~~~(POV: Dannon Mayer)~~~

~~~(Location: Mayer Ranch, Umatilla County, Oregon)~~~

~~~(Date, Time, Year: March 17th, 1:32 PM PST, 2022)~~~

~~~(Current Age: 21 Years)~~~

Bullet slowly walks as I inspect the new fence I've put in. My handy work has proven to be exceptionally... Ugh, who am I kidding? This is the worst job I've done. They're slightly miss aligned in some places, and it's driving me up the friggin walls.

Being early afternoon, the sun is out. It's Monday and freezing. Oregon weather is rough. Two days ago, it felt like late Spring. Now, it's feeling like Winter.

"Don't worry, boy. We're almost done. You'll be in the warm barn again soon."

A snort in response is all I need for confirmation. Bullet tolerates the cold when I need him too. For the most part, he stays in the barn until temperatures warm up. He stretches his legs with a run in the pens when needed.

Besides that, he's not a horse that likes the cold or bipolar weather. That's the only way I can describe the weather where I live. It goes from one to the next.

Eventually, we finish up the inspection and head back to the barn. Bullet is quick to get into his stable and start eating. I run my hand down the length of this nose and chuckle. It's time I get some food too.

I return to the house and change out of my dirty clothes. Mom won't be home until 3:00, so I've still got some time to myself.

Not wasting any of that time, I open Youtube and see more updates about what's happening in Antarctica. I've been trying to ignore it, but almost all the channels I watch post about it. Oversaturation is a disease...

Why are so many people focusing on this... My curiosity gets the better of me, and I'm watching an update.

"The United States military is boring into the ice. Media hasn't been given access to the dig site. We know they're coming at the object under the ice from an angle. China and Europe have also started their own dig sites."

This isn't how I thought this would go... What the hell is happening...

"The UN is trying to get their own foothold on the Antarctic continent, but they've been stalled in talks and budget discussions."

This particular channel is more of a reporter channel. It's not exclusively confined to politics and the military. That's why I watch it. It takes on all subjects, which I can appreciate. It's a lot of work, from what I know.

It's operated by a man named Cameron Bryan. His Youtube name is CB Talker. His initials may not be very creative, but it works.

"Alright, guys. Since the recap is done, let's discuss what I think is happening here. Based on the images and reports I've come across, there is something valuable under the ice."

Duh.

"I've got sources saying lots of different things. Claiming it's oil, minerals, and an ancient asteroid. Along with a dozen others. Not many of these make sense due to the generated signal."

That's something that'll blow a lot of holes into the theories being made. I'm tempted to start looking into this more now too.

"Another interesting point is a scientific report from Yale Univerity states the object has been under the ice for around 25,000 years."

...

...

What?

Twenty-five thousand years under the ice... I don't know...

My heart begins to race as the sound from the world fades away. All the focus I have goes to searching for that signal with my ears. After a couple of seconds, I lock it down.

Beep...

Beep...

Beep...

It sounds...

Like the same signal, my ship released when I first found it... Before it lost all power... I never thought I'd hear it again, so I stopped actively trying to find another...

That's a spacecraft from Celaxia...

Under the Antarctic Continent...

~~~(POV: Eloise Mayer)~~~

~~~(Location: Mayer Ranch, Umatilla County, Oregon)~~~

~~~(Date, Time, Year: March 17th, 3:12 PM PST, 2022)~~~

~~~(Current Age: 38 Years)~~~

As I open the door to my wonderful home and put my purse on the table. I see Dannon standing in the middle of the living room. Staring at a TV that's turned off. A remote in his hand.

He has a worried expression.

One I've never seen him have before.

"Sweetie... What's wrong..."

Once I walk up behind him and place my hand on his back, he takes a breath. Looking at the ground and closing his eyes. I'm starting to get worried now.

He turns to me and doesn't look me in the eye. I place my hand on his cheek and guide him to look at me. As our eyes meet, I see fear. Something I've never seen in my son before.

"Dannon..."

He gently grabs my wrist and removes my hand. Tossing the remote on the couch and rolling his neck.

"The object under the Antarctic Continent is a spacecraft from my world."

My heart stops, and my lungs freeze. The widening of my eyes shows him I understand what he's going through.

He could've been gentler with that drop, though.

"How do you know..."

He lightly taps his ear.

"It's releasing the same signal my spacecraft released when I found it. I stopped trying to find other signals like it after a while. It was only after hearing it's been under the ice for 25,000 years did I find it again."

