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POLAR ICE SHEET:
Alex feels the air shake from the deep thumping of the massive blades of the Sikorsky CH-53E heavy lift helicopter. He and Okana borrowed Huck’s airplane earlier this morning, and flew out to meet up with a few of the crew from the USNS Oceanography research ship, Davis. It’s stationed forty-feet from the edge of the ten-foot thick ice sheet. As promised, Donner also sent a Navy Seal Team to maintain security from unwanted visitors.
With the help of two crewmembers, they use a large specialized shotgun to shoot several long metal anchors into each block of ice. When they are done, the crew returns to the Davis in a large rubber boat, never informed of what’s below the blocks of ice.
Once all the straps are attached to the release hook on the end of a long cable, Okana hurries up the ladder from below the blocks of Ice. Once he is clear and standing next to Alex a short distance away, he radios the pilot to take them away.
When the three blocks of ice rise up out of the opening, Alex shields his face from a burst of sparkling ice crystals dancing in front of his goggles. A few moments later, the flying workhorse swings the massive blocks out over the ice sheet and releases them into the Arctic Ocean.
When the helicopter heads back to the mainland, Alex turns around to Mark Girdler, the Captain of the Davis. “Let’s go see what we’ve got.”
Alex, Okana, Girdler, and four Navy Seals hurry over to the edge of the ragged opening above the spaceship.
Okana whistles. “Damn. Look how much more is still hidden under the ice.”
“Let’s go down for a closer look.”
Girdler hears a voice calling him through his radio. “Go ahead.”
“Captain, we have a contact one mile due south.”
“Is it approaching our location?”
“Negative, Sir. I’ve tried making contact but no one is responding. It could be a fishing vessel.”
“Very well. Let me know if it starts heading our way.”
Alex exchanges looks with Okana, both thinking it could be Hardin trying to get a better look at what they are doing. He looks at the Seal team, all competent-looking men, then turns to Girdler. “Maybe you should stay up here with your men. We shouldn’t be down there for too long, but let us know if that ship gets any closer.”
When Girdler agrees, Alex climbs down the long rope ladder, careful not to step on the ice shavings. He brushes them out of the way just before stepping off the ladder, so the rubber soles of their shoes have plenty of traction on the surface.
When Okana reaches the bottom, they walk under the ice sheet to a raised section of the ship. Now exposed, he can tell this ship is a different design than his. The area they are standing on makes a sharp curve up three-feet from the rest of the massive craft. It appears to form a twenty-foot level circle above the center of the ship. Possibly a control room.
Okana walks around to the opposite side. “I wonder if this is transparent from the inside, like your ship.”
Alex eases the communication device into his right ear. “My name is Alex. Is there anyone on board?” He tries several times with no response.
Okana sees the disappointment in Alex’s eyes. “We didn’t expect anyone to answer. If there were people inside when it was buried under the magma, they’d just be piles of dust by now.”
Alex puts the earpiece back into his pocket. “I know. Without access to the side of the ship like we did with ours, there is no way for us to get inside.” He turns and hikes back to the ladder.