Datum: 15. Juli 2027, 08:00 Uhr
The Aurora Dawn touched down gently but with a loud thunderclap on the reddish surface of Mars, its engines kicking up clouds of dust that danced in the faint light of the distant sunrise, while the sky was pale and streaked with faint stars. Mitchell stood at the ramp, his posture rigid, his eyes scanning the barren horizon, his voice calm but full of determination. Behind him, Xiaotong, Yuri, Anika and Sarah prepared to disembark, their faces marked by a mixture of excitement and determination, the significance of the moment palpable. Mitchell's words echoed across the plain: ‘We're here – let's make history.’ His voice was a promise that led the crew into a new era.
Xiaotong stood on the reddish surface of Mars, her fingers moving precisely over the glowing handheld scanner. She was focused as she analysed the data, her posture marked by scientific curiosity. The Aurora Dawn towered in the background, its silver hull reflecting the sunlight, a silent witness to their mission. Mitchell, Yuri, Anika and Sarah stood nearby, their eyes curiously fixed on the northwest, where the signal was coming from, the vastness of Mars spread out before them. Xiaotong's voice broke the silence: ‘I'm picking up an unusual energy signal – northwest, about two kilometres away.’ Her words were the first indication of the unknown that awaited them.
The crew marched across the rocky, reddish terrain of Mars, their futuristic suits protecting them from the thin, harsh atmosphere, while the pale sky above them revealed a cold, alien world. Yuri walked beside them, his expression a mixture of sarcasm and resignation as he spoke into his helmet, his breath briefly fogging the visor. Mitchell, Xiaotong, Anika and Sarah moved forward with focus, their footsteps echoing hollowly on the uneven ground. The landscape was barren, with jagged rocks and distant mountains on the horizon. Yuri's voice came through the communicators: ‘A nice walk on Mars...’ His words were an attempt to break the tension with humour, but the strangeness of the planet remained omnipresent.
The crew reached the edge of a shallow crater, the centre of which glowed faintly with an eerie blue light that cast soft reflections on the reddish rocks, a sight that broke through the barren landscape. Anika stood at the front, her posture analytical as she checked her scanner, her voice clear and focused as she assessed the situation. Mitchell, Xiaotong, Yuri and Sarah looked at the glowing centre with fascinated interest, the vastness of Mars stretching out around them, a strange world full of secrets. Anika's voice cut through the silence: ‘This isn't natural – it's a signal.’ Her words were a sober observation that made the group sit up and take notice.
Sarah knelt down next to the faint blue glow in the centre of the shallow crater, her posture cautious but curious, her instincts as a medic kicking in as she ran her medical scanner over the source. The crew — Mitchell, Xiaotong, Yuri and Anika — stood around her, their eyes fixed on the light, the reddish Martian landscape stretching barren beneath the pale sky, a contrast to the mystery before them. Sarah's voice was calm but heavy with meaning as she shared her analysis: "There's no radiation — it's safe. But down there... something is alive." Her words were a shock that put the group on high alert.
The ground shook slightly beneath the crew's feet, a low rumble that made the reddish Martian surface tremble as a metallic object slowly emerged from the centre of the shallow crater – a glowing sphere covered with ancient, Sumerian-looking runes, pulsing with blue energy, a sight that inspired both awe and caution. Mitchell stood at the edge of the crater, his posture tense, his voice hoarse with surprise as he looked at the object. Xiaotong, Yuri, Anika and Sarah took a step back, their faces marked by a mixture of amazement and caution, the barren landscape of Mars surrounding them like a silent witness. Mitchell's voice cut through the silence: ‘What the hell is that?’ His words echoed the group's bewilderment.
The glowing metallic sphere hovered above the shallow crater, emitting a soft, resonant hum as it projected a holographic message, its blue script shimmering in the air, ancient Sumerian symbols containing an eerie message. Anika stepped closer, her eyes widening, her voice urgent as she deciphered the writing, her analytical nature taking control. Mitchell, Xiaotong, Yuri and Sarah watched the hologram with alarm, the reddish Martian landscape around them suddenly seeming more threatening, a contrast to the alien technology before them. Anika's voice echoed across the plain: ‘It's Sumerian... and it's a warning!’ Her words were an alarm signal that put the group on high alert.
The holographic message in Sumerian script slowly faded above the shallow crater, the glowing orb stopped humming, but the words left behind a sense of menace, an ancient warning of something buried beneath Mars, connected to the Anunnaki. Mitchell clenched his fist, his posture rigid with determination, his voice firm as he led the group forward. Xiaotong, Yuri, Anika and Sarah stood ready, their faces marked by a mixture of determination and concern, the reddish Martian landscape stretching out around them, a silent witness to their mission. Mitchell's voice echoed across the plain: ‘We need to investigate this – now.’ His words were a command that set the crew in motion.