And here’s a Machine Civilization first: an alien race. Recently, the stories have taken me places I never expected to go: for example, Fussy and Ed’s time slip in “Ice Inundation Intelligence” and me still not knowing what Kalí is. So, here are some aliens. Are they native to Mars or imports from somewhere else? Did they used to live on the surface then went underground as the atmosphere blew away? And, most importantly, are any still around? I have no idea.

Tiny cliff – or parapet – hanger as we go into the weekend. See everyone on Monday.

Enjoy my content? Buy me a beer!

Coming to the edge of the building, Alicia saw it was not hewn out of the rock but made of slabs pieced together in the manner of some of the ancient megaliths on Old Home:  no mortar and seams perfectly tight.  The first entrance was low, about one by one meter.  Were those who made this short and stocky?  She pulled her flashlight and shined it into the opening.

There was nothing in the room, perhaps five meters square, but along the walls were what seemed a combination of tile mosaics and etches into a dull metal.  Closer, she saw both of what seemed like some kind of script interspersed with images.  The images, though…

“Were these the original Martians?” she breathed.

Both in rooms such as what she stood in, by the lake outside, and in some kind of marsh, Alicia looked at what she would have called a fat crab.  Oblate spheroid; if the door opening was anything to go by, a bit more than a half-meter wide.  And wider than tall.

“Not like Earth crabs,” she noticed.  “Two legs on each side and those stout claws with delicate, articulated pincers.  So hexapods.”

“Otherwise, they really do look like crabs,” she said, continuing around the room.  Some images showed several together, some smaller.  A family?  In most of the images the crabs were holding tools of some kind.  “I wish Tay was here.  She’s best at languages.”

On the back wall were small cuts into the stone, leading to an opening the same size as the door, but overhead.  Born and raised on Mars but constantly trained by her family, Alicia had strength more like a girl from Old Home.  She gathered herself and jumped, just catching the edge and pulling herself up.  If Dad saw that, he’d clout me.  I need to exercise more.  Heck, I should probably spend half a year, an Earth year, back on Old Home to get myself together.

Sitting, she shined her light about.  This was a room without one of the slit windows so nearly completely dark.  Off to her left was another opening on the ceiling with a faint light.  Just as the first room below, there was nothing in it.  It did have some mosaic images but more of their writing in that metal.

I could take my knife and prolly pry some of this off the wall, but that kind of vandalism would have me expelled from my planet.  I shall commit as much as I can to memory, to share once I’m rescued.

At that thought, her stomach gave a small growl.  More cheese and a little jerky was washed down with water.  I shall reduce my rations.  That gives me enough food and water for three days.  If I drank that water in the lake, it might kill me from dehydration or shock.  I’ll just have to pray they find me in time.

Which she did, tucking her legs under and lowering her head to the stone floor.

“Almighty God.  Lord Jesus.  I thank You for allowing me the miracle of being the first human to see this place.  A place of Your creation.  Another sentient species.  You are so amazing, God!  But, I am a little scared.  I know You will take care of me, one way or another, but do wish to see my family again.  Until then, I’ll keep looking about at this miracle of Yours.  I ask and pray all of this in Jesus’ name.  Amen.”

She leaned up, crossed herself, and stood.

“That’s better!  I’m gonna see if I can get all the way to the top!”

A bit winded from the low oxygen, Alicia took four breaths from her noseline before stowing it again.  The top-most room had one more opening up.  From there, she saw the wall at the back of the building arc up and away, but still no sign of the cavern’s roof.  She moved cautiously to a low parapet, not wanting to slip and fall.  Again. 

Forty meters below, the lake continued its faint shimmer but there was no other perceptible motion.  With a sigh, she turned about to make her way back down to –

splash