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