[ WP ] We finally get men on Mars and they discover an old Soviet flag placed down decades ago . The Soviets won the space race but for whatever horrifying reason did n't say anything .

When I was told my team would be the first to land on Mars, excitement welled within me.'Pioneers', they called us; and really, how many people can call themselves pioneers? It's exciting. It's scary. It's... unlike anything else. 
 
 
 And yet, as I stood and looked across an expanse of nothing but reddish brown sand and dust, I felt absolutely nothing but disappointment. The voyage was hell, and I'd spent *so long* looking forward to landing that the reality of Mars just could n't live up to what I'd been expecting. The first three days were mind-numbingly boring and dreary. 
 
 
 The fourth day changed everything. 
 
 
 `` What... the *hell* is that?'' I asked through the comm system, pointing at a torn-up tent in the distance. `` Did one of you assholes set that up to screw with me?'' 
 
 
 `` I wish I were that creative, believe me,'' Stan responded, staring alongside me. `` But that... that's not us. There's a flag, Mike. I ca n't make it out from here.'' 
 
 
 The two of us, along with Victor Foreman, our engineer, pressed forward with caution. As we approached, the flag became increasingly visible: plain red, with a yellow hammer and sickle. It was tattered and coated in dust. 
 
 
 `` Okay, this is bullshit. O'Neill, are you fucking with us? I remember seeing this flag in history class.'' 
 
 
 A response came over the radio. `` This is a bit too... complex for my sense of humor. I'm a simple man, Mike. I do n't recognize the flag, what is it?'' 
 
 
 `` Come on, man. Sleep through class?'' 
 
 
 `` Sorry, I was busy learning how to pilot for NASA. This is n't funny, Mike. If you've seriously found something, we have to treat this situation with urgency and caution.'' 
 
 
 I sighed into the mic. `` Soviet Russia. The one we got into the Cold War with, way back when.'' 
 
 
 `` I'm going to contact HQ. Proceed as if there could be people in that base.'' 
 
 
 `` Oh, come on, Cap-'' 
 
 
 `` I know we get cozy, but right now, we're not friends.'' 
 
 
 I choked back my pride. `` Understood. Stay by the feeds, we're heading in. I'm telling you, though, there's no one here anymore. Everything's... just- it's destroyed. Ripped to shreds.'' 
 
 
 I stepped forward, pushing aside a fold of fabric from the tent wall. Immediately, I recoiled, sucking my breath in. Right there, on a cafeteria bench, was a man- his skin pale, spotted with black and brown, but nearly perfectly mummified overall. He looked like he'd died just a week prior. 
 
 
 `` Holy shit.'' Victor threw up in his suit, then tried to paw at his slimy helmet. 
 
 
 `` Cap, I do n't think this is a joke. You see this, right?'' 
 
 
 `` Already contacting Houston. Someone's going to have to reach out and see if there's something we do n't know about. Does he look injured?'' 
 
 
 I kept myself at a distance, scanning his body with my eyes. There were still packets of food on a nearby counter. `` No. Honestly, it looks like he just suffocated. He did n't starve, and there's no blood or any kind of wound.'' 
 
 
 There was a large, clunky device on the table in front of the body. I reached out and grabbed it, keeping my eyes off the corpse. 
 
 
 `` I think it's a recording device.'' There were batteries in it, still looking fresh. Oxygen's a real asshole when it comes to preservation. 
 
 
 I flipped a window out on the lefthand side, and turned it on. After rewinding for several seconds, a man appeared on screen- I immediately recognized him. I slipped my suit's 3.5mm jack into the recording device once it finished rewinding. 
 
 
 `` Hello,'' he said with a thick, Russian accent. `` I have made many videos in Russian, but I have a feeling it wo n't matter. This last one will be in English. 
 
 
 `` Russia has abandoned me. I was sent here as an experiment for the government, to see if we could set up a base, maybe build in secrecy. The journey was too harsh, and the travel time too long. I burned more fuel than we thought, and now I am stuck here. They told me that nobody will be coming to save me. 
 
 
 The man's breath grew shaky, and he wiped at his eyes. 
 
 
 `` I asked to speak with my family. They said no. They said nobody will ever know of my time here. My death will be faked in an accident upon re-entry of Earth's atmosphere. Parachute failure. I have spent two months here now, and oxygen is almost gone. Food is still here, but that does not matter. I will die alone, and nobody will ever know. I die for nothing. 
 
 
 `` I do not expect to be saved. Maybe nobody finds this. I do n't know why I film. If you do, please tell my daughter I love her. Maybe my wife if she's still alive. I only wish I could tell them myself. I end things now. May you find your way home.'' 
 
 
 I pushed the screen in and sat down. 
 
 
 *Pioneer: A word we invented to make ourselves feel better about being guinea pigs. * 
 
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 *thanks for reading! you can find more at /r/resonatingfury! *
