Their communications ship hits a satellite and crashes through the Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong, while the others plunge into the waters off the coast of Hawaii. Sampson, John Paul Jones, and Japanese destroyer JDS Myōkō discover a floating structure that generates an impenetrable force field isolating the Hawaiian Islands and the three destroyers from the rest of the world, and jamming all radar and communications inside. Three alien warships surface, and first contact devolves into a battle after the humans decide to fire a warning shot across the aliens’ bow; Myōkō is destroyed, Sampson is lost with all hands including Stone, and John Paul Jones’ command personnel are killed, leaving Alex to reluctantly take charge as the next highest-ranking sailor on board after the executive officer is also lost.