Little was known about the Great Southern Ocean during World War Two, or the large icebound continent located at the very bottom of the Blue Planet, known as Earth. Using nautical charts, put together by Old World explorers, and relying on the sharp eyes of the submarine's lookouts, the USS Javelin plowed through the remarkably still, icy waters, towards the Antarctic continent. Both United States Army Air Corp pilots, colonels Jeremy McCloud and Kevin Stillwell, were none the wiser about their mysterious assignment. This ignorance did not deter the enemy from their quest to assassinate both men. Apparently, their deaths were to be finalized at any cost-a cost that included the mysterious loss of two German raiders on the voyage south, as well as a German raider's spotter plane sent to bomb the submarine.

With the unannounced arrival of a stranger on board the USS Javelin, the submarine commander, Martin Reeves, became aware of strange forebodings aboard his vessel. Add to this the discovery of a small, shiny orb in the engine room. This strange piece of hardware alerted the commander to an association with the Air Corp colonels, leading to severe behavioral changes in both pilots. Aware that both pilots were under pressure from unknown sources, Commander Reeves brought his submarine to the safe harbor of McMurdo Sound on the Antarctic continent where an American research team had built a large base.

Upon meeting the mission leader, Professor Karl Schwuiter and his fellow scientists, Commander Reeves completed his mission, introducing the two pilots to the professor. Using his professional discretion, Professor Schwuiter permitted the two pilots and a restricted number of submariners to tour the facility, code-named Base Olympus.

When exposed to the "other" USS Javelin, all visitors were completely overawed at the sight of the beautiful craft standing before them. Briefed on the mission to send the craft into outer space, everyone was made aware as to how the selection of the first ever human being to go into outer space would be made.

With the departure of the submarine, renamed USS Scorpion, both pilots were set tasks to test their endurance. During one of these tests, Colonel Kevin Stillwell disappeared, never to be found! His disappearance was labeled "misadventure." Other incidents confounded the scientists, who were looking for reasons as to why someone was trying to sabotage the mission. Even as the first mission into space was counting down, an even deadlier attack was foisted onto the mission personnel, with a number killed and seriously wounded. After a successful launch, expedited manually, the pilot's mission was cut short after an intercepting spacecraft belonging to an alien race captured the spacecraft USS Javelin!