Its the beginning of the 21st century, and the balance of world power has shifted to the northern Hemisphere.  In the countries of the , faced with an energy crises and the possibility of starvation, a deep-seated antipathy towards the north developed.  Anti-north terrorists incidents became commonplace.  In response, the leaders of the north countries created an international peace keeping force in the name of the "Northern Hemisphere Treaty Alliance" (NTA) as a deterrent against any aggressive military behavior from the south.

  On its way back to port from a mission to destroy the home base of the Southern Cross terrorist group, the NTA flagship, the Heimdal, was instructed to pick up an ancient organism discovered on an isolated island in the south Pacific.

  The day before the Heimdal arrived at the island, a member of the team that discovered the organism, showed symptoms of paranoia and was shot-resisting detainment.  Concerned that the cause may be a new strain of virus, the discovered organism was placed under quarantine in the belly of the Heimdal.

  Two days from port, the Heimdal reported that there had been an explosion in the Engine Room.  Ever since the ship remained silent.

  Concerned about the Heimdal and its load of ballistic missiles, NTA dispatched an emergency investigation team to check the ship.  The first team included anti-terrorism experts-Colonel Aaron Burke and Captain Nicholas Lang from the Special Forces-as well as Doctor William Noble from the International Research Institute.  Upon arriving at the ship, this team also was silenced.

  A second team made up of Sergeant Jack Ingles, who volunteered himself, and Jessifer Manning, from the Information Department, was dispatched.  Had this team known of the horror that they were about to face, maybe they would not have made the journey at all...