I remember that day... He was so hurt...

I take a step back and place a hand over my heart. Sitting down in the closest chair. I don't know why I'm reacting this way. I'm the one that's encouraged him to be a hero.

This is a different situation, though... Isn't it...

I've always thought I wouldn't have to worry about his home... His people... Someone or something getting in the way... Now that it might... It's tearing me up...

He crouches down in front of me and looks into my eyes.

"Mom... They can't have it... Humanity isn't ready for that... Power."

Tears begin welling up in my eyes, and I can only hug my son. This is where everything is changing for him. He's gonna have to leave for a while. I don't know how long.

The first time he left after high school, I was a zombie...

He stands up after I let him go.

"I don't have much time, so I need to leave now."

Okay...

...

Okay...

I can do this. This is what it means to be a Mom. Letting your children go.

But fuck, it hurts...

He starts walking to the back door, and I have to will my legs to follow him. Once outside, he steps off the porch and turns to look at me. Massive tears pour out of my eyes as I try to stop my face from moving.

A gentle and kind smile takes form on his lips. His hazel eyes bore into my blue ones. My hand unconsciously reaches out for him... Just as I did when he was a baby in his crib...

"Goodbye, Mom."

He looks at the sky and blasts off the ground.

CRAAAACCKK!!!

I see him change direction and burst out of sight a second later. All the strength I have left leaves my legs. Falling on my knees and balling my eyes out.

"My baby..."

I thought I'd be ready for this day...

~~~(POV: Kenneth L. Randel)~~~

~~~(Location: USS Gerald R. Ford, Coast of Antarctica, Earth)~~~

~~~(Date, Time, Year: March 17th, 10:35 PM UTC, 2022)~~~

~~~(Current Age: 62)~~~

My attention is focused on Colonel Helen J. Brooks. She's in command of the on-ground operation 5.4 kilometers North of -81.253865, 80.734111. She's on the screen in front of me. She's currently muted as she talks to some of her officers.

This is a large and expensive operation. Congress will have a field day if this is a wild goose chase.

I'm the highest-ranking officer this close to Operation: Ice Crack. Mr. President ordered I be here while the other Joint Chiefs handle their jobs in Washington. I'm updating my colleagues every hour. They're as informed as I am.

"The operation is on schedule, and we're about a day from reaching the object. We'll need more thermite thanks to the temperatures since it's not burning as hot for long periods."

Colonel Brooks unmutes and gives me the hourly debrief on her end. We're getting damn close. We're a day ahead of China and 36 hours ahead of Europe.

"Are any signals and readings changing as you get closer to the object?"

One of the scientific researchers on my carrier asks a question I hadn't thought of asking. Colonel Brooks takes a tablet from the table and sends us some data to look at.

"According to the readings, massive energy is being generated. It's off the charts. Stronger than anything we can produce outside a nuclear power plant. The signal we're getting seems to be a distress beacon. Definitely not human."

I can't help looking a little concerned when I hear the phrase 'definitely not human.' I was hoping that Alien contact wasn't the case. It seems that Mr. President and General Winters's initial unsaid beliefs turned out true.

Colonel Brooks is dismissed for the next hour, and I have the screen changed to a secure connection to the Situation Room.

"Something must have happened since you're off schedule."

Ben doesn't know what he's about to hear.

"Energy readings and scans tell us we're dealing with extraordinary levels of power. Information from the signal suggests it's a distress beacon. Not of human origin."

Silence comes from the other side of the screen. My friends look between each other and whisper. It's been confirmed in everything except evidence we can physically touch with our hands.

I'm about to speak again when something grabs my attention.

BEEP!

BEEP!!

BEEP!!!

"Unknown Bogey! Approaching from 345 Degrees North! 800 Miles out! Speeds are clocking at Mach 12!"

No known manufactured aircraft's capable of those speeds.

This timing isn't a coincidence. I rush over to the radar operator and see what he sees.

"Admiral Randel! What's happening!?"

My colleagues on the other side of that screen won't get an answer at the moment.

I look out the window in said direction, and my officers are getting jets scrambled. Something is coming for what's under the ice, and it's coming fucking fast.

"Jet's are en route for interscept!"

Let's get eyes on what we're looking at here.

"Bogey is slowing down! Mach 5 now!"

It knows we're coming.

"Kenneth!? What's going on!!?"

