[ 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 .

`` Jackson, do you copy? I repeat do you copy?'' 
 
 `` Yeah, yeah, I'm here, keep your panties on, Tex.'' Commander Tripp Jackson said as he fiddled with the radio controls on his wrist computer. `` What do you want?'' 
 
 `` I'm getting some strange readings coming from the northeast. Possibly from that crater up over that ridge, ya' might want to steer clear.'' 
 
 Jackson scoffed, `` Tex, this is an exploration mission, checking out weird readings is kind of what we're here for.'' He looked to the rest of his crew behind him. Lieutenant Rickles, his science officer, was crouched beside her sample digger ever engrossed in its readouts, while Lieutenant Kraskov stood beside her. Kraskov, even though he was wearing a spacesuit and was the sixth man on Mars, still somehow managed to look bored. 
 
 Jackson shuffled towards them, the gravity on mars still took some getting used to, his feet kicking up plumes of orange-red dust. He keyed his local mics. `` Hey guys, Mickelson is chewing my ear off about some strange readings just over that ridge,'' He said while pointing, `` I say we go check'em out.'' 
 
 Rickles glanced down at her wrist and then back to the readout on the digging machine, which rumbled and spat out dust as its auger bored into the Martian crust. `` Just about done here Commander. Our itinerary is clear for the next 45 minutes; Mission Control likes to give us some time to'enjoy the sights.''' 
 
 Jackson chuckled lightly to himself, that woman was only concerened with her experiments. He himself was interested in the concentration of things like nitrogen in the soil, or how the Martian gravity effected certain things, but she was obsessed. It was her job though, and she did it well. 
 
 `` About time,'' Kraskov grunted, as he shuffled away from Rickles' experiment and towards the ridge, `` Too much science, not enough exploring.'' 
 
 Jackson waited as Rickles' finished tapping away on the digger's output screen. She confirmed that the information had transferred to her wrist computer and stood. Stretching out her legs she glanced over at Jackson. He gestured towards the ridge, where Kraskov had already started lumbering up, and they both began their way towards it. 
 
 `` What kind of readings?'' Rickles asked. 
 
 `` Mickleson didn't-'' Jackson began before being interrupted. 
 
 `` I'm gettin' strange readings on a lot of my intstruments. From spikes of power on nearby sensors, centering on that area, to bursts of gravity change.'' Mickelson said in his southern drawl. 
 
 `` You're saying there's some kind of electrical discharge over there?'' Kraskov asked, his speech slightly labored from the climb up the ridge. 
 
 `` Nah, nah,'' Mickelson replied, `` When a bunch of my readings start goin' haywire, it just means somethin's causing interference. Could be a large deposit of magnetite, could be a Martian with a ray gun, ya' just never know.'' 
 
 Jackson watched as Rickles' shook her head as they came upon the slope of the crater. It was n't exactly difficult to move or climb in the Martian gravity, hell, they had hundreds of hours in training with dealing with the lessened gravity, but the real thing was different. They both began their slow ascent, following in the tracks of Kraskov, who had disturbed the soil ahead of them. 
 
 The radio squelched to life, `` Uh, Commander?'' Kraskov's voice emanated from the speakers in Jackson's helmet. 
 
 `` Go ahead,'' Jackson said. 
 
 `` There's definitely something strange in here.'' 
 
 `` Be there in a second.'' 
 
 Rickles and Jackson trudged their way up, to where Kraskov stood at the top of the ridge, looking down and into the crater. The view was magnificent. The crater was decently sized, but not big enough to where it just became part of the landscape. Jackson could see the ridge of the crater curve away in front of him, contrasting with the hazy orange of the horizon before sloping down into the classic bowl shape. 
 
 Down in the middle of the bowl, Jackson expected to see rocks. This was n't the first crater they had explored, as Mars was littered with meteor strikes. They had n't expected this one to be here though, as he had memorized the general layout of their work area, and this one was n't on the map. 
 
 There was something metallic glinting in the sun in the center of the crater, they were still too far away to make out many details but Jackson could make out sharp angles on the metallic object. Jackson shrugged as he looked between his two companions. `` Welp, not going to see anything from up here. Let's get going.'' 
 
