DEPARTURE FROM EARTH

The truth, regarding mans history, on Earth, would, only, be revealled, once the Earths resources were depleted, and man began preparations, to move among the stars. All in the hope of finding a new world, to call "home". Even as factories, the world over, went into full production, of survey, and colony, ships, designed to transport Earths people, to the stars, an un-expected, and un-believable, event, would occur. Even as supplies were transported, to Earth orbit, where workers were building the deep space craft, an alien spacecraft, whose very design was so far beyond mans understanding, that man could, barely, grasp the ships existance, the alien ship would land, at the European Space Agenies astronaut training center. Mankind would be in, for a terrible shock, when, on this day, as the alien ship was landing, its surface all gleeming, and shiny, Jet-propelled, ultra-light, aircraft, would come forth, from parts of the alien craft. The general public stood, in awe, of the small craft, and their pilots, dressed in shiny, white, uniforms. By the way, in which the ultra-lights wings fluttered, in the breeze, some people would suggest/speculate that this MIGHT be the source, of winged angel mythology. Once the ultra-lights had scanned a section, of ground, for the ship to land, even the media were left speechless, by the alien, which came forth, from the alien spacecraft. When a government official would step forward, asking "May I know your name?" The alien would say "You have many names, for me. Your race refers to me as everything from Alpha and Omega, to Allah, the Lord, and so on." When the alien was invited into a conference room, it must have known it was being studied since it informed the atttending scientists "You will find no listing, for my species, in your primitive databases." When the government official would ask "And, why is that?" The alien would say "Because my race prefers it that way. Your race, currently, refers to yourself as human, yet you remain primitive, to say the least". When a scientist would ask "What planet are you from?" The alien would say "A planet, which even your fastest ships will not reach, for millions of years." When the official would try another route, asking "Why have you come to visit us?" The alien would say "I have been dispatched, to inform your species of this notice, from the galaxy. As long as your race remains where we have planted you, no harm will come to your species". When a scientist would suggest "But, this planet is dying". The alien would say "The fault, for this, is NOT ours, nor is it of concern, to us. Our concern is that your species remain contained, to this part, of the galaxy". When another scientist would suggest "Why would you want to contain our race? There is nothing out there" The alien would laugh as it said "Then, neither I, my ship, nor my escorts, exist. Is that what you are suggesting, human?". The scientist had no answer for this. When the official would ask the alien "What is out there, for us to contaminate?" The alien would say "Truly intelligent life. Races, and societies, which have ABANDONED war, and its blood-shed. Races which seek only Peace, and Enlightenment". When another scientist would ask "If these races are out there, WHY do they not make contact, with us?" The alien would say "We have been monitoring this world, for longer than you can imagine. While we have dispatched teams, from time to time, to collect samples, we have done our very best to AVOID your savage race". When another person would insist "Now, wait a minute. You have no right to come here, and call us savages. WHERE is your proof, of our savagery?" The alien would "emit" dozens, of blobs, of light, each of which would form into a "t.v. screen", showing everything, from the blood-shed, in the Russian Republics, to America's own, never-ending, invasions, of the Middle East. This, as well as the violent, shooting spree's, inside Amerrica's own cities. When the government official would ask the alien "What is the purpose, of your caution? What I mean is WHY is man to remain within THIS solar system?" The alien would say "To make a very long story short, this planet, like Mars, was "seeded" with life, just as Venus, once was. I have brought you a copy, of your planets history. Not your official, Christian, history. Not Islamic history, nor Jewish history. And, yes, we have made certain that the text is in a form which your "super-computers" can handle." When the government official would ask "And what would you suggest that we do, with this information?" The alien would say "Share it with ALL of your species. This way, your people will understand the reason why you must be detained, in THIS solar system". The next, few, years would be the roughest, in Earth's history. Even as scientists gathered, to review the data, a frightening picture would begin to emerge. When the aliens primary, research, teams were dispatched, to survey this solar system, Venus, Mars, and Earth, were just developing atmospheres. When the aliens brought life, to Venus, it was easy to establish a colony. Fertile lands were abundant, for farming, and oceans held "limitless", clean, water for drinking. The race, which settled Venus, was brought from another, dying, planet. The hope, of the alien races, was that the transplanted race had learned, from its mistakes. Mistakes which left a planet suffocating, under a blanket of super-corrosive, sulfuric, acid. The surviving population had retreated beneath protective domes, until a solution could be found. When the race had been relocated, to Venus, however, despite a written agreement, to avoid the home worlds fate, it was only three generations before the colonists began "travelling the same road", which had left another planet, dead. While it would take many generations (As well as several warnings, from the alien race), eventually, the race turned Venus from an agricutural wonder land, into a place, polluted enough that NO race could survive. (The current Venus). Since the descendants, of the original colonists, had ignored the many warnings, over the centuries, when the aliens DID make contact, with the population wanting transport, to yet another planet, the alien race had said, in effect "You made your bed. NOW, lay in it". As Venus lay, dying, the aliens, fully, mapped the process, of destruction, of the atmosphere. When, out of desperation, the Venusian surface forces attempted to attack the aliens ships, in order to force the aliens, to allow recolonization, the alien ships simply turned the planetary defenses back, upon the outpost. As for the later, colonization, of Mars, the aliens gave the Martians a much better grade. Since the "Martians" had, already, developed space travel, on their home-world, their tech was just short of what humans would refer to as "Warp Drive", or even Hyper Drive. In regards to this race, all the aliens were required to do was "lead the way", to Mars. To the aliens pride, Mars developed an amazingly advanced, and peaceful, society. While the Martians would, eventually, develop warp drive, and send out their own, scouting missions, the alien race was just preparing to invite the Martians into the interstellar alliance, of space-faring species, when an event, which no one could have forseen, befell the Martians. In an almost impossible event, a star, in a nearby solar system, had exploded, and with such fury, that three, of its five planets, were hurtled out of orbit, and sent on a direct, collision, course, with Mars. In a matter of mere hours, Mars planetary conditions would change, as the debris, from the explosion, would shower the Martian surface, even as the survivors hurried underground, for safety. This, atleast until rescue ships could arrive. The record, however, indicated that there were, only, enough ships available, to transport 5% of the population. Besides, by the time the Martian fleet arrived, and was preparing to mount the rescue mission, all, surface, life signs were extinguished. When a scientist would ask "WHY didn't the aliens aid the evacuation?" The best guesses were either "The aliens were not informed, in time", or "The aliens just observed, as they did, with Venus." Now, Earth was the final "project", in this solar system. Over time, scientific, and support, crews, would be assigned to the wild, and wooly, planet. IF this alien record were correct, neither Atlantis, nor any, of the other, previous, high cultures, were "native" to Earth. Most consisted of just visiting teams, of researchers. It would seem that legends, like Atlantis, were born of stories, told by descendants of the original, research teams. Descendants of those who, after the Earth was surveyed, and recorded, decided to remain on the planet, under a long range plan, to learn if EARTH could be developed, peacefully. Over time, the research teams had "gone native", leaving behind their space-faring past, and settling in, to build villages, and farms. Over the passage of millenia, various races would visit Earth, for the collection of samples. When security patrols were sent forth, to secure the landing zones, for the visiting scientists, the "natives" would be in "awe" of the machines, which their ancestors had abandoned, to make a new life, on this planet. Over the passage, of time, and fire-side camp tales, the security teams uniforms would, eventually, transform, into the legends of beings, wearing white robes. The security personnels jet-packs would, in time, become referred to as "wings". Base ships, and escort craft, would, over time, evolve into "clouds of light". The aliens, who had "seeded" this world, would sit back, observe, and report on the planet, as various civilizations rose and fell. Civilizations, such as Atlantis, would visit Earth, stay, for a few centuries, then move on. The aliens documented the rise, and fall, of societies, whose names modern humans could not even pronounce. Of those, which humans could pronounce, such as Egypt, and