Right now, I can't talk with the Joint Chiefs and deal with this situation. I have the screen turned off. As commanding officer, I have the authority to cut off communications with a superior if a situation demands it.

"Pull up our intercepter's camera feeds."

I want to see what they're seeing. Sadly, only one of the jets was able to get the cameras set up. Hopefully, that's enough.

"Connect the Situation Room to the feed too. Someone let them know what's going on!"

My orders are quickly being followed.

~~~(POV: Regina J. Cook)~~~

~~~(Location: F-15SE, Near Antarctica, Earth)~~~

~~~(Date, Time, Year: March 17th, 10:44 PM UTC, 2022)~~~

~~~(Current Age: 28 Years)~~~

The radar and targeting system is telling me we're getting close. Interceptors One and Four are with me. Captain Reese is expecting an update from his back seat.

"We're three kilometers out from Bogey, Interceptor One."

We were told to intercept a Bogey approaching from 600-some-odd miles out. I don't know what's going on. Not in-depth. All I know is something important is being dug up from under the ice. We're here to get it before anyone else does.

"Interceptor Four, I'll need those readings faster next time."

I'm piloting Interceptor Two with a crew member, and Reese is Interceptor One. Jones has Interceptor Four with a crew member. He's in charge of Radar at the moment.

"We should be seein-!!!!"

CRAAAABOOOOOOOOMM!!!!

WOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSHHHHH!!!!

"HOLY SHIT, DID YOU SEE THAT!!!? WAS THAT A PERSON!!?"

Jones is the first to turn around as he finishes yelling into our ears. Reese and I quickly do the same, and we're catching up on whatever we just got buzzed by.

I start to think my eyes are playing tricks on me. An actual person is flying through the sky. We give it all we've got to catch up, and when we do. I see we're going about Mach 3. Far slower than what was approaching from the North.

"Jones... You're seeing this right..."

I can't help asking my good friend if he's seeing what I'm seeing... Flying right beside us is a person... Dark hair is all I can make out from here. The physical build suggests male. My heart nearly stops when I see him look over at me.

He moves over and flies above my aircraft. Looking down at me a few inches away from the cockpit's glass casing. I get a good look at him. Reese is the one with the cameras. We didn't have enough time to get all of ours turned on.

My arms and legs freeze as he lifts one finger and wiggles it side to side. As if telling a child they're doing something wrong. He flies about two feet above me. Adjusting where he's at.

His attention shifts forward, and I'm nearly deafened.

BAAABOOOOOOOMMM!!!!!

It's only a second that we see him before he's out of sight...

The outgoing speed is Mach 15...

~~~(POV: Dannon Mayer)~~~

~~~(Location: 6.1 Kilometers North Of Coordinates -81.253865, 80.734111, Antarctica, Earth)~~~

~~~(Date, Time, Year: March 17th, 10:50 PM UTC, 2022)~~~

~~~(Current Age: 21 Years)~~~

The wind blows my air back as I'm now over the ice of Antarctica. I slow down to 500 mph as a military camp and base come into view. I level out over the ice, and using my enhanced vision, I see soldiers preparing a perimeter around the location.

Slowing down more and eventually coming to a gentle float. A bit over 15 feet off the ground. The perimeter of the base is less than 45 feet from me. Weapons are pointing at me.

The racing of hearts fills my ears. Taking a second to filter it out. Instead of my continued floating, I softly land on the ground.

I don't get five feet before something happens.

"Stop where you are!"

The voice comes from a megaphone and is feminine in nature. A woman on the edge of the perimeter is holding it and looking directly at me. I need to get to that ship before they do, and it's best for everyone if I interrupt their plans here.

Instead of obeying, I start walking forward to the obvious entrance of the base.

"Final warning! Move, and you will be shot!"

It's not something I like to do. Causing fear and confusion. However, I have a more important priority than listening to a military officer.

My un-halted movements spark the expected reaction.

"OPEN FIRE!!"

Swarms of bullets and explosives hurl my way. Not wanting my body to deflect a round back at them accidentally, I use my speed. The world slows down to a crawl, and I reach the base's entrance.

Following the large equipment, I find the hole they're digging. The world speeds back up, and the scientist and soldiers that are around the hole fall to the ground in surprise.

I look down the hole and see explosives lining the tunnel.

"Blow it!!"

One of the officers nearby gives an order, and a button is pressed. The tunnel is filled with ice and is no longer accessible.

I have other ways of getting down to the Celaxian spacecraft.