Built during the years of the Cold War, the Cheyenne Mountain Complex served as an instrumental and highly impressive military bunker system. Designed primarily for surveillance of Earth's airspace for any signs of missiles or unidentified aircraft it was made to be capable of withstanding all forms of conventional attack. Whether nuclear, electrical, biological or as it would come to pass, otherworldly.In 2001 the Black Mesa Incident shook the foundation of the entire world. The scope of the event rapidly increased and the facility closed both of it's three and a half foot thick blast doors and began operations in full, completely sealed from the rest of the world. The nuclear detonation at Black Mesa had no effect on operations and communication was maintained with military forces. NORAD was the first to confirm the sightings of the Portal Storms in the immediate aftermath of the Black Mesa Incident. The scanners and surveillance equipment showing the skies and lands of Earth being torn asunder by otherworldly forces.
During this period the base remained in total lockdown, especially as the radiation and corruption from Black Mesa washed over the Cheyenne Mountain, all the rest of Colorado; and the United States. In spite of this, the facility remained secure, countless precautions and natural defenses paying off in full. The facility maintained watch over the skies for some time, detailing and examining Portal Storms, as well as turning their sights towards some of the Earth's surface. Overtime, as satellites in orbit were damaged or otherwise destroyed, the facility began to lose some of it's reconnaissance capabilities, but maintained constant radio contact with the forces of both the United States, and much of the world, attempting to provide useful data of the constantly shifting storms in the sky and the terrors they brought to the surface.
Though the exact time is unknown, at some point during the continuing portal crisis, the NORAD complex detected the massive, unstable portal storm that submerged the island of Japan beneath it entirely. With communication ceasing with all possible bodies upon the island, it was declared lost. However, this information would leak through unknown means, being delivered to a civilian population that had been mostly fed with platitudes and assurance. This immense shock would create anarchy, disunity and immense fallout, spelling the end for any hopes of containing the situation.
As the situation deteriorated further, civilians had been moved to urban installations, with much of the planet being lost to the constant havoc of the storms, or the horrors they birthed. The outlands of Earth were beginning to form, yet Cheyenne remained. Still providing assistance with what equipment functioned, and surviving thanks to the high reserves of fuel and supplies stored within. Communication had become challenged with the outside world, with much of the infrastructure having been lost, but the 462 personnel entombed beneath the Earth pressed on, despite knowing the situation above. They were among the most informed bodies in the world, even in spite of the loss of certain equipment, they still cast eyes everywhere worth seeing.
The opening minutes of the Seven Hour War changed this.
NORAD command instantly took note of incoming invaders and quickly set forth to warn those above. Whether this warning came through, is unknown, as communication was severed within the first two minutes. While the Nuclear bomb at Black Mesa did little to affect the station, what happened above shook the bunker to its core. The Earth quaked all around them, and the interior buildings shifted on massive springs holding them up. The Facility was ordered to go dark by Lieutenant General Thompson, the commanding officer stationed there at the time. All surveillance and redundant systems ceased operations. This was the last the world heard of Cheyenne; it's silent resignation.
It is unknown by anyone what occurred in the following days, weeks or months of the Seven Hour War. The blast doors remain closed deep within the treacherous wastes of North America, with the combine never taking an interest in the facility.
The only sign of life from within the facility is from a man, who identified himself as Captain Nelson, never having provided a first name. He semi-regularly comes on an undisclosed frequency, that only a few have heard or know about. While at first, this was reported to be a very professional, and pragmatic channel, giving updates, assurances and the story of what had happened, it rapidly morphed into a ‘mock radio show’ with him merely spouting small talk to a world he clearly does not understand anymore. Though, his words imply that he is not the last survivor of Cheyenne, and that many more of the original staff remain.
How much time the bunker has before running out of supplies, is unknown.
