The Last Signal

I was never supposed to be the last human on Mars. The plan was simple: establish the base, initiate the terraforming protocols, and await the second wave of colonists. But as I stare at the silent red horizon now, it's clear I'm the only one left. The communications array flickered one last time three days ago, and since then, nothing. No transmissions, no rescue—just the quiet whir of the life support systems that are now my only company.

I remember the moment it all changed. A routine check outside the base, a standard protocol turned nightmare. A solar flare—a massive one, unexpected. It swept over the colony like a tidal wave of radiation, frying circuits and melting the delicate electronics that kept us connected to Earth. I was outside, suited up, when it hit. The others weren’t so lucky. They were inside, directly in the path of the flare’s devastating power.

Now, as I log this entry, I can't help but feel the weight of isolation pressing against my chest. My daily routine is a testament to human resilience—or perhaps stubbornness. I maintain the oxygen generators, the hydroponics bay, and the solar panels, which are ironically still operational, despite their role in our current predicament.

This morning was different, though. I noticed an anomaly on the distant ridge—the silhouette of what appeared to be an antenna peeking above the undulating dunes. It wasn’t ours; we had accounted for all our equipment. Curiosity, mixed with a desperate hope, propelled me forward. I decided to investigate.

The journey was treacherous. The rover bounced over the Martian landscape, each bump reminding me of the fragility of my situation. As I approached, the outline of a non-human structure became undeniable. It was sleek, metallic, and unlike anything human engineers had designed. My heart raced as I considered the possibilities. Could this be why the communications had failed? Was this an alien structure interfering with our systems?

I parked the rover a safe distance away and approached on foot, my steps slow and deliberate. The structure was a tower of some sort, its surface smooth and cold to the touch. No visible entry points, no seams—it was as if it had been grown rather than built. My mind raced with questions. Who built this? Why here, why now?

I circled the tower, looking for any sort of interface or indication of its purpose. That’s when I found it—a panel, not much larger than my hand, subtly different in texture from the rest of the structure. I touched it, and it lit up, pulsating gently with a warm, amber light.

The ground beneath me vibrated, and a low hum filled the air. The top of the tower opened like a flower at dawn, revealing a complex array of antennae and dishes pointed skyward. I stepped back, shielding my eyes as the tower emitted a powerful beam of light into the Martian sky.

Was it a signal? A call for help, or perhaps a beacon to bring others here? I couldn't know. What I did understand was that I wasn’t alone on this planet. Whether friend or foe, someone or something had reached Mars before us—or had been here all along, waiting.

The implications were staggering. I was standing at the precipice of mankind’s greatest discovery, yet I felt a profound sense of dread. What if they weren’t here to help? What if their intentions were hostile?

I rushed back to the base, my mind ablaze with the day’s events. As I sealed the airlock behind me, I glanced back at the tower, still humming in the distance. I needed to make a decision. Should I attempt to communicate, or disable the tower to protect the incoming colonists?

The console in the base beeped suddenly, snapping me out of my reverie. A transmission—weak but unmistakable—filtered through the static. “...if you receive this... help is on the way... eta 30 sols... stay safe...”

Relief washed over me, followed by a new wave of determination. I would guard this base, maintain the signal, and prepare for whatever—or whoever—was coming. Because now, more than ever, I was not just a survivor; I was the guardian of humanity’s outpost on this alien world.

And I would be ready.