Rome, were listed among the civilizations. Even according to the alien records, England was the oldest, standing, nation, even while the Roman-Catholics retained the title of the oldest, official, religion. Pagans, Wiccans, and others, came and went. Each creating their own religions. What had amazed the aliens, time and again, was how technology, so often blamed, for societies downfalls, was destroyed, over and over, yet, with each civilization, the tech was re-invented, as "brand new" and "new and improved". Civilization after civilization. It was the same story. The record seemed to indicate that the aliens DID, at some point, have hope, for Earths future. First, in the founding, of the United States, then in the Soviet Union. The aliens HAD HOPED, that atleast one, of these nations, would restore Earth, to her former beauty. Now, with planetary resources being depleted, at an alarming rate, however, the aliens were, now, leaving Earth with a dire warning. "Due to our passion, for killing one another, man would NOT be allowed to leave this solar system. Your passion, for spilling blood would be contained "By any means necessary"." Mankind was to be forbidden from bringing our brutal, and barbaric, ways, out into the peaceful regions of the galaxy. If the aliens would find it necessary, the races were prepared to blockaid our solar system. (This included a caution that, out-bound, colony, ships, would be disabled.) In order to determine if the alien data were fact, or fiction, the U.S. government, in agreement with European nations, would decide to send more than the originally proposed, un-manned, probe, to Mars. Still, with planetary resources being used up, at "alarming" rates, the general public maintained cautious support, for the proposed Mars, mission. The general publics main concern was over the question of what the governments would do, IF the mission DID find ruins, on Mars. Would the governments be honest, with Earths people? When a survey team would be dispatched, to Mars, using the newly-perfected, light speed, engine, it would take the craft less than a week, to reach the Red Planet. Once on location, the crew would use another technological wonder. A newly-perfected design, for hovercraft. This, the team would use, to sweep across the Martian surface, following NOT the paths, of the robots, sent previously, but, instead, following the alien "records". In order to search some of the locations, which appearred to be nothing more than lumps, of red soil, even to orbiting satellites, the hovercraft would use its engine, exhaust, vents, to blow away layers of soil. In some places, however, the team found little more than what appearred to be pottery. It would not be until the team would reach the site, referred to, on Earth, as Cydonia, that even Earth would take notice. Even to the astronauts, Cydonia appearred more as a city, or, atleast, a university, more than just a clump of red soil. Studying the aliens records, the team would find long-buried entrances, some of which retained very faint power indications. When one scientist would ask "HOW? After millions of years?" When the team found an entrance panel, and entered the Martian complex, the humans soon wished they hadn't come inside. While the Martians had not used human English, the scientists could see the very latest generation, of computer equipment, all around them. When a data burst was sent to Earth, for de-coding, the answer the team expected was about what they received, in reply. While one scientist had suggested "booting up" Life Support, first, another scientist argued that Engineering should be the first priorty. When the Life Support scientist would insist that oxygen tanks do NOT contain un-limited air supplies, the Engineering scientist would insist "If these beings had life support, the system needed energy, to operate". When the female, team, commander, would order the men to "Shut up!", then wiped off what appearred to be the engineering station, the commander was surprised to find a finger-print analyzer in operation. She placed her gloved hand on the panel. In a feat, which left the team speechless, a blue glow surrounded the glove, which appearred to become transparent. When Life Scienes scanned the commanders suit, the computer screen verified that "Pressure was normal". As the blue glow surrounded the commanders hand, a wall panel lit up, with the commanders palm print, then presented a message (In Martian, ofcourse). When the commander asked her team "WHAT does it say?" The team linguist would say "I THINK it says "start up", or "re-boot"." When the commander would say "You THINK it says?" The linguist would say "Alien language. Best guess is all I can do". After the commander would order "Everyone, keep helmets in place, and prepare to RUN, like Hell, if this is wrong". She, then, touched the computer screen with one hand. Without any sound, at all, the place seemed to "come to life". When a breeze seemed to flow, the commander would ask her team "Did you feel that?" The Life Science team member would say "I dont know how, but this place has an oxygen atmosphere". As the team looked about, for a rational explanation, their members dusted off panels, finding monitors, such as one, which stated that Life Support was operating at 25% of normal. When an astronaut would ask "After millions of years? HOW is this system operating, at all?" The team commander would, only, say "For the people to build this place, I doubt very much is impossible". The commander then ask her team "Find me the Communications Station". When a scientist would respond "You must be joking". The commander would inform the cynic "You outside. Find the transceiver". When the cynic asked "And, WHAT would that look like?" The commander would say "Try looking for something similar to what we would use". To the cynics annoyance, they would find the radio equipment, BEFORE those, inside the complex, found the communications equipment. As with any of the worlds best astronauts, being a fan, of science fiction, the commander just could not pass up a chance, when she saw that she could re-aim, what she THOUGHT was the transceiver targetting array, at Earth (After logging its original position, in detail, ofcourse). The commander, like almost all fans, of science fiction, wondered what it would be like to mutter some of the most famous words, in the history, of science fiction. She just doubted that anyone would be listening, on the Martian frequencies. Still, she had wondered what it would be like, to stand on an alien world, and say the words. What shocked the commander was when, maybe an hour after the Engineer went off, to find the power source, for this place, she noticed that dusty light covers began to glow. When the commander went to a panel, and dusted off centuries, of accumulated dirt, she found that the panel panel still retained the ability to emit 100 watts of light. Switching off her helmet lights, she found that other panels were glowing, as well. She, then, proceeded to each panel, dusting each off, until the room was as brightly illuminated as any work-space, on Earth. When the commander tried calling the Engineer, to congratulate him, on his work, it would seem that the man was too deep, inside the planet, for her signal to reach. When the woman pressed what she THOUGHT was an intercom switch, calling "Kirk to Enterprise, your signal is breaking up. Repeat, your signal is breaking up". The woman was left speehless, when a voice, which she recognized, but not from Mars, responded "Enterprise, Spock here. Signal is loud and clear. When did you return to your ship? You were not due to report in, for hours". The team commander would report "We are NOT on-board the ship. We have discovered some sort of complex, within Cydonia. More precisely, what appears to be a control room". When the authority would ask "HOW did you rig the relay, from the ship?" The commander would say "We found the communications station. I thought it was an intercom. I was trying to thank my engineer, for booting up the power." The authority would suggest "Next time, be more cautious. This is not a game, and we have no idea who may be listening". The commander thought "No kidding. We are millions of miles from Earth, on a deserted planet, looking for evidence, of habitation. Despite all of this, I seem to be speaking to Mission Control, like I am just across the street." Right about the time that the crews primary, oxygen, tanks were giving the "switch over" warning, a panel, in a nearby console, slid aside, and what appearred to be a scuba tank refill station, slid out, from the wall. When the commander asked "Are they serious?" The Life Science member, of the team, would suggest "What harm could it be, in trying it?" When the commander reminded them "Be Careful. Rremember, you only have two, reserve, tanks". The Life Science member would say "Dont worry. IF I smell anything, I will switch, to Earth air, at once". With the commanders permission, the engineer removed the Life Science members empty, oxygen, tank, then the Life Science member placed the empty tank on the refill rack. The team was just surprised at how similar this device was, to Earths own devices. Once the tank was attached, to the station, an indicator came to life, showing the status of the refill. The only problem was that, while the crew could read the "fill" marker, none had any idea of what the Martian symbols meant. When the refilled tank automatically dis-engaged, from the station, and the Life Science member hooked the tank to an extension fitting, switching his air supply, the man began to gasp, grab his face plate, and fall to the floor. Even as the commander was saying "Switch him over, to Earth air, right NOW!", the Life Science member would laugh as he said "Sorry, commander. After your "Kirk to Enterprise" call, I just couldn't resist". In the background, the team heard a voice, from earth, saying "Of all the specialists, available, the world over, we