Mars, July 14, 2027. 15:00 Hours.
The spaceship Ares Dawn landed on Mars. Dust filled the air, turning everything red. Commander John Mitchell loosened his seatbelt and took a deep breath. After three months in space, he felt both excited and nervous. He remembered his last mission, which ended badly. Outpost Ares was his chance to make things right.
“Landing successful,” said Xiaotong Zheng, looking at her tablet. Her eyes shone with excitement. “All systems are stable. The outpost is ready for us.”
“Good,” John replied. He turned to the crew. “Come on everybody, let’s go. Stay alert.”
The door opened with a hiss. John stepped onto Martian soil, followed by Xiaotong. They saw the base clearly for the first time. It was built by advanced Chinese robots. The buildings were round, with bright red and gold dragons painted on them. Mechanical arms moved smoothly, finishing small tasks.
“Incredible,” Xiaotong whispered, amazed. “Robots built all this in just a few months.”
Elias Moretti, the biologist, knelt down and touched the soil. “Strange,” he said. “The dirt looks unusual, almost arranged in patterns.”
Rachel Voigt checked a panel near the habitat entrance. “All domes sealed, atmosphere inside is good,” she announced.
Pilot Mikael Heikkinen smiled and locked the ship. “Perfect landing,” he joked. Yuri Leonov, a Russian astronaut, put on his space suit and shook his head. “We must still be careful. Mars always has surprises.”
From the medical bay, Dr. Sarah Carter spoke through the radio. “Everyone’s vital signs look good, Commander.” Li Wei, the robotics engineer, confirmed, “The robots and AI are working perfectly.”
Kenji Sato, the communications expert, checked his instruments. “Signal clear, Commander.” Anika Sharma quietly noted everything happening on her tablet.
Suddenly, Xiaotong’s device beeped loudly. She looked down in surprise. “John, come quickly!”
John hurried over. Xiaotong pointed to the ground, her voice excited. “Look! Something is buried here.” She brushed away the red dust. A metal object, half-hidden, began to glow softly. Strange symbols appeared on its surface, shining brightly.
“What is it?” John asked cautiously.
“Not human-made,” Elias said, his voice filled with awe. “Maybe signs of alien life?”
Yuri shook his head skeptically. “Impossible. Probably just a rock.”
Rachel frowned at her instruments. “It’s emitting energy, and it’s not ours.”
Kenji’s screen flashed with new signals. “Commander, I’m picking up a strange transmission. It’s coming from beneath the surface.”
John’s heart raced. He remembered past missions and the lives lost. He would not let it happen again. “Stay focused,” he ordered. “We might not be alone here.”
The symbols on the object glowed brighter, as if responding to their voices. Elias whispered softly, “Could this really be evidence of the Sumerer civilization?”
John stared at the artifact. A feeling of wonder and unease filled him. This mission had suddenly become much more important. Whatever was waiting beneath Mars' surface was about to change everything.