1/23/2068 (military calendar)
Fort Alpha, Space Force Base, Noctis Valles (Alpha Base)
Noctis Labyrinthus Region, Phoenicis Lacus, Mars
*****
The dreams of multiple generations stretching back to the founding civilizations finally became a reality. From the first flyby of Mariner 4 to the first robotic landing of Viking 1, all those accomplishments have led to this moment: humanity has finally reached Mars.
Throughout history, the Red World has gone by many names. The first was Nergal by the first civilization of Mankind, the Sumerians. While the Sumerians were the first, being a mighty warrior people of their time, they were not the last to name the planet after a god of war. The Romans, the most efficient war machine ever to walk the ancient world, gave this world its modern name.
Staring out at the reddish wasteland, Captain Taylor Miles of the United States Space Force stood on the observation level of Alpha Base. Every time he stood on this level, he found it strange how the most warlike civilizations, separated by thousands of years and thousands of miles, always reached the same conclusion. Now that Mankind had reached this world, he struggled to connect it to the myth. For a warrior world, it felt… quiet and peaceful.
From this vantage point, Miles had the perfect view of the city. From this view, he could see the many modules that housed residential communities, research centers, space agencies, and the colony's commercial side. One can see the extensive hydroponics facilities to the left, and to the right of the town center are the water and ore refineries that sustain this place. But most of all, what he enjoyed staring at the most was the launch pads on the other side of the colony.
During Taylor Miles's free time, which the captain had much of while being posted at such a remote post, he would come up and stare at the city, watching the rockets take off and land. He sometimes wondered if this was like the old colony towns that once settled North America. While many in the online media call this place the next Jamestown, he sometimes wondered if it could end up like Roanoke.
The colony-town below was a decent size for being around for over a decade. Officially named Alpha Base by the US Space Department, the common name used by people and the media is Noctis Valles City, used by those who live here and on Earth. The name was a hybrid between the region where the city was built and the most extensive canyon within the solar system, Valles Marineris.
To do this, the United States adopted a policy similar to that of the US Antarctic Program, in which McMurdo Station served as the main base of operations, with dozens of other outposts scattered around it. While it was an American colony, other nations have utilized it for their needs and as a staging ground to search for locations for their outposts.
But this did not mean they were alone….
Hearing the NASA Traffic Controller over the colony live stream state that the next launch was in its final preparation, Miles looked up at the three screens above the large window. The number read T-3:44, indicating the countdown.
"Captain, Traffic Control reports that Starship 1226 systems are all clear," Hata said over the intercom from Operations.
"Thank you, Hata," Miles said. "Another good day to fly."
Miles watched as a small dust cloud emerged from the engine blast and consumed the area around the launchpad as the starship lifted itself into the sky. Living in a world with less atmosphere and less gravity allowed what should be small dust clouds to snowball and spread over a large area. Blast shields surrounded the city to protect it from dust clouds; however, gaps always opened and briefly covered the city.
Thrilled by another successful launch, the captain left the observation level and headed downstairs to the rest of the base. At the beginning of his shift, he needed to head to Operations to start his day. On his way, he passed through the lounge, where he saw a few fellow guardians, a US Marine, a British Marine, and a single soldier playing poker. He could tell the US Marine and Guardian were ganging up on the soldier, as he had the fewest chips.
Noticing the soldier's frustrated look, Miles asked, "How is the war?"
Everyone stood at attention as they realized an officer had entered the room.
"Stand down."
The group slowly sat down as some gave the soldier grief for losing.
"The war is going well, sir," the US Marine named Peter said with a cocky tone. "Just remind our friend here who the superior branch is."
"Knock it off," the soldier replied with an annoyed tone.
Miles shook his head, understanding the situation. There has always been competition between the Army and the Marines because many of their roles overlap. The two had been competing since the nation's foundation, and the insults were in jest at the end of the day—an everlasting competition to fight for which branch would be dominant.
Watching the soldiers go all in with his remaining chips, Miles saw the guardian and marine glance at each other with a smirk, clearly working together. Together, they matched the soldier and leaned back in their chairs.
"Be careful," Miles said. "You might be picking on the Army, but remember, they are the heavy branch. Once they mobilize, you're all dead."
