[ WP ] The first expedition to Mars discovers a large boulder with what appear to be crude depictions humans etched onto its surface . protruding from a crack on its side is a locked metal box , a time capsule ...

The scientists pushed aside the instrumentation, the empty animal cages, the filing cabinets full of notes and grant proposals, and they hastily set up a projection screen and folding chairs at one end of the lab. When the chairs were all taken, they piled onto desks and even squeezed on top of a water cooler. 
 
 “ Okay, it ’ s 5 PM, ” said Dr. Welker, the lab supervisor. “ The working day is over, and we ’ re all ready to watch the second EVA for humanity ’ s first manned mission to Mars! As you know, some of this lab ’ s very own experimental animals are on the mission, and although they won ’ t have their own tiny space suits to join the extravehicular activity … ha ha ha … ” 
 
 Dr, Welker ’ s little joke was cut off by the cheers of the gathered scientists, as the projector shone the image of the red surface of Mars onto the screen. 
 
 Two figures, clad in almost skin-tight white jumpsuits with reflective bubble-shaped helmets strode into view. They were well-known to the scientists – the short and slender form of Mars geologist Ami Tanaka was a stark contrast to the hulking Arthur Wellington, Mars chemist. Unseen to the viewers, but always hard at work behind the camera, were Ivan Dmitriyev, Mars camera operator, and Dmitri Ivanov, Mars dolly grip. 
 
 “ We saw something shiny out this way as we were landing, ” said Tanaka, as she marched on. “ Our first Mars walk didn ’ t go this far out, but it ’ s definitely within walking distance of the lander. ” 
 
 “ There it is right now! ” exclaimed Wellington, extending a massive arm. “ Ivanov, could you point the camera that way? ” 
 
 “ I am Ivanov, ” said the dolly grip. 
 
 “ I mean, Ivan, ” responded Wellington. 
 
 The camera panned to the right, and focused on a vaguely cylindrical stone object, about the size of a car. The top of it was jagged, and looked like natural unfinished rock, but the sides were smooth polished stone. The smooth part was covered with sketches clearly depicting human figures. Although the drawings showed little artistic talent, the meaning of them was clear. The first to come into view showed two humans seated next to a fire. The next portrayed humans operating simple machines, such as pulleys and levers. The next showed a human using tongs to transfer a liquid between two beakers. Yet another showed a human watching as a mouse navigated a maze. 
 
 “ It ’ s a history of man ’ s scientific accomplishments! ” exclaimed Tanaka, astonished. 
 
 The scientists in the earthbound lab oohed and aaahed. 
 
 The camera swept slowly around the object. Human figures discovered electricity, split the atom, built computers, and finally, built the Mars Curiosity rover. 
 
 “ Yes Dmitri, roll it smooth and steady, ” said Ivan, softly. 
 
 Tanaka ran a gloved hand along the rock. “ There ’ s a crack right here! I think it ’ s an opening! ” 
 
 Wellington walked over to the camera, and rummaged through something sitting on the dolly. He emerged in front of the camera carrying a small pry bar. 
 
 “ You ’ re welcome, ” muttered Dmitri. “ Feel free to take anything you need from my toolbox whenever you want. ” 
 
 Wellington worked the pry bar into the crack. He and Tanaka worked open a small metal hatch on the side of the rock, revealing a square metal panel, about a foot on each side. 
 
 The panel was covered with several switches, with wires of many different colors darting to and fro between them. At the bottom of the panel, the wires led to a single tightly closed latch. Next to the latch, a red light and a blue light glowed softly. 
 
 “ It ’ s a puzzle box, ” said Wellington. “ I ’ m great at these things. ” 
 
 Wellington produced a pencil and started scribbling on the arm of his suit. Back in the lab, the scientists followed his lead, scribbling onto their own clipboards, tablet computers, and in the case of one woefully unprepared microbiologist, his own shirt sleeve. 
 
 As Wellington was engrossed in his sleeve, Tanaka snatched the pry bar from his left hand, worked it under the panel, and snapped it clean off. It swung open, revealing a pile of metal sheets, all one foot square, and all etched in a style similar to the exterior of the container. 
 
 The first showed a human, looking down at some tiny four-legged creatures. They couldn ’ t have been more than a couple inches long. They had large ears, and a long tail. One had an abnormally large and bulbous forehead. 
 
 “ The first drawing of a Martian! ” exclaimed Dr. Welker. “ Aren ’ t they cute? ” 
 
 “ Aww, ” the gathered scientists cooed in near-unison. 
 
 “ It ’ s a mouse! ” said a serious voice in the back of the lab. 
 
 “ Looks like the original Martians were quadrupeds, ” said Wellington. 
 
 Wellington moved the plate to the bottom of the stack. The next one showed two planets, clearly Earth and Mars. On Earth, a line of the four-legged creatures piled into a rocket ship. A dotted line and an arrow pointed from the Earth rocket to Mars. 
 
 Dr. Welker pointed at the screen, his hand quivering. “ It shows the Martians returning to Mars after visiting Earth! ” he said. 
 
 “ Well, looks like those ‘ X-Files ’ were right, ” joked Tanaka. 
 
 Wellington laughed out loud, and even the usually serious Ivanov and Dmitriyev chuckled. 
 
 “ It shows mice leaving Earth and settling on Mars! ” insisted the serious voice, angrily. 
 
 The third and final plate showed the tiny creatures covering the surface of Mars. Frowning humans climbed into a rocket ship, waving goodbye. 
 
 “ And finally, ” said Wellington, “ a tearful farewell, and wishes for a safe journey. ” 
 
 “ Gee, those Martians sure are neighborly, ” said a childish voice in the back of the lab. 
 
 “ It shows humans leaving Mars forever, ” shouted the serious voice, “ and leaving the mice to rule the planet! ” 
 
 The gathered scientists paid these voices no heed. They were too busy cheering, hugging each other, and even crying. 
 
 “ Well, there you have it, people of Earth, ” said Tanaka. “ The Martians have been watching us, and they ’ re friendly. I don ’ t see any around here, but I ’ m sure they ’ re just a little shy. I bet they ’ ll come around eventually. ” 
 
 “ Dmitri … yev? ” said Wellington. “ Could you get us another vehicle to help us haul this back to the lander? ” 
 
 As the landing party made their way back toward the lander, the scientists in the lab broke out into another cheer. 
 
 Meanwhile, from the very back of the lab came the sound of tearing paper. Pages of puzzle box circuit diagrams, rocket trajectories, and crudely-drawn sketches of men and mice were reduced to shreds in mere seconds. Two tiny white quadrupeds with big ears, one with a bulging forehead, stood among the shreds. 
 
 “ Aww, weren ’ t you going to show the Martians your pretty drawings? ” said the one with the non-bulging forehead. “ I ’ m going to show them mine. It ’ s a turkey! ” 
 
 He waved around a paper with an outline of his hand drawn on it. The other snatched the paper from his hand, rolled it up, and whacked him on the head with it. 
 
 “ No, we don ’ t have time to share our drawings with the Martians, ” said the other, in a gravely serious tone. “ We have to prepare for tomorrow night. ” 
 
 Why, Brain? What are we going to do tomorrow night? ” said the childish one. 
 
 “ Same thing we do every night, Pinky, ” he intoned. “ Try to take over the world! ” 
 
 They ’ re dinky. They ’ re Pinky and the Brain, Brain, Brain, Brain, Brain!
