It was fucking freezing. Even bundled up in layers of the best gear they could buy, inside a truck built for this environment with the heat on high, the men were frozen to the core. They screeched to a stop on the ice as they were waved down by an equally bundled up person carrying a light on a pole. The men braced themselves for the frozen wasteland they flung their doors open to, cursing that they were too good at their jobs for this kind of work.
They quickly jumped out their truck and walked over to the other man who asked, "you the guys from Washington?"
"You get many other visitors out here?" The taller of the two asked.
"How long you been on-site?" The shorter one asked, getting straight to the point. The quicker they were in and out the better.
"Since this morning." The man answered, "A Russian Oil Team called it in about eighteen hours ago." He explained.
"How come nobody spotted it before?" The shorter man asked.
"It's really not that surprising," their guide said as the three tredged through the ice and snow, "This landscape is changing all the time." If the men didn't know any better, they could've sworn their guide swept his arm out to the land with a sense of awe. "You got any idea what this thing is exactly?" He asked.
"I don't know, it's probably a weather balloon." The shorter one grouched.
"I don't think so." Their guide chuckled, "you know, we don't have the equipment for a job like this." He warned them.
"How long before we can start craning it out?" The taller asked, grabbing hold of his hood as the wind threatened to expose him to the elements.
"I don't think you understand." Their guide said with a chuckle once more. "You guys are gonna need one hell of a crane." Finally they got close enough to see the tip of something poking out of the ice and snow. Workers in the area had already placed lights around the perimeter of the object, which was absolutely massive. Even the exposed tip was huge, as they saw a man with a similar light stick ascend it to inspect it and check for any possible openings.
Luckily for the two men, their truck came with a laser which would cut through the ice and into the object no problem. The problem was driving the truck onto the object without damaging either. Hopefully it was covered in ice thick enough it would be damaged, but thin enough they could cut through. It was a tense fifteen minute set up as they drove the truck onto the object. The workers that had been there for hours already eagerly watched as the two men lowered an arm off the back of the truck, flipped some switches, and turned on a bright green laser that was wheeled in a circle over the ice. Just big enough for a man to fit through. Now came the waiting game. They all stood and watched as layer by layer the laser cut through the ice, and then through metal. As they could start to see through the ice and metal, a team of men got strapped up to repel inside. They all paced around anxiously until the ice and metal gave way, dropping down into the space below, then they got to work.
The team lowered themselves in cautiously, unsure of what they'd find.
"Base, we're in." They relayed the message back to base as they turned their flashlights on. However, they found as they stepped away from the light that poured in from the hole they'd made that they didn't have to.
Something was glowing.
"Base, we've got something." They stepped forward cautiously. Even though this object had clearly been submerged in the ice for some time, snow and frost had built up around the structures. A thick layer of ice made everything sparkle in the light coming from what appeared to be the front of the object. The two men walked forward, careful to keep one eye on their surroundings and another eye on the slowly pulsating glow. As they neared the glow, the taller of the men stubbed his foot on something buried in the snow. He bent down and brushed the snow aside.
His eyes got wide, "Lieutenant!" He called.
"What is it?" His partner asked, "my god. Base, get me a line to the Colonel. I don't care what time it is. These two have waited long enough."