Abstract
Frequency Zero is a grounded science fiction thriller that explores the terrifying intersection of rigid aviation protocol and the unexplainable. Set during the desolate 02:00 shift at a high-desert regional airport, the narrative follows Elana, a pragmatic air traffic controller whose unwavering faith in logic and physics is shattered by the arrival of an impossible aircraft. Operating without a transponder, radar signature, or engine noise, the sleek, phantom craft, identifying only as Niner-Four-Golf, defies every aerodynamic law before seamlessly dissolving through the solid steel doors of a classified government hangar. As the facility initiates a synchronized, covert deployment of unmarked trucks into the freezing night, Elana is left stranded in the dark with wiped radar logs and a chilling final transmission: "We are the cargo, and we were never here." The story masterfully builds tension through isolation and operational impotence, leaving the audience to grapple with the terrifying reality that an otherworldly presence has quietly integrated into the human world.
Bio
JD Hobkirk is an Air Force Staff Sergeant, an intelligence analyst, and an undergraduate student studying Uncrewed Autonomous Systems at Embry-Riddle. When he is off the clock, you can usually find him tinkering with PC hardware, playing the latest video games, or firing up a new recipe on his Blackstone griddle. He also enjoys reading and maintaining a highly detailed spreadsheet for his World Cup Panini sticker collection. JD currently lives in Hawaii with his wife Lexie, their daughter, and a house full of pets.
Recommended Citation
Hobkirk, JD
(2026)
"Frequency Zero,"
Night Flight: Online Literary Journal: Vol. 7
, Article 22.
Available at:
https://commons.erau.edu/night-flight/vol7/iss1/22