Emma hunched over her keyboard, face bathed in cold blue light as numbers shifted across her screen. Energy peaks spiked in rhythmic patterns—alien footprints left behind by Zogarian presence.
"Their shape-shifting technology leaves residual energy traces," she said, mapping the signature. "An afterimage we can track."
Across the lab, Chloe's fingers flew over her keyboard. "Breaking through their encryption now. I'm seeing logistics, harvesting quotas, and something called 'WoodDust extraction protocol.'"
Emma looked up sharply. "Any mention of weaknesses?"
"Not yet."
The lab door burst open with a thunderous crash. Soldiers poured in, weapons raised but hesitant. General Adewale strode through their midst, his presence commanding immediate attention.
"Dr. Forrest," he said, voice grave. "Your warnings were more accurate than we could have imagined."
Emma straightened, exhaustion momentarily forgotten. "General. Finally."
---
The military briefing room hummed with controlled tension. Officers lined the table, faces grim beneath harsh lighting. Emma stood before them, pulse steady despite the weight pressing down on her shoulders.
"Their shape-shifting technology leaves a distinct energy signature," she explained, projecting scans onto the wall. "With specialized sensors, we can detect infiltrators before they attack."
Adewale leaned forward. "Can you build this detection system quickly?"
"With proper resources, yes," Emma replied without hesitation. "But detection alone isn't enough. Their harvesting tools disrupt molecular bonds with extraordinary precision. We need countermeasures."
The room fell silent. The shift was subtle but unmistakable—Emma was no longer just a scientist summoned for consultation. She had become essential to humanity's survival.
---
Across the globe, resistance flared.
Military units engaged Zogarian harvesters in dense forests, their conventional weapons sparking uselessly against shimmering shields. Civilians fought with desperate ingenuity, rigging makeshift barricades from fallen trees, launching improvised explosives at alien craft.
In the converted war lab, Chloe worked alongside military technicians, penetrating deeper into Zogarian communications.
"Doc," she called out, voice taut with urgency. "They're talking about 'WoodDust dispersal units' processing extracted material on-site. And..." She swallowed hard. "More harvesting teams are incoming."
Emma's stomach tightened. "How many?"
"A lot. This is escalating faster than anticipated."
A nearby monitor flashed with breaking news—footage of a larger, unfamiliar craft tearing through defense lines in Singapore. Its bio-luminescent hull pulsed with eerie energy as it cut through human forces with terrifying efficiency.
The reporter's voice wavered. "Eyewitness accounts describe an entirely different alien species joining the conflict..."
Emma froze, blood turning to ice in her veins.
Not just one invasion force.
"The news is spreading across the galaxy," she whispered, horror dawning. "Earth's forests are broadcasting their presence to the cosmos."
Her eyes locked onto the screen where footage showed a third distinct vessel descending over the Amazon.
"They're all coming for our trees."