Chapter 12: The Message and the Threat
The command center was silent, save for the rhythmic hum of machinery and the quiet tapping of Michael's fingers against the console. Every screen displayed the same thing: the new drone's live feed, poised just outside the mysterious alien structure.
This time, Ethan and his team weren't just observing.
They were reaching out.
A Message to the Unknown
Ethan stood with his arms crossed, his gaze locked onto the feed. The drone hovered steadily, positioned precisely where the Sentinel had been destroyed.
"EPS," Ethan ordered, "begin transmission."
A pulse of encoded light flickered from the drone—a universal method of communication designed to avoid language barriers. The message was simple:
"We come in peace. We seek knowledge. We mean no harm."
Michael exhaled sharply as the signal beamed toward the hexagonal entrance of the alien structure. "Let's hope they believe that."
They waited.
Seconds passed. Then minutes.
Still, nothing.
Ethan narrowed his eyes. The last time they had gotten close, they had been attacked almost instantly. Why was there no response now?
Michael turned to him. "Maybe they're just ignoring us."
Or maybe, Ethan thought, they're deciding what to do with us.
An Unexpected Response
Just as he was about to recall the drone, something happened.
The glowing symbol on the entrance pulsed once.
Then again.
A slow, rhythmic flicker—matching the pattern of their message.
Michael's jaw dropped. "They're… responding?"
Ethan's pulse quickened. "EPS, analyze the pattern. Try to decode."
The system processed the input, comparing it to existing linguistic data. After a few tense moments, it displayed a rough interpretation:
"Observed. Assessing. Await."
A shiver ran down Ethan's spine. They were being watched.
The Threat Beneath the Surface
Before they could react, another warning flashed on the screen.
[ALERT: MOVEMENT DETECTED—MULTIPLE LIFE FORMS.]
Ethan stiffened. "Where?"
EPS highlighted several heat signatures—not inside the structure, but beneath the Martian surface.
Michael's eyes widened. "They're underground."
A new realization settled over Ethan.
The base wasn't just hidden beneath Mars. It was still occupied.
The screen flickered again. The drone's sensors picked up something moving rapidly beneath the surface, approaching their position at an alarming speed.
Ethan's breath caught. "Recall the drone. Now."
Michael hit the command, but before the drone could ascend—
The ground exploded.
A massive force erupted from beneath the dust, sending debris flying. For a brief moment, the camera captured a blur of metallic limbs and glowing blue eyes.
Then the feed cut to static.
Ethan clenched his fists. They weren't alone—and whatever was down there wasn't just watching.
It was hunting.
A Decision That Could Change Everything
The command center was deathly quiet as the realization sank in. The alien forces beneath Mars weren't just remnants of an ancient civilization.
They were active.
And now, they knew Ethan's team was here.
Michael looked at Ethan. "What do we do now?"
Ethan's mind was racing, but his decision was clear.
They had come seeking knowledge.
But war might find them first.