The first impact threw Elias from his bunk.
He hit the steel floor hard, the breath driven from his lungs. The ship groaned, a deep metallic sound that vibrated through the hull. Alarms blared. Somewhere above, he heard the children crying out in fear.
He was on his feet in seconds, grabbing his jacket and the fire axe that never left his side. The corridor was chaos—crew members running, the red emergency lights pulsing. He pushed through them, heading for the bridge.
"What the hell was that?" he demanded as he burst through the door.
Admiral Chen was at the helm, her face pale. "We hit something. Not ice—something else. Sonar shows a massive object below, but it's moving."
"Another fragment?" Jesus was already there, his rifle in hand.
"Maybe. But it's not attacking. It's circling.