ended up with the Three Stooges". When the team commander would ask Life Sciences "Whats the air REALLY like?", even as the commander, and the engineer aided Life Science, in standing up. Life Science would take a deep breath, and report "If I didn't know better, I would say that this air came from a forest, or national park. Clean, crisp, and woodsy". By this time, the Life Support station seemed to be blinking that the atmosphere was at just under 50%, and, presumably, rising. When Life Science would ask the team commander "Permission to search for Life Support main control? Maybe see what I can do?" The commander would say "Remember. NO more shenanigans. We are in enough trouble, with Earth, as it is". The engineer then tested the control surfaces, until he was certain that he had found the Communications stations on-off button. Just to be sure, though, the engineer made a comment which, back on Earth, would have cost him thirty days in jail. Once the team was certain that they were "alone", they made the best effort at locating, and identifying, as many areas as humans could recognize. When the engineer felt certain that he had found the "medical bay", the commander cautioned "Remember Abu-Ghraib, and Guantanimo Bay, Cuba? This COULD be a torture chamber, for all we know". The cafeteria, however, was easy to identify, especially by the LONG tables. That, and the "vending machines". Too bad everything was listed in Martian. No way for the team to tell what they might be ordering. While investigating the complex, the team noticed that the lights seemed to follow the teams movements. Lights, just ahead, seemed to activate, automatically, at the teams approach, while lights, behind the team, seemed to switch off. Soon, the team noticed that monitors, both inside their suits, and on wall panels, seemed to report that Life Support had, finally, reached full power. When the commander asked "HOW?" Life Science would radio "I have found the equipment, and cleared it off. Man, though. I thought we had some advanced systems, on Earth. Compared to these people, though..." By the time the team had consumed the last, of the rations, from the hovercraft, then reported back, to the ship, the report, to Earth, had been concise: "Found everything the alien records said we would find. All fairly close to the command center, as well. No idea how LARGE this place is. I estimate that we have explored, maybe, 10%, before hovercraft food supply exhausted. Returning to Earth". Two weeks later, the de-briefing seemed to take three times as long as the entire expedition had. This, thanks to some un-indentified interrogators, who badgered the team, to re-confirm details, dozens of times over. When the commander, finally, asked an interrogator "What is it you WANT to hear? What do you WANT me to say?" When the interrogator would ask "Weapons?" The commander would say "Never saw an armory, IF there is one". When the interrogator pressed "WEAPONS!" The commander would say "We never saw any". When the interrogator would growl "WEAPONS!!", The commander would state "We never saw any". The commander would state "Report whatever you want". When the commander stood, to leave, the interrogator would block her way, saying "You are not going anywhere until you tell me what kinds of weapons you found, on that planet. We need to know how to defend this nation, against attacks." When the commander would ask "How is a dead planet going to attack Earth?" The interrogator would say "Maybe not so dead, as your reports indicated." The commander would say "May I remind you that we found the systems set, on "Automatic". When the interrogator would ask "Then, tell me WHO set the machines, on Automatic. And WHEN." The commander would say "How should I know WHO, or WHEN". When the un-identified interrogator said "you know, I THINK you are a traitor. You dont care if America survives the next attack, or not." The commander would say "Think what you want. We are done, here." Finally, as if dissolving, into thin air, the interrogators "vanished", and the flight crew returned to N.A.S.A., while reporting to the E.S.A., as well. The team could, only report "What we found verifies the contents, of the alien records. Personally, I would LOVE to return to Mars. This time, with more supplies". When asked "Do you think that the aliens WOULD PREVENT man, from leaving the solar system?" The commander would, only, say "The aliens haven't lied, so far. I dont see any reason for them to deceive us, about that". When the commander was asked "How would you recommend that we proceed". The commander would say "Send us back to Mars. This time, with THREE ships." When N.A.S.A. would ask "How will three crews aid the effort?" The commander would say "You dont understand. I dont mean three crews. I mean three SHIPS". When the officials looked upon the commander, in a questioning way, the commander would "spell it out". "I mean, send MY crew back to Mars, BUT, in command of two, additional, drone, supply, ships. This way, we can extend our surface time to six, even eight, months. This SHOULD give the crew plenty of exploration time." When a politician would come forth, with the obvious question "Do you have any idea how much money this would cost tax-payers?" The commanders only response was "What is the alternative?" When the politician would say "We send up enough of our nuclear missiles, to deter the alien fleet. That is, IF an alien fleet is waiting..." An E.S.A. spokesman would say "You are speaking of provoking interplanetary war? A war, which we are, simply, not equipped, to fight." The politician would say "Atleast the aliens would understand that WE mean BUSINESS". A scientist would suggest "And, with their alien technologies, what would happen if they turned our own missiles right back on us?" The politician would say "Atleast we would go down, FIGHTING". Around the room, people, of intellect, rubbed and scratched, heads, at such a suicidal idea. After the meeting, the intelligent people would agree that the commander was correct. We needed to return to Mars, and learn, for ourselves, the fate of the planets inhabitants. Cydonia had proved that intelligent life HAD existed, on Mars, at one point. The commanders request was NOT un-reasonable. While world leaders debated on HOW to handle a "Return to Mars" project, the commander, and her team, would be learning how to operate the very latest design, in human-built spacecraft. A new engine, which would make the trip last only three days. A design, right out of science fiction. The crew was being trained, on this new design, even as, in Washington D.C., radicals were insisting that America just could NOT AFFORD to return to Mars. America's main priority HAD to remain "Cutting taxes, on the rich". While this squabbling went on, the owner, of a software design firm, was working to make his place, in history. This, by financing the fleet, which would lead the way to Mars. The software firm had committed itself, and its future, to the idea that, any tech, found on Mars, would become the property of the software firm. What concerned the commander, and her crew, was the fact that the financier could only see the potential dollar signs. The software designer just could not understand that it was LIFE, and CIVILIZATION, which man was returning to Mars, for. On the day, when the European Space Agency approved the ships, for launch, the commanders main concern was that the ship, carrying the team members, was only 20% of the size, of the supply ships. When the ships went into "launch mode", every science, and science fiction, venue, on the planet, was on hand. This, even as the saucer-shaped space-craft departed Earth. While N.A.S.A. had the team commander sign a written statement, which stated "The flight commander promises that no "Star Trek" references will be made, by said flight commander, either during flight, or upon arrival, on Mars. Penalty will be six months suspension, without pay, upon return to earth." Since the flight commander had no such intentions, the contract was easy to sign. (Command simply forgot to tell the rest of the crew, as well.) While the three ships would reach Mars, in record time, the commander was required to bring each ship in, manually. Reason: For some reason, the computer programmers had programmed the ships to land at an Earth-style airfield. When the on-board computers could find no such airports, the ships had gone into "search mode", and began flying away from Cydonia. That is, until the commander used "manual override" to return the ships to Cydonia, then parked the ships just beyond the complex. Since the communications officer knew nothing of the commanders contract, when the team entered the Martian base, a short time later, to prepare to move in, the communications officer would go on-line, sending the message "Landing Party to Enterprise. Lieutenant Ogambo speaking. How do you read, Enterprise?" When N.A.S.A. would reply "EARTH command to PRIVATE Ogambo. One more, Star Trek reference, and you will be looking for another job. Understood?" While the flight commander was negotiating the communications officers rank, with Earth, the remainder, of the crew had split up, to survey the complex. One group was assigned to remove the portable greenhouse, which had been packed, for transit, while the other team ventured, further, into the "bowels" of Cydonia. The flight commander had to cut short her negotiations, when she received a report from the supply ship. By the sound, of the team member, the situation was not good. When the team member had said "Christ Almighty, can you believe this?" When the flight commander would ask "What is it? What did Earth forget?" The team member would say "Commander, you are not going to believe this" When the flight commander would suggest "Try me". The team member would say "According to both the manifest, and the looks, of the packaging, someone packed the greenhouse behind two weeks worth of supplies. We are going