Augustus's fingers flew across the keyboard, pulling up every sensor reading the facility possessed. The data told a story that made his blood run cold. The impact signature was asymmetrical—not a natural phenomenon, but something with deliberate mass and velocity. The electromagnetic spike that accompanied it was equally anomalous, unlike anything terrestrial technology produced.
"Marcus, look at this," Augustus said, his voice steady despite the tremor in his hands. "The object didn't just fall. It decelerated. Something slowed its descent in the final moments."
Marcus leaned in, his face paling. "That's impossible. There's no technology on Earth that could—"
Another violent tremor cut him off. This time, a crack spider-webbed across the monitoring station's reinforced window. Dust cascaded from the ceiling as emergency lighting flickered ominously.
"We need to get to the command center," Augustus said, already moving toward the door. "They'll need this data to coordinate response efforts."
As they rushed into the corridor, the full scope of the disaster became apparent. The station's lower levels were designed to withstand geological catastrophe, but this was something different. Researchers stumbled past them, some injured, others simply dazed. The intercom continued its steady stream of emergency protocols, but Augustus could hear the strain in the dispatcher's voice—whoever was coordinating the response was struggling to maintain control.
They encountered Colonel Edmund Persson near the junction to the main command hub. The military liaison's uniform was pristine despite the chaos surrounding him, his expression unreadable as he assessed the damage with practiced detachment.
"Dr. Foster," Persson said, stepping into their path. "The command center is being secured for essential personnel only. I'm going to need you to proceed to medical evaluation with the rest of your team."
"The sensor data," Augustus protested. "We've identified characteristics of the impact that command needs to understand immediately. This wasn't a natural event, Colonel."
Persson's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. "That data will be reviewed. Right now, your priority is accounting for your people. Three members of your team were conducting external readings near the impact zone when it occurred. They haven't reported in."
The words hit Augustus like a physical blow. Three people. Gone. And somewhere beneath the ice, something massive had just arrived on their world.