Upheaval

Image by Simon Matzinger from Pixabay



“Doctor Walsinger!” the general shouted

above the roar of the C-16’s engines, sticking out his gloved hand. “General Gorman.”

Julius Walsinger shook the man’s hand. “I can’t count how
many forms I’ve signed, General. Are you the one who’s finally going to tell me
why I’m here?”

“I am.” General Gorman opened a folder marked EYES ONLY. He
pulled out a photo and handed it to Julius. “This way to the chopper.”

Julius walked along after the general, engrossed in the
photo. “What am I looking at?” he asked. The photo showed a typical seasonal
upheaval caused by the melting of sea ice. The block in the middle was
remarkably clear, but not entirely unheard of.

The General offered his hand again, helping Julius onto the
chopper. He signaled for the doctor to put his headset on. Once he had, Gorman
answered. “The arctic sea ice melts entirely every year, but has been happening
progressively earlier. What we didn’t realize until recently was that ice
lodged on the sea floor has also been melting. This object was dislodged. Our
best minds say it’s been down there for fourteen million years.

“Christ. Have you taken any core samples? There’s a lot this
ice can tell us.”

“Doctor, that’s not ice. It’s a resin of some sort,
impervious to our diamond tip drills. We’re bringing high powered lasers along
with you.”

Julius continued to stare at the ice as he processed this.
It didn’t look like amber or any natural resin he— “What’s this dark shape?”

The General smiled. “The upper half of an unknown creature.”

Julius’s grip went slack, and the wind whipped the photo
through the open door. “This is above my paygrade. I study climate change. Why
did you call me?”

“The creature asked for you by name.”

~~~~~~~~~~
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