to have to EAT our way through, to the greenhouse". The commander would no-sooner be saying "Terrific", when the second team called in. "Good news, commander". When the commander would say "I sure could use some, about now. Lay it on me". The second team would report "It seems that the Martians left us a Martian-style greenhouse, all ready to use". When the commander would ask "How do you know this?" The team member would say "Except for the red soil, this place looks just like one of our deluxe-style greenhouses, on Earth". When the commander joined her team, as did the team, returning, from the supply ship, the crew saw that all they had to do was shovel away who-knows-how-much Martian soil away, to expose the foundations of the largest greenhouse any of the team members had, ever, seen. Sure, it would take a couple of days, to find, and start up the equipment, but it would seem that, from someplace, far below the surface, pumps began drawing water into what the team recognized as hydroponics. Once the greenhouse was planeted, the commander had wanted to pursue the next "item", on the "to do" list. The weapons locker (IF there was one). The question, which everyone had, was "What type, of weapons, would these people have? Would we even recognize weapons, when we saw them?" Since no one had any answers, th commander would instruct the teams "Fan out, and report anything which looks familiar. And I mean like weapons-style familiar". The teams would split off, saying "Roger that". In reports, to Earth, the commander would report "We have found what we THINK are the medical bays. COULD be torture chambers. Could be either, or both." The teams also found more cafeteria's, atleast one of which was multi-linguistic. The problem was that "Hamburgers, french fries, steaks", and so on, did not seem to be on the menu. One team did, eventually, find a set of ramps, which the team reported seem to lead UP, inside a mountain range. The team would report that the walk was not difficult, due to the slope, of the ramps. When the team reached what they THOUGHT was a storage room, they opened a hatch, onto pure science fiction. IF the objects, in the room, were ships, then atleast that would explain the wide panel, in the far wall. When the team reported to the commander that, upon closing in on a "ship", that lights, similar to landing lights, activated. When the commander would join the team, even she didnt have understanding, of what the free-standing objects were. When mission control relayed a "Prepare to Evacuate" signal, and the commander inquired, Earth would reply "Two reasons. First, unknown power eminations, near your location. Second, massive meteor, shower headed your way. Recommend mission be aborted, return to orbit, and take shelter behind planet, until storm passes". While the commander would say "Roger that", she had no intention, of departing. Not unless there was real, and imminent, danger. Later that same day, one of the teams not only located some alien "clothing", located inside what appearred to be lockers, but the team also located the source, of the energy emminations. When the commander had joined the team, asking "Are you thinking what I am thinking?" The engineer would respond "If you are thinking "generator", as in "power plant", I am with you, totally." When still-private Ogambo would would join the group, inquiring "HOW can it remain operational, after so many centuries?" The commander would respond, by inquiring "HOW can this PLACE exist?" Two days later, when the meteor shower arrived, the commander was relieved that she had made the decision, to land her ships near Cydonia. While her team viewed an awe-inspiring sight, in the Martian sky, the commander would walk into the communications area, after hearing that an incoming message was being received. When the commander activated the link, and was inquired "Whats going on, up there? Are you under attack?" The commander would respond "What makes you think that?" Earth would reply "Radio telescopes are reading massive energy, at your position". The commander would suggest "No doubt, you are sensing the shield, which the Martians left behind, to protect Cydonia". Right as Mission Control was saying something about "evacuate", a team member would arrive, at communications, informing the commander "You must SEE this". The commander would dismiss Mission Control, to join the team member in witnesssing what the "latest" Martian wonder had been. When the two stepped outside, of Mission Control, yet under the complexes newly activated energy-based dome, the commander was left speechless, by the presense, of the towers, which had appearred, as if out of nowhere. For just an instant, the commander had wondered if the towers might be "intruder alarms", while the turrets seemed to be pointing down. This thought, however, was dismissed, as the towers turrets raised, and pointed at the sky. The team watched, in awe, as the turrets, un-like the blasters, of science fiction, performed a different function. Even as smaller debris was colliding, with the energy shield, then sliding off of the surface, harmlessly falling to the ground, the team watched as the turrets, on the towers, targetted the larger chunks, than perfomed more like tractor beams. The energy beams locked into the largest, and most massive, objects, then, simply altered the course, of the debris. When a team member would inquire "I wonder WHERE the debris was re-directed?" The commander would rush back inside the control room, only to hear Mission Control saying "Calm down! The altered flight paths are beyond our orbit". When the commander would respond "Thank God", Mission Control would reply "Nice to have you back with us. Now, what is your status?". The commander would reply "The Martians were incredible. They not only left us electronic shields, and generators, but repulsor beams, as well. I just cant understand..." Mission Control would conclude "How the Martians could not save their planet? That may be one of the questions, which we have an answer for, here." When the commander thought back, over the review, of the ancient records, she remembered one section, which stated that, when a star, in a nearby solar system had, un-expectedly, exploded, the FORCE, of the explosion, had hurtled atleast three planets OUT of their home system, and set the spheres on a collission course, with Mars, at in-calculable speeds. This is when the commander realized the Martians "Achielles Heel". The Martians may have had contingency plans, for most events, which might occur, by virtue of nature. There was just no WAY that the Martians could have planned, or designed for, their planet becoming a "target, in a shooting gallery". While Mission Control was, already, working on designs, for re-settling Mars, the mission commander was made aware, by her crew, of yet another, surprise find. The Martian version of a space telescope. When the mission commander was allowed to peer, through the lens, of the telescope, sure enough, there, just beyond the edge, of the solar system, was an "armada", of alien ships. After her shift, and seeing this revelation, the mission commander would have the strangest dream, which she had, in several years. The commander dreamed of the classic Star Trek episode: Obsession. The episode where the Enterprise had "fought" a "gasious" creature. When she dreamed of the programs ending, she found it odd that the scene was not set in the way, which she remembered, from classic television. Somehow, the final battle had taken place, not on some, distant, un-named, planet. The battle had taken place, on Venus. In her dream, the commander had watched, as the anti-matter explosive, once detonated, had ripped away Venus's toxic atmosphere, leaving the planets surface exposed to the cold, hard, vacuum, of space. But what a "STUPID" idea that was. Blasting Venus's atmosphere? Then do what? Build new cities? On that grey surface? No, the whole idea was just a dream. A stupid dream. This served the commander right, for being a life-long, Star Trek, fan. While Mars MIGHT be ripe, for "terra-forming", Venus was beyond out-of-the-question. (Or, so the commander hoped). Still, the commander did wonder how the aliens would react, when Earths first colony ships tried to sail. WOULD the aliens shoot the ships to pieces? Or, would the aliens escort the ships back to Earth? Perhaps, the aliens might send those, on-board the ships, to some intergalactic, concentration, camp? When earths first colony ship attempted to cruise past the edge, of the solar system, a VERY LOUD message, was heard, through every receiver, on Earth: "YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!" Since the ship, in question, had much older engines, and no "sub-space" radio, like Mars, apparently, possessed, the ship had taken three weeks, to reach the edge of the solar system, and it would be atleast that long, for Earth to find out that the ship was missing. Once the ship vanished, every eye, on Earth, and on Mars, waited to see what the aliens next action would be. All that anyone, on Earth, or Mars, knew, was that, as the Earth ship had cruised for the edge of the system, an alien ship had targeted the Earth ship, then emitted a colored ray, which enclosed the Earth ship. After that, the Earth ship had just vanished. When both Earth, and Mars, used their highest gain antenna's, to search for the ships wreckage, no instrument found any signs, of ANY debris. When all witnesses were questioned, all parties agreed that no one had, even wittnessed an explosion. All anyone saw was the Earth ship, vanishing, within the energy beam. When someone, at Mission Control, would suggest that the Earth ships crew, and passengers, had been an alien "lunch", an intelligent person would say "Dont be ridiculous. Any space-faring race would have its own food supply" When the original voice would say "Just thinking", The intelligent voice would say "Way too much science fiction". When N.A.S.A., and the