 They started down the slope, Jackson leading the way, Kraskov and Rickles following in his footsteps, sending billows of loose dust down around his ankles and down the slope. 
 
 `` What's going... Comman... ackson.'' The radio coughed through the speakers. 
 
 `` Tex, I'm losing you. There's something down in the crater and we're checking it out.'' Jackson replied. 
 
 `` Read... interfer..'' the radio crackled and then became silent again. 
 
 `` Too much interference,'' Kraskov said, `` the radio should n't be this weak, even heading down into the crater. We're out of line of sight of the antenna, but it should be strong enough to overcome that.'' 
 
 Jackson grunted as he scrambled over a large boulder and the slope of the crater eased away. They were closer to the object now and could make out details. It was roughly egg shaped, but only constructed in sharp angles. It was made out of some kind of grey metal, which shone brightly in the sun. As they approached it loomed up and over them. 
 
 `` Its got to be at least fifteen feet tall.'' Kraskov said, `` damn, how did the overhead satellites not pick this up?'' 
 
 They approached slowly and Kraskov slowly circled around the large object. 
 `` Nothing on the other side,'' He said as he came back into view, `` same angles, no hatch, console or anything.'' 
 
 Rickles had her arm lifted as she recorded the object with the wrist mounted computer. `` I've never seen anything like this,'' she said, `` and I'm not getting any readings. Whatever caused the abnormalities earlier definitely is n't showing up on my sensors. 
 
 Jackson took a few steps closer to the object and reached out his gloved hand. 
 
 `` Commander, are you sure that's safe?'' Rickles asked apprehension in her voice. 
 
 `` We're on a planet 54 million kilometers from home Rickles, not much out here is safe.'' He replied. 
 
 He squeezed his gloved hand closed and open a few times before brushing his fingers against the sharp angled metal. 
 
 
 Nothing happened. 
 
 `` Huh, well that was a disapp-'' Kraskov started, before the entire structure rotated half an inch, showering them with loose dust that had collected on it. 
 
 Jackson hopped back and stumbled his way backwards away from the object. It slowly rotated another couple inches before coming to a rest. 
 
 `` Whoa,'' Jackson said, `` I think I woke it up.'' 
 
 It stood quiet for a few moments before each of its sharp angles turned into creases. Gaps formed in the angles and widened. Chunks of metal began falling off the object, starting from the top of the egg shape, clattering their way down and landing in clouds of orange dust. Soon the chunks became larger until massive sections of the egg had fallen away, and the object was no more, only debris spread out before them. 
 
 In the middle of the debris field was a round metal platform, sunk a few inches into the Martian soil. Centered exactly in the center of the platform was another large metal egg, at least ten feet tall, but this time it was perfectly smooth, balanced perfectly on its base. 
 
 `` What is that?'' Rickles said breathlessly. 
 
 Jackson took a few steps closer, weaving his way through the debris of sharp metal and peered at the egg. It had a mirror finish, the same grey metal as the previous egg, but this time there was engraving along one section of the egg. 
 
 Kraskov stepped up beside Jackson and placed a hand on the shoulder of his space suit, and peered closer at the engraving. 
 
 `` That...'' He started, gripping Jackson's shoulder tighter, `` That's Russian.'' 
 
 Jackson could now make out the Russian lettering, above which was an engraving of the old USSR hammer and sickle insignia. 
 
 `` What in the world is Russian tech doing on Mars?'' Kraskov asked, glancing at Jackson. 
 
 Jackson could only shake his head, `` They've only sent orbiters, hell, even China has only sent one rover and that's on the other side of the planet.'' He paused for a second before continuing. `` Crash, can you read it?'' 
 
 Kraskov sighed and turned his attention back to the engraving, `` I have n't spoke or read Russian since I was a kid, but I'll give it a shot.'' 
 
 He leaned in closer and brought up a finger, bouncing it along in the air as he combed over the engraving. Jackson could see his mouth forming silent words through the glass of his visor as he made his way through the script. Finally he lowered his hand and turned slowly to Jackson. 
 
 `` Well,'' he said, `` you're not going to like this...'' 
 