Seeing the uncertainty in their eyes from the threat, the captain walked in, thrilled that he had instilled some fear in them. He headed toward the hallway that led to the base's interior. As he left the lobby, he heard the soldier cheer, as he must have won that round.
Seeing the large air lock door labeled "Operation Center" with a Delta 8-unit symbol painted on it, he opened it and headed inside.
The airlock matched the aesthetic of the rest of the installation. The facility was modular in nature. The color coding was white as the primary color, with blue and black as secondary colors. Yellow paint with black letters labeled everything of importance everywhere.
In front of the Operations Center airlock, a Guardian guard sat at a terminal.
"Morning, sir," Sergeant Sanchez said.
"I believe it is evening on Earth," Miles replied, handing him his security ID.
"That joke got old thirty times ago, sir," Sanchez said. "You are clear."
"And that is why you are on the most frontier post, Sergeant," Miles said. "Need to learn to laugh at dumb officer jokes." The two nodded at the lousy joke; he saw the airlock start to open.
Walking through, he saw four massive screens at the center of the room, with additional smaller screens surrounding them. Other smaller screens were scattered throughout the room at different terminals. Two primary terminals were next to the command, which was for the office, and they were almost shaped like a starship bridge.
Once inside, the Guardian Officer saw that a busy morning. The room was at forty percent operational, but that will soon increase to eighty with staff from all USAM nations assigned to this post. With all the Great Blocs on Earth seeking to carve out this new frontier, it became vital for the military to protect the country's trillions of dollars in investment.
Miles headed to his station to prepare for his shift. At one of the two support stations, Technical Sergeant Kyomi Hata of the Japanese Air Defense Force was filtering all the raw data gathered by the other terminals before sending it to the officer on station. "Evening Hata."
"According to Zulu time, it is the morning, sir," Hata replied sweetly, not looking away from her screen.
"To hell with Zulu; we are on Mars," Miles mumbled, reviewing his checklist tablet.
"That is what you said yesterday, sir, last week, and the week before."
"Roger that, Technical Sergeant." Miles glanced down at his checklist; and saw the typical boring subjects of the day. Most of the items on the list were civilian in nature. Convoys requesting security to outline outposts and settlements. Others dealt with crimes or engineering projects within the city. The upcoming USAM joint military exercises and the shutdown of a launch pad after a recent accident. Outside of the civilian convoy needing rescue after breaking down in the middle of the desert or dealing with a ship malfunction in orbit, there was very little activity. "Please tell me you are hiding something?"
"Within the town, no, sir," Hata said as she checked through her computer terminal. "Astro Engineers did state that Mavorte Orbital Station was seventy-seven-point three percent complete. They stated that civilian ships will be permitted to dock in two months."
Placing the checklist on the table, Miles looked at the two main screens. "Seventy-seven-."
"Point three." Hata corrected boldly, never looking away from her terminal screen.
"Okay. Seventy-seven..., point three percent," Miles took a frustrated breath. "Alright. Anything on the front?"
"It has been quiet last night. A skirmish broke out between the French and the Turks. We believe it was an ambush, but our drones couldn't confirm."
"Probably waiting for ammunition from Earth."
Captain Taylor Miles walked around the operations room, trying to occupy himself. He was making sure that everything was operational. Noticing nothing, he stopped by Technical Sergeant Kyomi Hata's terminal, looking at her screen. "All right, so what does the highway look like? Are there any pirate reports?"
"There was an issue in the first phase," Hata said as she transferred the data to the main screen. "Starship 1273 was eight days from Luna before her engines went out. A ship from Hermite International Base approached them; however, a British corvette intercepted before the IRA vessel arrived. They will not be able to make the trip."
"Good. The last thing we need to turn this Territory War into an interplanetary one."
Just like the Spanish and Portuguese discovery and colonization of the Americas, it sparked a land grab among the European powers. New lands, new resources, new opportunities. Not bound by preestablished borders that required total war to change.
Since the days of the Apollo Missions, it had been a collective human dream that one day, the Moon and beyond would be settled peacefully. For a time, it was.