E.S.A., transmitted repeated requests, for information, on the ships fate, it seems that the aliens simply ignored these requests. When another ship was being prepared, lousy computer hackers made certain the ships construction did not remain a secret. The hackers even made public the knowledge that the ship would be armed with a dozen, nuclear, missiles. While Washington D.C. tried to say that the missiles were "for defense only", even the aliens did not "buy this". In Earth orbit, the keel, of the ship, connected to the missiles, was destroyed, along with the missiles, themselves. After this, Europe decided to construct another, even larger, ship, just to see how the aliens would challenge a larger ship. For reasons the mission commander just failed to understand, when volunteers were being recruited, for a mission, to Mars, no one was willing to make the trip. (The commander wondered if the reason had anything to do with movie channels re-airing "Red Planet" movies. Movies about monsters, super-weapons, dictators, and so on). In the mean time, the list, of those, willing to sign on, to LEAVE the solar system, was incredibly long (as was the waiting list). When the commander received a message, regarding plans, for Venus, the message included two videos. One video showed a projection of what MIGHT happen, if a blast were directed, towards the sun. In this video, once the atmsphere was blown away, the planet would be set, on a deadly collission, course, with Earth. In the second video, with the blast aimed AWAY FROM the sun, the shock waves would rip both Mars, and Earth, apart. No matter which way the plan was viewed, it was a stupid idea. While Earth was planning not just the launch, of the colony ship, but was preparing to detonate an explosive, on the Venusian surface, an explosive which even the commander had, never, heard of, It would seem that the commander was able to report, to Earth, that Earth seeds, planted in the Martian hydroponics, did NOT create the monsters, of science fiction. While Martian soil did make food taste "different", all readings indicated that the food was edible. In fact, equally edible to the seeds which were planted, within the Earth greenhouse. (Once the crew ATE its way through the supplies, to the greenhouse.) The teams commander would be disappointed, to be proven correct, when her team found the library/records section. According to the visual records, the repulsor towers had done an excellent job, in deflecting the smaller debris. (The Martians just never planned to have whole PLANETS hurtled at them.) The records showed that, when the debris was hurtled, at Mars, the damage, which was caused, was beyond the immediate ability, of the systems, to perform instant repairs. Life support had been damaged to the point where those Martians, which did not run, for space-ships, were left to die. Out of vengeance? NO. Desperation? Yes. If the records were accurate, the systems did not finish self repairs, for one thousand years. The damage was that extensive. By the time the systems had repaired the complex, the Martians were either gone, or long dead. As a result, the computers placed all equipment into "standby" mode. This, until some one came along, to re-inhabit the planet. When the Life Sciences scientist would ask "You dont think that this whole place WAS built, as a "test of intelligence", do you?" The team commander would ask "Why not? Maybe, they hoped to return, someday." When the engineer would ask "Return from where?" The team commander would say "Wherever they travelled to." When private Ogambo would ask "You dont suppose that our reactivating this base is like a beacon, for them?" When the commander would ask "A beacon, for what? That we have become intelligent?"" Ogambo would say "No, that our species is ready for harvesting" Practically as one, the other team members would say "Way too much science fiction" Okay, so, granted, some of the symbols, on the vending machines, COULD translate to "hearts", "chests", "legs", and "arms". The team commander would remind her crew "This language is. almost, as old as Earth, herself. How do we know what these terms mean, after so much time?" It would not be until dinner time, that the commander made the discovery, which had been gnawing at her, since the translation, of the vending machine material. When Ogambo (on punishment, for his cannibalism reference), decided that the crew should have fried chicken, for dinner, the man was no-sooner asking "Who wants legs, thighs, breasts? Let me know what you want to eat. I am not going back out, twice." When the commander would ask "Would you repeat that?" When Ogambo would say "Put in your orders..." and the commander would cut him off, saying "Before that. What were our choices?" Ogambo would say "Legs, breasts, wings, thighs. Its all chicken, but everyone has their favorites". The is when the commander would say "People, I think I have figured it out. Follow me". When her team followed the commander back to the cafeteria, and the commander asked "You said our choices, for dinner, are?" When Ogambo would say "Hearts", "legs", The commander would point at the labels, saying "Hearts/Breasts", "Legs", "Arms/wings"?" When the Life Science team member would say "You are making some dangerous assumptions, there, aren't you?" The commander would say "Only one way to find out". When the commander would press "Hearts", and "Legs", she half expected what would happen, next. The Life Science team member acted like he was being pulled into the machine, even as he said "Its eating me". When the commander would say "You better be right since, if you are not served up, on a plate, for dinner, you are on K.P., for the next week". The Life Science team member would straighten up, saying "Apologies, commander" As for what was served up, by the machine, it SMELLED fresh, and was similar to chicken. When the teams members, except, Life Science, would take a bite, with Life Science saying "I hope you aren't eating someone", the commander shot the man a deadly stare. Then he would add "I know. K.P., for the next week." It might seem "ironic", atleast to Italians, but the one food, which the Martian crew recognized, on-sight, was pizza. It seems that the Martians must have enjoyed pizza, as much as humans do, since the machines allowed customized selections, including "Deep Dish", filled crust, and a wide variety, of ingredients. When the commander looked right at Life Sciences, suggesting "I will wager that you are about to say that the "meat", on these pizza's, is human flesh". Life Sciences would say "Not if it means another week of K.P." Still, the entire crew noticed that Life Sciences would not consume any food, not transported, from earth. When the engineer would ask Life Sciences "Just curious, but WHAT are you ging to eat, once the rations are gone?" All that Life Sciences would say was "Dont worry. I would rather STARVE, than eat any of you." The engineer would report, to the commander, "That man should, never, have returned to Mars. He is dead certain that we are about to EAT one another". When the commander would ask the medical officer "What do you think? Psychosis? Dimentia?" The medical officer would suggest "Until further notice, I recommend restraint, and sedatives. It COULD just be a reaction, to an unknown environment" When the commander would ask "How soon before you are certain?" The medical officer would say "A week. Maybe less." Un-fortunately, the doctor was correct, in saying "Maybe less". Shortly after Life Sciences was sedated, and strapped down (For his OWN safety), the team watched as a respected, Earth, scientist, totally "flipped out", on the Red Planet. The man was totally certain that his team mates were preparing to slice him up, for dinner. In a last ditch move, to protect him from hurting himself, a freezer was brought, from a supply ship, and the man was muscled into the unit. Even the medical officer said it was not "optimal" but, in the crisis at hand, the team had to use what was available. After the medical officer gave the whole crew physicals, each member was locked away, individually, for a full psychiatric evaluation. In order to test each crew members version, of reality, each was shown scenes, from classic science fiction. Each scene was made to appear as a window, on the Martian landscape. While the rest of her crew laughed, at the "scenes", which they recognized, from old movies, the commander was annoyed at being shown things, which she knew were just Hollywood effects. She was a scientist. An astronaut. She had spent YEARS preparing for this. Her dream assignment. What she did not need was a voice, from Earth, asking "Do you feel threatened? Do you feel your team mates will consume you? Do you feel the urge to eat THEM?" Fortunately, the psychiatric evaluations showed nothing "abnormal". Of course, the same could be same, for the man, in the freezer, as well. When the crew asked the medical officer, and mission control, WHY the man had snapped, all anyone could say was "Some people are just not "equipped", mentally, for space travel." While this brought little comfort, to the team, with the time the team had been present, on Mars, the team realized that, IF Martian recon was coming, it would have arrived, by now. After all, the records showed that the Martians had Warp Drive. If the Martians did not want strangers inhabiting their planet, surely they would have sent an eviction notice. By the time Earth sent a replacement crew, as well as a moving crew, for the freezer, the commander, and her crew, were, well, at home, on the red planet. In fact, most did not even look forward to departing. Thankfully, the replacement crew seemed so absorbed, in learning if the "ships", in the "hangar", were armed, that they ignored the resident staff. While these people were focused on finding weapons, the research team focused not only on the transport, of the mentally-impaired crew-member, but they, also, kept a watch on the