[ WP ] You 're an astronaut on the first mission to the moon since the 1970 's . You begin to dig for samples in the soft sentiment when your shovel hits something soft , yet tough . You brush the dirt away , revealing a dead man in a bloody spacesuit .

|||Quick point, this is not the best work since I've compressed my idea for a full on book into this single extract. If it were full sized there'd be a lot more so this is just to see if the concept would be well recieved, not the writing itself||| 
 Also apologies for any typos please tell me of any you find and I will correct them 
 
 
 
 I open my com link: `` Cameron, come take a look at this''. 
 
 He made his way over, careful not to disturb any of the foundations or landmarks we'd put in place for the new Alpha Base. 
 `` Holy shit Josh. This guy is from over 80 years ago!'' He responded 
 `` We have to report thi-'' 
 `` No!'' He cut me off. 
 `` What do you-'' 
 `` You think an astronaught would die and the government would n't know about it?'' 
 `` Hey, its the 70s. Shit was pretty bad back then'' 
 
 As we continued to excavate the dirt around the suit, I noticed a load of dried blood around a gaping wound in the suit. A scan from my multitool quickly uncovered the cause of death to be this wound, something large and sharp being forced just below the ribs. 
 
 `` The hell was that?'' Cameron inquired. 
 `` See, I told you they were uncivilised. Back then the Americans were still top dog. No wonder a death would go unreported.'' 
 `` I'm telling you they knew about this. Just keep quiet and we'll discuss it this evening. 
 
 We carefully replaced the dust, making sure to mark the location with a strangely shaped rock. 
 
 
 Back at the Hub that evening, the different teams all gathered in the cafeteria for the usual daily conversing. But me and Cameron stayed in a corner, keeping our voices down. Luckily this was n't too strange since we were the only scouts at Alpha Base. 
 
 `` So what do you think it was?'' I asked him 
 `` I wan na blame the Russians, but they're one of the biggest funders for this base. It was only the yanks that wanted Alpha base to be further from the initial site. I checked too, when the UN set up the International Comitee for Space Colonisation the Yanks tried to put in a clause prohibiting people from coming withing a mile of all old landing sites, but the Commonwealth veeto'd it and no one thought anything of it afterwards.'' He explained to me. 
 `` This is fucked up!'' 
 `` I've got a report scheduled for Bright in a couple hours, do I tell him?'' 
 `` No,'' I decided, `` we wait''. 
 `` Alright, but I am gon na inquire about the missions and previous discoveries.'' 
 `` Whatever, you're the captain'' I responded, letting it go for now. 
 
 
 
 The next morning a transmission played across the speakers. 
 `` All founder and developer class units please report to the shuttle bay for the return trip.'' 
 Phase 1 was over. The Hub was ready and the bade was under construction. Now the only important classes where the constructors and their mechs, the various security units and us, the scouts. 
 
 `` Josh!'' Cameron shouted to me from a few metres back. 
 I gave him a quick salute as he caught up and fell into step beside him as we jogged to the hangar. 
 `` So what'd you find?'' I asked him 
 `` Bright was pretty reluctant to release any info, but apparently every astronaught that reached the moon has successfuly made it home alive.'' 
 We jogged in silence the rest of the way, mulling over what it could be. 
 As usual our scouter bikes were fully fueled, so we could quickly head out on our mission without too much hastle. 
 
 Half way out my comm buzzed. 
 `` Captain Philips, Private Switch, you've taken an odd route'' a feminine voice buzzed 
 I let Cameron respond `` Yes we have ma'am. Found something interesting out in the desert yesterday, and the private here wanted to check it out.'' 
 `` Noted Philips, but make sure you plant your other landmarks before you get back. You only have 7 hours oxygen'' 
 `` As you say'' 
 The comm buzzed off and we returned to our drive. As we reached the dirt pile I pulled up alongside the dirt pile and quickly checked there was still something there. A quick nod at Cameron and I jumped back on my bike. It was n't long before we'd marked out another 17 miles of landmarks and had begun heading back to the Hub. 
 
 
 As we neared the base, a deafening roar filled the skies as a shuttle landed not far from the HUB. 
 About 10 minutes later when we were just pulling up our comms beaped. 
 `` Cameron Phillips and Josh Switch? Report to the home office immediately. 
 
 
 As we arrived at the home office, armed guards stepped in front of the doors we entered through, and all other exits. 
 `` Captain Philips, please enter'' a deep voice ehoed on the comms. 
 
 
 It had been way too long. 
 Almost an hour. 
 Cameron still was n't out. 
 I was terrified. 
 
 
 
 Eventually he emerged, but nothing like how he entered. His head was facing to the ground as though he had some terrible task he had to undertake, and his fists were clenched as though he was fighting hundreds of internal demons. 
 
 `` I'm sorry sorry Josh. You do n't have the security clearance to know.'' 
 
 `` What're you talking about? Who's the man? What killed him.'' 
 
 As I said this, every soldier in the room steeped to attention in unison, as one stepped froward and held out his pistol for Cameron. 
 Slowly and regretfully he picked up the lightweight handgun. 
 And as he aimed at my head, all I could comprehend were the last words I would ever hear. 
 
 
 `` I never wanted this for you.'' 
 