The world had changed dramatically since the 1990s post-Cold War Golden Age, when nations worked together for economic unity. In the modern era, international blocs now compete and maintain their spheres, closer to what life was like in the nineteenth century after the political chaos of the 2020s. The domain of space was not left unscathed. Luna became the next battleground with the Shackleton Skirmish as nations and alliances sought to secure their interests, marking the start of the militarization of space.
The game-changing event that made the militarization of space acceptable was the Starship 1183 Incident. For the first time in human history, a spacecraft was hijacked by a hostile power within the asteroid Apollo Group. The government said that it was pirates who attacked the spaceship and left it at that. Everyone knew that was partly a lie because space wasn't cheap enough for the average citizen to buy a ship and go rogue, so it had to be state-sponsored, just like during the Age of Sailing. The issue was that no one could determine which nation sponsored the attack. Regardless, this gave every Astralis Power the excuse to militarize.
And that was why they were there. A Battalion of Astralis Marines spread out, backed by hundreds of other military personnel defending claimed American territory against the Blocs that are also colonizing this barren world.
This had already led to a quasi-war between the French and Türkiye, as the battle to secure a better position in the disputed territory. Similar to the salami tactics between India and the former CCP-China in the Himalayan Mountains, the process of accruing new territory occurred without a prior war. No one wanted to be left behind.
"Alright, keep me posted…." Miles started to leave before being stopped as his cell phone vibrated. Checking, he saw a message from his commanding officer, Colonel Gallivan. "Looks like the Colonel wants coffee."
"Before you go, sir," Hata said as she turned to face him. "Since it's the Colonel messaging you, I should warn you that he has been in meetings all morning with Cheyenne Mountain and the Pentagon."
A meeting with the Space Force Cheyenne Mountain Complex was ordinary. Alpha Base is a Space Force facility and the only military installation this far out, so daily communication is necessary. However, when the technical sergeant mentioned the headquarters of the United States military, that was a massive red flag for him.
"Maybe the Indians are finally making a move? I know the Marines have been itching to do something around here."
Leaving the operation center, the captain went down a long hallway to the briefing room. Passing through the lounge again, he noticed both Marines were gone, leaving the soldier and guardian alone.
Heading down the long corridor, bypassing many modules ranging from an armory, vehicle bay, barracks, and other vital military infrastructure. After a security check, the guard let him into the briefing airlock.
Once inside, Taylor Miles was surprised to see how many personnel were in the room. Besides the base commander and himself, the head marine officer, a few other key base officers, and the heads of the British and Japanese contingents. Surprisingly, not the Canadians or the Australians.
Captain Taylor Miles sat beside his friend, First Lieutenant Grant from Delta 8, 12th Squadron. "Do you know what is going on?"
"I was going to ask you the same thing. On my way here, I saw the US and the Royal Marines gearing up. At least a platoon worth."
"A platoon?" The Japanese man behind them asked, struggling to speak English properly with his accent.
While Miles's friend responded to the Japanese officer's question, he noticed the rest of the room was listening. He couldn't blame them. When the Marines were gearing up, it had to mean some threat had become local.
Realizing that the troops were mobilizing, everyone's heads raced as they wondered what was happening. Many flashpoints across Mars and the highway between here and Luna; it could be any. Some even stated that they were finally intervening in the Territory War occurring outside this colony.
A guardian master sergeant entered the room from a different airlock and said, Attention. The room stood as they saw the base commander, Space Force Colonel Gallivan. "At ease."
Right behind the Colonel was British RAF Squadron Leader Lorcan Pearce, the second in command of the USAM contingent of operations on this post. The Colonel sat at the front desk; however, the Squadron Leader stood to the left.
"Thank you, everyone, for meeting up so quickly," Gallivan said. "I understand you all have many questions, so let me be clear. World War Three has not started, and an astro-terrorist attack has not occurred. So, you all can put your minds at rest on those issues."
A sense of relief spread across the room. The idea that the end of the world or being trapped here without rescue was no longer a worry. However, Miles noted the tail-end of what Gallivan said.
"Are we going to fight the Indians then? What about the Russians and Iranians?" Grant asked.
"Not today," Gallivan said. "However, there is a developing situation, and we might be at the heart of it. This is the highest form of classification, and each of our friends here, your nations, is in the loop regarding this developing situation. None of this leaves this room until further orders."