second, colony, ship, which cruised for the edge of the solar system. Since Europe was willing to "splurge", on communications gear, this ship had nearly perfected sub-space radio. As a result, when the alien energy beam surrounded the ship, the captain was able to send out a brief radio message, before the ship vanished. Even to Martian ears , the words sounded like "We SEE them. They are..." With that, the transmission cut out. This left the question of WHOM did they see, and WHERE? Still, this left the seeds, of a plan, in many minds, on BOTH planets. The plan was simple: build a hull, which APPEARRED to be inhabitable, yet fill the hull with the best research, and recording/transmitting equipment, on the planet. Launch it at the fleet, and see what happened. The only drawback, to the plan, was a provision which stated that, in order for the ship to be built, funding was required, for the delivery of about 1,000 nukes, to Venus. The commanders nightmare was in danger of coming true. The only positive thing, about the nukes delivery, was that the scientists were proven correct. Blast away Venus's thick cloud cover and all that was left was a barren, rocky, planet, which was far too hot to support human life. Mars would be consider the "Garden of Eden", by comparison. When the colony ship was launched, at the alien fleet, Earth DID find out what happened to our ships. In fact, the transmitters lasted long enough for the ships captains to report that "All is well. Passengers have de-barked onto a much older version, of Earth." Site-to-site communications seemed to last for about two hours, until the effects, of the beam, wore off. By the time this communication was underway, however, things were not going so well, on Mars. In fact, there were two, bone-jarring, crashes. It seems that the "weapons inspectors" had decided to try some of the ships controls. In one case, the inspector hit something like "Full Ahead, Hard Starboard". The ship lept, from its cradle, and raced into an impact, with a section of the hangars wall. The crew was shaken, but the ship, automatically, returned to its cradle. In another case, an inspector THOUGHT they were touching an "intercom" button. That is, until an energy blast took out a section, of wall. Thankfully, the Martians had planned, for such stupidity. As soon as the hole was blasted, in the wall, an energy field covered the opening, which, slowly, sealed itself. When the commander marched into the bay, telling the inspectors "If you want to "play", with toys, go back to Earth". When the inspector would say "Commander, I am under orders, just as you are. Our JOB is to find out what WEAPONS these beings have, and what damage they can do, to us". When the commander would say "For one thing, your "tense" is wrong". When the inspector would ask "Beg your pardon?" The commander would say "You should have said "What weapons they HAD. Past tense. I would say, maybe, 100,000 years past tense." When the inspector would insist "But, they can, STILL, attack us?" The commander would ask "WHO? We are the only ones on this planet. Now, unless YOU plan to attack Earth..." The inspector would skulk away, un-certain how to explain that a planet, dead, for up to half a milion years, could be a "threat", to "national security". As the research team would clear away damage, on the upper levels (closer to the surface), the team would find the lower levels in much better condition, just as the engineer had said. Inside of several "laboratories", team members found "ancient" computer terminals, whose counter-parts, on Earth, remained in the design phase. There just did not seem to be any operators manuals. It was not until the engineer would remind the commander "You know, any manuals, that we find, WONT be printed in English." The commander asked "Why is that?" before remembering that the crew was on an alien planet. A planet, whose inhabitants had their OWN language. Then she remembered her facts. "I have to remember that, on THIS planet, we, humans, are the ALIENS." She had grown so accustomed to calling Cydonia "home" that she forgot she was on another planet. Fortunately, after a year, on Mars, her crew was beginning to remember what certain letter groupings meant. Things like "Men's", and "Ladies", "cafeteria", "medical center", and the Martian version of "library". No matter how hard Earth PRESSURED the crews, to find the Martian "weapons", even after three months, of searching, the replacement crew came up "empty". In fact, in the inspectors reports, to earth, the inspector would have to say that they never even saw a weapons rack. If the Martians had weapons, the weapons were of a kind, which man could not conceive. While others would have said "Impossible!", The commander would argue that history said the Martians had Warp Drive. Something we had, yet, to even consider. Why shouldn't the Martian armory be far more advanced than our own? When the commander received word that radicals, on Earth, were preparing to launch a nuclear attack, on the Red Planet, "As a precaution, against potential attack", she, openly, objected. Command would inform her "When you return to Earth, your severence pay will be waiting for you". When the commander would ask Earth "HOW can a dead planet attack Earth?", all that Earth would reply is "There is the POTENTIAL. It MIGHT, POSSIBLY, be a POTENTIAL. We must ACT before they can attack us". When the commander would ask "WHO?" There was no answer, from Earth. While the crew was closing Cydonia back down, and placing all systems back on "standby" status, the engineer would be first to voice "Such a shame. All this knowledge, and advancement. All about to be blown sky high". The commander would shed a tear, as she realized how much, of Martian society man would, never, know about. By the time the three ships were up, in orbit, word had come, from Earth. A dozen, nuclear, missiles were aimed at the "heart" of Cydonia. It was not until the missiles were in view, and on approach, that the engineer would mention "Too bad Mars is dead, and un-able to defend herself." It was not until that moment that the commander remembered something. The defense turrets. If the turrets could defend the planet, from meteors, then why not, from other, in-bound, projectiles. To Earths dismay, and the crews delight, the turrets came on-line, targeted the "in-bound unknowns". When the missiles did not answer automated calls, the repulsors, somehow, sent the missiles on a "corrected" course, towards the solar systems largest, asteroid, belt. So, Mars was not so "dead", after all. It is just too bad that the missiles designers never thought about LONG duration flights. Each missile carried just enough fuel to reach around the earth. Result, some of the missiles "dropped out", and de-activated, LONG before reaching Mars. Those, which reached the Red Planet, used up the last, of their fuel, flying for the asteroid belt. Once the fuel was used up, the warheads deactivated. On Earth, there would, no-doubt, be "Hell to pay", but HOW was Washington D.C. to know that the missiles only carried enough fuel to travel around the world. After the failed attack, on Mars, Congress turned its attention back to the search, for just WHERE the aliens were sending our ships. Sure, radio communications verified that three ships had been sent, into Earth's past, but not the rest of the ships. When the forth ship radioed "I not only dont see the ships, but I dont see Earth, as well." Before radio communications died away, the ship sent a visual, of its location. While neither N.A.S.A., nor the Europeans, had any idea, what star patterns had been represented, in the message, when Mars was contacted, the commander would say "Well, it looks like it was a good thing we did not blow up Mars, after all". When N.A.S.A. would respond "Dont be funny, you are, still, on payroll". When the commander would ask "I am?" N.A.S.A. would respond "Just TRY to keep the place operating on a professional level, okay?" When the commander agreed to this, and Earth asked "What HAVE you got?" The commander would say "I KNOW where the ship was sent. You just wont believe it". When Earth would say "Try us", the commander would say "It is a solar system, maybe 50,000 light-years away." When Earth would ask "Based upon what?" the commander would say "Based upon the interstellar maps, which the Martians, apparently, left behind." When Earth would ask "Does it say WHERE the Martians went?" the commander was cautious about answering this question. All she would say was "Several possibles. Impossible to reach, within our lifetimes, though." When someone, on Earth, would say "Too bad we dont have Warp Drive", the authority would say "Thats enough of that. We need to focus on THIS planet". The commander seemed, visibly relieved that NO one was suggesting a serious attempt, to re-inhabit Mars. She just could not figure out why Earth was so focused, on Venus. Without its toxic atmosphere, Venus was nothing more than a "hot rock", in outer space. What Earth found suspicious was the fact that, when un-manned, transmission-booster, probes, were send, to the position, where the ships had "vanished", the aliens made no moves, against the probes. What, also, amazed Earth was how, once the probes were in position, the units began receiving faint trransmissions, from the "missing" ships. Most of it was just normal things, like fuel consumption, and how long to wait, before debarking passengers. When Earth tried transmitting, to the ships, they found that the connection was one way. On Mars, however, the crew was relieved to find that the aliens were sending humans to habitable planets. WHY? was anyones guess. The commander was just annoyed that command had ordered Cydonia NOT to be brought, to full power. Earth remained paranoid that the dead planet might attack. While the teams engineer did, eventually, find a database, full of "instruction manuals", it was as the engineer had cautioned. Since English was NOT the "native