The Breath of Mars
The laboratory hummed softly with the sound of machines and the occasional hiss of oxygen diffusers. Outside the curved dome walls, the Martian landscape stretched endlessly, its red hues fading into the hazy light of the artificial afternoon. Dr Aiden Colgrave leaned against a console, arms crossed, a rare smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
“It’s finally happening, Jenna,” he said, his voice brimming with quiet triumph. “In twenty years, maybe less, we’ll step out of these domes without oxygen boosters. Just us and the open air.”
Across the lab, Dr Jenna Vos froze, one hand hovering over the spectrometer she’d been adjusting. She turned to him, her brows raised in disbelief.
“Without boosters?” she asked, her voice low, as if speaking the words too loudly might shatter them. “No domes? No packs? Just… air?”
Aiden nodded. “Not quite Earth-standard, but breathable enough for short periods. The oxygenation reactors in the northern latitudes are working faster than we predicted. CO₂ scrubbing, water electrolysis, microbial enhancement—it’s all ahead of schedule.”
Jenna’s lips parted in awe, and she let out a soft whistle. “Do you even realise what that means? People walking Mars like it’s a stroll through the countryside? Not just explorers and lab rats like us.”
“Exactly,” Aiden said, pushing off the console. “Ordinary people. Kids. Families. For the first time, Mars will be a planet, not just a project.”
Jenna laughed, a bubbling sound that filled the sterile air. “Aiden, if this is some elaborate joke, you’re in serious trouble. But if it’s real—”
“It’s real.” He grinned now, unable to help himself. “And there’s more. Did you read the Musk Daily this morning?”
Her eyes narrowed. “Should I have?”
“You absolutely should have.” Aiden pulled a chair over and plopped down, leaning forward conspiratorially. “A team just finished traversing the Valles Marineris—first time anyone’s ever done it.”
Jenna rested her hand on her hip and tilted her head thoughtfully, her expression curious rather than sceptical. “I always thought the terrain out there was too extreme to cross. How did they manage it?”
“Not anymore,” Aiden said. “And here’s the kicker: halfway through, they found a cave system. Inside—” He paused, savouring the moment. “They discovered what looks like an astrolabe.”
Jenna blinked. “An astrolabe? On Mars?” She shook her head, laughing incredulously. “Come on, Aiden. That’s ridiculous. What would an ancient Earth navigation tool be doing in a Martian cave?”
“It’s not Earth-standard,” he said, his voice dropping a notch. “Dr Daneel Olivaw himself reviewed the data. He says it’s genuine—Martian design, adapted for the planet’s orbit and axial tilt.”
She sat down heavily on a stool, her mouth working silently before she managed to speak. “Wait. You’re telling me someone, or something, made a complex celestial navigation tool here? And left it in a cave?”
Aiden shrugged. “That’s the report. The explorers didn’t touch it—thank God. They left it intact for a marchaeology team to investigate.”
Jenna reached for her tablet, her fingers flying over the screen as she pulled up the morning headlines. “This changes everything,” she muttered, scrolling rapidly. “If this thing is real, then who built it? And why?”
The lab door hissed open, and Dr Ravi Singh strode in, a coffee cup in one hand and a data pad in the other. “I hear someone’s finally talking about the Valles Marineris artefact,” he said, setting his coffee down. “Took you two long enough.”
Jenna looked up sharply. “Ravi, tell me you’ve seen the photos. What’s your take?”
“Oh, I’ve seen them,” Ravi said, leaning against the counter. “And I’ve got theories. If it’s authentic—and I’m inclined to think it is—it suggests a civilisation here capable of advanced celestial navigation. That means intelligence. Maybe even culture.”
“But where’s the rest of it?” Jenna pressed. “If they were smart enough to build an astrolabe, there should be more—cities, tools, structures. Something.”
Ravi nodded. “That’s the big question, isn’t it? Where did they live? Above ground? Underground? Or were they just passing through, using Mars as a waypoint?”
“Earth,” Aiden said quietly.
The room fell silent. Jenna and Ravi turned to him, their expressions unreadable.
“What if Mars wasn’t their home?” Aiden continued. “What if it was a stopover? And Earth… Earth was the destination.”
Jenna let out a soft gasp. “Terraforming Earth. You think they started there?”
“It makes sense,” Ravi said, his voice thoughtful. “Mars would’ve been hostile back then, even worse than now. But Earth, with its oceans and mild atmosphere… If they could seed a planet like that—”
“They could’ve seeded us,” Jenna finished. Her voice trembled slightly. “We might be the remnants of a Martian civilisation. Descendants of explorers who left their home world behind.”
“And Olivaw?” Ravi asked. “What’s his game? If he’s known about this, why hasn’t he said more?”
Aiden’s jaw tightened. “Maybe he’s waiting for proof. Or maybe…” He hesitated. “Maybe he already has answers he doesn’t want to share.”
The three of them stared out the lab’s transparent wall, their eyes drawn to the endless expanse of red. For the first time, it seemed less like a barren wasteland and more like a place alive with secrets.
“It’s ironic,” Jenna said finally. “We’re just now making this place liveable, and it turns out it may have been alive all along.”
Aiden stood, his voice steady as he replied, “Mars isn’t just a new frontier. It’s a history book. We’ve barely turned the first page.”
Authors Note
I hope Asimov fans appreciate my nod to one of the most amazing characters in his books.
Verbal Alchemy 