The Colonel then nodded toward the Squadron Leader. The large screen behind the two officers turned on. To everyone's confusion, the United Kingdom appeared. The screen then zoomed over to the Natural History Museum in London.
"Eight hours ago, 0237 local time," Pearce said. "While on patrol, a museum security guard noticed one of the historical artifacts in storage suddenly activated."
"Activate?" Miles asked.
"Yes, activate," Gallivan quickly responded. "A lot of the information you are going to be told will confuse you, but bear with it."
The screen shifted to inside one of the museum warehouses, from the perspective of a security camera. The room was dark, with only the emergency lights providing light. Then, a spot on one of the artifacts started blinking orange. The security guard in the recording jumped back when he noticed the artifact's orange blinking.
"As you all can see, this orange blinking light is coming from this crystal at the base and sides of the artifact," Pearce explained. "As of now, the artifact has been secured and transported to Colorado Springs Space Force Base."
"Why are they going to such extremes?" A British officer asked.
"It was discovered that the blinks at the center of the device are repeating predictably," Pearce replied. "Every five seconds on the dot."
"I must ask," Grant said. "What does this have to do with us?"
"Everything," Pearce said. "Yesterday, an orbiting NASA satellite detected the same energy signature around the Ulysses Tholus region. It is also emitting every five-point-five seconds. As of now, we do not know anything more than that."
The screen switched from London to the Tharsis Montes region on Mars. Most people know this region for hosting the largest volcano in the solar system, Olympus Mons. At first, the Guardian Captain was confused by what the Squadron Leader said. He could not figure out why this energy signature appeared at the edge of civilization. While the region was relatively close to their location, it was not nearby, several hundred kilometers from Noctis Valles City.
The Japanese officer asked, "Are you saying you found…, ET?"
"No," one of the American officers replied. "They found Santa Claus."
There was laughter in the room, but everyone noticed neither the Colonel nor the Squadron Leader was laughing. Showing that this wasn't a joke.
"That is the current theory; yes, we found evidence of ET," Pearce responded.
Miles was sharply confused as he tried to figure out what was happening. And then it hit him. He saw the situation only as an archaeological issue and a military operation, refusing to acknowledge the obvious.
"I have a message from USSF Brigadier General Graham on your next mission," Gallivan said. "Listen closely, as I will not repeat it."
The screen switched to a video with a general sitting at a desk. The man started with the usual military talking points and repeated what Pearce said. That was until he began speaking of their mission. It was Graham who appeared in a pre-recorded message.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, all other priorities on Mars are now considered secondary for this operation. Your objective is to secure this site, identify what emits the signal, and, if possible, retrieve it. A Covert Operation ship with Minutemen support is already inbound and will retrieve whatever emits that signal."
The video stopped and switched back to Ulysses Tholus, showing where the signal was emitting from.
"There are NASA and JAXA drilling personnel from Tharsis Tholus Station, so they have already been dispatched to this location and will begin drilling operations," Gallivan said. "You will take five Rovers and four M5 UGVs as logistical support. You will set up a perimeter as we establish a proper base."
"Question," the British officer asked. "If you are deploying our combat forces, are we expecting combat?"
"We have no idea," Gallivan replied bluntly. "We do not know what we are sending the scientists and engineers into, assuming this is not a trap of some kind."
"Especially after they notice our movement," Miles stated. "A large military force and scientists heading to the middle of nowhere was never part of the expansion plan. It would be a natural red flag and raise questions if anyone noticed that."
"Correct," Gallivan said. "We were debating whether we should send only a small unit to help avoid suspicion; however, it was decided that the risk was worth it, as speed is the key. Delta 18 is trying to hide the signal from our enemies and civilians. But we cannot confirm what they know. Assume the WEL, IRA, India, the Turks, or any roaming pirates might have heard."
"However, we must assume that other nations could or already have picked up the same signal," Pearce added. "We do not want the French or the Indians to beat us there."