tongue", of the Red Planet, there were no manuals, presented in English. As a result, the commander would say "Until we hear otherwise, from Earth, I suggest we consider ourselves kindergartners, and this is our first day of school." While Earth was attempting to find a "pattern", to where the aliens were sending our ships, more people signed on, more ships were built, and more ships vanished, at the edge of the solar system. By the time ship number seventy-five was being launched, the Mars crew had become fairly well comprehending, of the Martian language. While complex, or "advanced", Martian, remained beyond human grasp, the crew WAS able to learn enough to know which systems were important, and which devices NOT to touch. The crew, also learned WHAT, if not HOW, the Martians had learned, about everything from defense, to space-flight. The crew, also, learned about the bases power source. It would seem that, so far, the base was only operating on recyclable, back up power. Once the crew used their hovercraft, to blow (millions?) of years, of dirt, off of the power panels, then polished up the crystaline surfaces, more than a few, of "Earths finest minds" were left speechless, that rovers had driven, within five FEET, of power panels, and never known the panels were there. As for the actual power conversion process, the team would report that it seemed similar to solar power. The best guess was that these, "ancient" panels were anywhere from 5,000, to 500,000 years/generations, AHEAD of Earths own technology. In some ways, one might say that Mars "came to life", as the power panels, within ten miles, of Cydonia, were brought up to power. The only thing, which Life Sciences replacement officer cursed was the fact that, when the complex was powered up, and the officer found a research lab, in operation, the officer cursed the fact that, while millions of bits, of information, seemed to "flow" about the lab, NOT one sentence was in English. If the officer wanted to "read" this information, it was time to go "back to kindergarten", and learn how to read. The officer was only furious, about this since, on Earth, they had a Ph.d, in science. They could go anywhere, in the world, and know what they were seeing. When the commander reminded the officer "Remember? We are NOT on Earth, anylonger. Here, WE are the aliens". When the officer would suggest "The least that could do was leave a set, of instructions, written in English." When the commander questioned "WHY should they leave directions, written in a language, which, in their time, probably, did not exist?" The officer had no answer. All the officer knew was that, even with the best college education, on Earth, the officer felt like a child, just entering school. The officer just hoped their own mother was just "telling stories", about the officers own childhood. If mother were correct, when the child had, first, entered school, understanding English had been as difficult, for the child, as learning to talk. In fact, if the mother were not exagerating, it would seem that the child had enough trouble, learning their A.B.C.'s, that the school was prepared to hold the child back, atleast a year, until the child learned to grasp English. Mother had claimed that the child threw "hellatious" temper-fits, over how hard English was, to master. (And this was with competent teachers available, all day long.) Now, the scientist was on an alien planet, trying to master a new language, with-OUT any support staff. Ofcourse, the entire crew was working on the same goal. While the team, on Mars, was begining to understand basic Martian, some "meat-head", on Earth, did something, so assinine that the crew hoped the fool would receive the death penalty, for their actions. The Death Penalty would be impossible, in this case, primarily because the fool had blown themselves up, when they "tripped" one of the most explosive, nuclear devices, on the planet. The resulting explosion levelled everything, for one hundred miles around (and far beyond the war-heads predicted yield). While the fifty milllion dead, were "just a drop, in the bucket", of Earths population, when Mars asked "Is that FOOL going to stand trial?" Earth would say "Maybe. Provided we can find enough, of them, to put together, to stand trial." When the commander would ask "You mean?", and Earth would say "Either they were amateurs, or they did not care, about survival." Even as Mars grieved the passing, of so many souls, the commander, of Cydonia, thought that one, other, event was one of the funniest, or most "poetic justice", of all. This was the fate which befell the interrogators, which Earth had dispatched, to find out the "truth", about Mars weapons capabilities. Ironically, this would be the very same "goon squad" which, while the Mars crew was back on Earth, had demanded not only to know what KINDS of weapons the Martians had, but, also, whether the Martians were planning an "imminent attack", on the Earth. With the director, of N.A.S.A. off, in Washington D.C., trying to rationalize the reason why a team had not only returned to, but remained ON, the Red Planet, if the planet were, truly, un-inhabited, N.A.S.A.'s Communications Director would transmit a message, to Mars, using classic "Star Trek" terms. This, the officer would use, to inform Mars that the interrogators were in transit. What baffled the Martian team commander was that, when Earth reported that the interrogators wer enroute, and she reported "We better get ready to receive". Earth had said "Take your tiime. The crew wont arrive, for six months." When the commander would ask "Why are they not using the new, space, drive?" Earth would respond "The crew suspects possible, terrorist, tampering, with the new engines. They INSISTED upon using the OLD engine design." To this, the Mars commander thought 'Fine. If they WANT to take six months, to arrive, let them'. Really! In point of fact, WHO could have predicted that, while the interrogators ship was coasting, towards Mars, that a comet would descend, from deep space, crash into an asteroid field, and send a fragment, the size of California, hurtling at the approaching ship? Everyone, on Mars, was relieved when, on impact, the explosion, of the ship, changed the fragments trajectory just enough to avoid the Earth. The tragic thing, about the explosion, was that, since the Martian "ancient" hardware, and software, were so far in advance, of Earths, the research team, on Mars, would know of the ships destruction, hours before Earth lost its data. The Martian team just hoped that this had been the best death, which the interrogators could have hoped for. After all, wouldn't Washington D.C. have considered the trip to have been "wasted money", just to send a crew, into space, for a six month cruise, followed by up to ANOTHER six months, searching for signs, of "hostile activity", only to have to spend six more months, just travelling back to Earth. And what would the interrogators have to report? "The planet is dead. No weapons found". At certain points, over the next year, Mars control was able to establish enough, of a communications link, with the "vanished" colony, ships, to understand that the ships would never return to Earth. This conclusion would be based upon celestial fixes, from the ships officers. These fixes proved, in many cases, that the ships had been "transported" across the universe. Un-fortunately, three ships had been dispatched to pre-Columbian Europe. The ships distress call had been brief, but informatve. The "natives" had branded the ships crew, and passengers, as "witches", and "demons", and the ships were branded "devils chariots". The final message, of "Stay away. These people are lunatics. They dont understand the difference between a shuttlecraft, and a winged demon". After that, all contact was lost, permanently. The group, which the Mars commander was most interested in, however, was the group which must have been sent into Earths future. This, based upon the captains report, of finding the remains, of Washington D.C., in ruin. The Mars researchers agreed, with the ships captain, that the ships MUST have been sent to an Earth, of the distant future. This determinattion was made after the captain reported that all which was found, of the White House, and Capital Hill, as well as other, outlying buildings, in the area, were weed-infested foundations. Just how FAR the ship had gone, into the future, was. clearly, debatable. This since even the visuals, on the Statue if Liberty, showed that the statue had lost her arms. Manhattan had, literally, "returned to its roots", as a prairie, and wilderness. The ships captain would promise Mars that, as soon as the ships located a records center, with concrete PROOF, of what had happened, the captain would report in. This left the Martian commander to ponder "Maybe, mans departure, from Earth, HAS allowed the planet to heal itself". The question was "HOW to PROVE it". Six months later, the colony ship would make a very sobering report, on mans future. Based upon surveying "ancient" (future) records, it would seem that colony ships were just not being constructed, fast enough. With news, that planetary resources were, nearly, exhausted, riots would break out. IF the history was "reliable", then the primary cause, for the rioting, was evangelicals. People, whose personal interpretations, of Scripture, indicated that the "ultimate judge", was, soon, returning to Earth, to collect his own. The evangelicals would spark primal fears, within the population. Fear, which lead to rioting, looting, and even wholesale murder. Citizens, who had secured boarding passes, to the colony ships, were brutally murdered, for the passes. Passes, which some Christians were willing to give a lifes savings for. The one story, which the ships commander cautioned Mars, about accepting, was the as-yet UN-verified story, of either a man, or a group, of people, working seperately, at re-selling boarding passes. IF there were