 `` Most of those function as stated; a reliable, redundant communication system has both civilian and military use. However, the earliest satellites - in the 50's and 60's - were equipped with kinetic and, later, rudimentary beam weapons, mainly used against the Soviets.'' 
 
 `` Why?'' 
 
 `` Cold War mentality: We did n't want them to learn what we already knew and potentially use it against us. So, we brought down anything of theirs that attempted to leave Earth orbit. Later, we admitted that we needed as much help as we could get and started bringing the other countries in.'' 
 
 `` What else do we have up there that I do n't know about?'' 
 
 `` There's the Hubble Directed Antiparticle Weapon.'' 
 
 ``... What?'' 
 
 `` It emits a pulse of antimatter that annihilates any matter it contacts. We use it to bring down their recon vessels.'' 
 
 `` Can it stop the fleet?'' 
 
 `` No. It lacks the capacity to bring down large numbers of spacecraft.'' 
 
 `` Alright. Anything else?'' 
 
 `` That.'' 
 
 The two watched the sky as the Moon, looming much larger than usual, began its transformation. 
 

