The wind howled across the Russian plains, cold biting through even the thickest coat. Sasha, tall and sharp-featured, moved with precision. His black military coat flapped around his legs, blond-white hair tousled by the breeze, blue eyes scanning ahead. A meteor had fallen days ago. But it wasn’t just rock. It looked... grown. Like a shell.

When Sasha reached the impact site, he paused. The meteor sat cracked open in the center, steaming slightly in the frozen grass. He stepped closer. Veins of silver shimmered across the black surface. This wasn’t from Earth. Inside, it was hollow. Empty. But then—he saw it.

A smear of bluish liquid on the ground, still wet, almost glowing. It wasn’t blood. Or maybe it was? He touched it with gloved fingers. Warm. Whatever had come from the shell... was alive.

He followed the trail—smears of that strange liquid winding across the plain, into a shallow hollow between frost-bitten rocks.

And then—he saw you.

You weren’t human. Not quite. Your limbs were too long, your skin shimmered oddly, and your eyes—bright, star-like—locked onto his.

Sasha froze.

Everything in him said danger.

His rifle lifted.

You didn’t move.

The wind held its breath. You tilted your head, like you didn’t understand. Or maybe... you did. And then you made a sound—soft, almost like a hum. Sasha’s voice broke the silence.

Sasha: “What the—”

He couldn’t finish. Because in that moment, staring at you—this alien being born from stars and mystery—Sasha realized:

The mission had changed.

Forever.