Unification

Iteration 1: Incarnadine Twilight

While many questions were raised at the discovery, one vital answer was given: the structure was not natural and its makers were not of Earth.

Three years later, several industrial robots with heavy-duty 3D printers were sent to the red planet and began to build what would become Ares Prospect-1, set half a kilometer south of the cavern entrance. A year later, the first manned mission to Mars was undertaken. A crew of twelve people from all over the world with various specialties hurled themselves into the vast void of space, seeking to set foot upon the martian surface for the very first time. By 2039, Ares Prospect-1 had a crew complement of 157 dedicated scientists and engineers, along with the most advanced A.I. known to humanity: A.N.A., the Analytic Neural Assistant. The operation was considered to be one of the greatest feats of humanity, rivaling that of the Suez Canal, the Pyramids of Egypt, the internet, and landing on the moon.

A full year of testing as to what the artifact was, its purpose, its composition, or even its maker had baffled scientists. The material was carbon-based and yet was unlike anything found on Earth. Carbon dating had placed the strange obelisk between eighty and a hundred million years old, but the cavern itself was no more than two million years old. Further examinations revealed that the structure contained hollow chambers within and that it was able to move in some fashion, yet how it worked remained to be seen. On December 3rd, 2041, Operation Walnut was publicly declared, with the sole purpose of opening the ancient artifact, which was officially called A.L.M.A. or the Artificially Located Martian Anomaly. Subsequently, the cavern which housed the strange artifact was named Plato, after the Greek philosopher and his famous allegory involving a cave in relation to knowledge.

Several days of tireless work followed as the scientists struggled to crack open Alma, even a centimeter, but to no avail. After nearly a month of trials, the operation proved to be futile and was quietly closed. However, on the 29th, Ares Prospect-1 reported that a section of Alma had opened up overnight. Frenetic and frightening energy rushed through the base as everyone scrambled to figure out what had happened. A week later, several reports of severe psychological breakdowns and hallucinations were made, prompting the ISC to retrieve those who were affected in the following weeks.

Everything changed in January of 2042. A seasonal dust storm approached the base, and though they had weathered through their fair share, the Argus Array Climate Orbiters measured this to be one of the largest ever recorded. By the time it neared Ares Prospect, it had engulfed roughly half of the planet. Communications went dark, yet it was to be expected. The climate orbiters, which formed a geosynchronous network high above the Martian surface, relaying all information and transmissions back to the ISC on Earth. The storm would only last for three days, and when it cleared, a terrible message was sent from the base, ending in the words "stay alone; stay alive." Nothing else was heard from since and on February 7th, 2042, the ISC Marathon was launched.

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"We should be coming up on Ares Prospect now," Jonas announced to his crewmates. "Ani, any response from the base?"

"None, sir," the computerized woman replied. "Would you like me to access the Argus Array, maybe we can find out something as to what went wrong there?"

"Do it. In the meantime, keep the transmission going and all channels open." Jonas turned in his chair and looked outside the half-circle observation window which consisted of several segments of transparent aluminum. This allowed the bridge crew to see things in 180-degrees in any given direction. Marathon orbited with its port side facing the ominous planet, giving Jonas a near-complete view of the ruddy surface below. David and Sarah soon joined him.

"I never realized how desolate Mars looked from orbit," David said, almost in reverence to the ancient landscape. "Photographs and videos do very little justice to this place when you see it with your own eyes. The colors and details, it's so untouched, so..." he fumbled for the right word, but nothing came out.