As Miles's grandfather once said, the world had dramatically changed since he was a kid. The old Golden Era finally ended when nations mostly cooperated for economic efficiency, and there was only one superpower. The old world ended in the 2020s and 2030s for many reasons, mainly the dramatic decline in birth rates, internal civil strife and wars, and the need for nations to secure their supply lines at the expense of others. The world fractured into many new regional blocs and competed according to the old Imperial Age economic model.
The United States refocused on protecting its geopolitical interests and strategic allies after a decade of civil strife. Outside North America, the country maintains strong relations with Japan and the United Kingdom, which act as left and right arms. Other essential allies scattered throughout the world either have a significant regional foothold or are nations that allow the US. After a decade of civil strife, the United States refocused on protecting its geopolitical importance and strategic allies. Outside North America, the country maintains strong relations with Japan and the United Kingdom, which help it remain economically secure, like Australia.
While the French and Indians are not enemies of the United States, they act independently within their regional blocs. Multiple civil wars and unrest emerged within Western Europe, and with Turkey capturing Greece, it humiliated and collapsed the European system, splitting it into four competing Unions, with the west forming the Western European League. While not direct enemies, the Western Split took a toll on the once-Western alliance.
Of course, the United States naturally supported the United Kingdom and its regional Bloc, the Commonwealth Union. While the three powers are on the same side on most issues, key geopolitical factors keep the two sides at odds, including hostilities among the Iranian-Russian Alliance, Türkiye, India, Chinese States and France, which are seeking a stake in the space economy.
The Indians are more complicated than the other regional powers on Earth. As one of the most powerful countries in the world and space, there was never a need to formalize relations beyond what they already were. During the multiple Cold Wars and given how closely their military and economies were linked to the Russians, they had never forged alliances, preferring to supply and trade with rivals without being weighed down by commitments against the United States.
Once the Chinese economy and population collapsed into warring states, the two nations were forced to look inward, removing the primary driver for their reapproach. The Hindu state was too large for the US to advance its influence without retaliation, and the two powers were far enough apart that their interests stayed distinct.
China became a strange geopolitical mess as many internal factions fought to rule the nation. The Maoist CCP controlled the north, the Fascist Zhongguo controlled the heartland and major coastlines, and the Guangdong controlled the south. There are other minor factions; however, these are the major ones that the State Department monitors. While the Maoist CCP has become a shadow of its former self, it still maintains a long reach, controlling most of the country's astro-infrastructure and outposts, giving other nations a path to the stars without needing to invent their own systems.
While each nation had its reasons to oppose the United States, the Russians and Iranians aligned to pool their resources. The once Red Bear declined as a significant power and needed partnerships to maintain its economic security, while Iran needed a nation with deep industrial and technological knowledge to expand. The two had worked together, going back to when they cooperated against the Islamic State and in Ukraine. While not a formal alliance, the two work closely with their other Eurasian allies to be an alternative to the United States and France.
Other nations had a small stake in the new space economy, operating space stations or outposts; most used Great Power facilities to reduce costs, as it would be impossible for them to carve out their own interests. While this had been great for international corporations, it had the side effect of allowing smaller nations to use hostile facilities to strike against their enemies' interests, usually with the host nation's blessing.
"We are trying to keep this out of the public eye as much as possible," Pearce said. "If that fails, the proposed cover story is that NASA had discovered a rich vein of lithium."
"Why not water?" Miles asked. "In the context of being an Astro outpost, water makes the most sense."
"That was considered," Pearce said. "However, that creates other unwanted questions we are unprepared to answer. Both in the short- and long-term timeframe."
While Taylor Miles is not a geologist, he understood that lithium was a vital resource for modern technology. Depending on the size of the deposit, it would be worth deploying troops to defend it, as it would be a game-changer for developing a Martian economy. Without a second look, most civilians would buy the cover story and move on with their lives, compared to the water solution. With that, people would expect pipelines, a specific type of extractor, a refinery, etc. With an ore-related story, it overlaps with the necessary equipment needed for the cover story.
Gallivan stood and said, "All right, go gear up. You're leaving in thirty minutes. For those who are not going, I want all departments to focus on providing operational support to the deployed team. Weather, enemy deployment, and status on the NASA team. Dismiss."
The mood in the room was complex. While everyone remained silent, they all knew what the others were thinking.
'Just what the hell is out there?'