Its approach was first identified by the big ear at Arecibo,
then visually by everything that earth could bring to bear.
It came in hot, hard and deliberate.
Brushing the curvature of the lunar horizon, using the moons
gravity to decelerate, it swept along the trajectory favoured by
Apollo.
Its atmospheric deceleration broke windows across half the
globe.
"It’s down in the Arctic"
First contact, at last.
***
Jets were readied and scrambled from hidden American and
Russian facilities. Helicopters rattled across the white wastes
from lonely scientific outposts.
We were first.
The Chinnock bucked in an explosive wake of light bursting out
through the atmosphere.
Down into the valley bottom was a huge circle, where snow and
ice had been melted down to the rock. Off to one side,
etched into the virgin snow, in one continuous line with a strange
yellowish tinge were the immortal words:
KILLROY WAS HERE