any truth, to the stories, each of the people, would no-sooner, sell a boarding pass, to a desperate person, when the purchasers bbody would vanish, and the boarding pass went up, for sale, again. The story CLAIMED that the pass sellers would no-sooner accept payment, when the sellers would run the purchasers through, with swords, knives, etc. One seller, allegedly, "earned" $100 billion, on a single boarding pass, before authorities detained the man. Even on Mars, the validity, of such stories, was ranked right along with the Headless Horseman, of Sleepy Hollow, Sleeping Beauty, and other, fairy tales. As to what had become, of the White House, and Capital Hill, it was the "same, old, story". People, including evangelicals, hinted that government remained calm, in the crisis, since Washington D.C. had its own, private, fleet, of ships, standing by. It was "hinted" at that "evil pacts", had been made, between the government, and the aliens. It would seem that these rumors were the reason why first the White House, was "stormed", and burned to the ground, then came a bloody battle, for Capital Hill. All because someone was spreading rumors, that there were not only secret chambers, under the capital, but docking bays, containing ships, as well. In the ensuing batttles, un-counted persons lost their lives, all in the desperate search, for rumored ships bays. The most stupid act, of destruction, however, was the toppling of theWashington Memorial. While, by the time, of the riots, the monument had stood, for centuries, and even had guided tours, on a daily basis, the monument had been closed, over concern of vandalism, once the killing started. An un-specified person had started a rumor, stating that a ship had been erected, within the obelisk. When the panicked populace, spurred on, by the religious zealots, decided to prevent the "ship" from being used, by the government, to flee the planet, it was recorded that the monument was dragged out of its foundation, toppling, and killing more than 200 people, as the obelisk fell upon the rioters. This, even as the Vatican was calling for calm contemplation. The mobs, spurred on, by the zealots, ignored the law, by breaking into private homes, and murdering people, in their beds. And all of this, in a desperate attempt, by the mobs, to secure boarding passes. On Mars, when the team asked the commander "Do you REALLY think we would turn on one another, like wild animals?" The commandeer would call for calm, herself, as she reminded her crew "This report came from the future. Maybe even the DISTANT future". When Life Science would suggest "Maybe NOT so distant. Who knows? The riots may have begun, already". When the commander saw her crew considering this, the commander would say "One way to find out. I will put a stop to this, right NOW!". With that, the commander called up N.A.S.A.'s second shift, communications officer. When the Martian commander would ask Earth "What is your status, there?" When N.A.S.A. would report "Quiet, and boring. Whats up?" When Life Science would "but in", asking "What about the rioting?" N.A.S.A. would ask "What rioting?" When Life Science would say "Dont bull shit me. Has the White House been burned to the ground, yet?" N.A.S.A. would inquire "WHAT are you talking about?" The Martian commander would take the comm (After Life Science was dragged away), saying "We have information, here, which claims that, at SOME point, the White House will be looted, and burned to the ground". When N.A.S.A. would reply "Nothing like THAT going on. I am SURE of it". When the Martian commander would ask "So, the Washington Memorial/obelisk remains standing?" When N.A.S.A. would ask "Why shouldn't it be standing? Say, what are you people smoking, up there? You know that memorial hasn't moved, in centuries." The Martian commander would reply "We will send a full report, once we have evidence of the events. For now, Good Night. Mars signing off". When the commander joined her crew, in one of the "medical bays", she found her team strapping down the Life Science member, who was adamant "We have seen the footage! We KNOW that Washington is in ruins". The commander would slap Life Sciences, with all the strength she could muster, as she said "STUPID! Listen up". When Life Science persistsed "I SAW the footage, just like you did". The commander would shout, in Life Sciences face "STUPID! That ship was reporting from the DISTANT FUTURE. Justt how FAR distant, we do not know". It was only after Life Science was sedated, into sleep, that the rest of the team would ask the commander "Are you SURE we should transmit that information, to Earth? We mean, what if THIS is the information, which starts the riots". When the commander would say "N.A.S.A. needs to know". The engineer would suggest "What happens if the WRONG people intercept the transmission?" When the commander would ask "Suggestions?" The engineer would suggest "Add this to our FINAL report. This way, WE deliver the information, directly to headquarters. No chance of interception." The commander knew that the engineer was correct. After all, Earth remained hesitant, about Mars "potential". In the next radio transmission, the colony ships captain would express full agreement with the plan. He, too, did NOT want to be responsible, for global rioting. Atleast, not until ALL of the facts were verified. When the Marrtian commander would ask the colony ship captain "Any luck, with finding HARD data?" The captain would report "Only journals, so far. Just wish I knew what kind of paper they wrote on" With that, the link was terminated. While Earth refused to believe that the Martians had been capable, of building even the base, at Cydonia, the research team would spend years logging various finds. These finds included instruments, the kind of which, on Earth, remained in the design delvelopment phase. Here, on Mars, however, the same equipment was coated in centuries of dust. When the team found a "concert hall", the humans found out just how "eccentric" the Martians musical tastes had been. The question, which the team wondered about, most, was when the team found some sort of "recordings". Recordings of what the team THOUGHT were Martian families. The recordings MUST have been ancient since, at the time, of the recordings, Mars had been a living, beautiful, place. How LONG ago was this? Finally, over the passage of years, the colony ships captain would report "Passengers disembarked, years ago. Even my crew has gone "native". Still, no supporting evidence, for the riots. My conclusion: This is but one, POSSIBLE, future. SIgning off. Good Luck". The Martian commander would give thought to "I wonder how many, possible, futures await us? By the time the commander would decide to return to Earth, not only was her once-jet-black-hair now white, but she noticed that regular tasks were taking longer, for her to accomplish. As for her original crew, most had returned to Earth, years ago. Their families had sent photo's, of the team members, with their families. Due to age, and, increasingly, to infirmity, the commander would return to Earth, in cryogenic suspension. Sure, upon her return, to Earth, the commander received awards, and recognition, but her greatest pride was in knowing that her native country remained intact. (She would have to acclimatize to having other humans around, as well as city life). Still, she felt humbled, by all of the attention, including magazine covers, plaques, and so on. Before departing Mars, however, the commander had reminded the young replacement crews to respect what the Martians had left behind. So very much, of which, humans still, could not comprehend. One night, though, the former, Martian team, commander dreamed of viewing her own funeral service. Hearing the twenty-one gun salute, and the honors, given, made for quite a dream. She would be surprised to find that her joints no-longer ached, from Arthritis. As she stood there, watching the service, she realized that, for the first time, in awhile, she was standing erect. The commander also saw the man who had, at one time, been the "love of her life". The very man who, when he proposed marriage, the commander, who, at the time was only HOPING for space travel, had declined, telling the man "My future is calling. If I can only be the FIRST human, on the planet Mars!" Now, the man she remembered as young, strong, and proud, with an amazing mass, of thick hair, was, mostly, bald, wheelchair-bound, and his once flat, and firm, stomach, stuck out, like a real spare tire. While the commander had EARNED the title of "First human commander, to walk on Mars", the man she had, once, loved, had his children, and grand-children, all around him. The commander contemplated the question of "WHO had the better, or more significant, life?" When her own mother appearred, looking just as youthful, and beautiful, as her wedding day photos, approached the commander, asking "My angel. Are you ready?" The commander was about to ask "Ready for what?" When her mother touched her, and the commander, suddenly, felt "different". When her mother lead the commander to a nearby car, and the commander saw her reflection, in the window glass, she asked "HOW?" The commander saw herself, young, and vital (As she had been, when she entered the space program). When the commander asked her mother "If I am HERE, then WHO are they burying?" Her mother would issue the words, soft as a breeze "Your mortal body". When her mother would say "Time to go", the commander felt hesitation, for the first time, since public school. At that moment, when the commander would ask "What about the arch-angel, Gabriel? What if HE feels that my life has not been "pure" enough?" Her mother would suppress a laugh as she said "You mortals. You make Gabriel out to be such a monster. I happen to KNOW that he is really a nice person, as angels go". Her mother would smile, as the commander would make the "sign of the cross", before the women walked off, into