Hidden Civilisation

“Good afternoon ladies and gentleman, my name is Doctor Franz Olsen. As you well know, I’m CEO of BSE (Bureau of Space Explorations). I called upon you today, to share something of unparalleled importance. Something that would change society for ever…

Advanced technologies allowing mankind to create planets in outer space have existed for decades, yet Earth remain the only true inhabited planet. My team and I have worked on a solution for this problem, and finally after twenty five years we cracked it. We combined DNA particles from every life source on Planet Earth, to create what we term ‘ACE’: Advanced Colonizing Ecosystem. In cooperation with NASA we engendered space shuttle ‘Populate’. A craft capable of creating a sustainable ecosystem, on one of our manmade planets known as Eve. Our probes confirmed, as of yesterday Eve became an inhabitable planet. It already boasts a plethora of mountains, trees, plants, barrier reefs and countless never before seen biota.  

The presentation room filled with cheers and congratulations. Doctor Franz spoke again. “Thank you thank you, now we come to why I called upon you all... Natural Geographic contacted us asking for permission to send a five man film crew out to Eve. We’ve granted them access on one condition: They take an elite team handpicked by my organization along with them. A unit who can provide security as well as find and repair a few lost probes. You are that team ladies and gentleman, and with your consent we intend to send you on a journey into Space. On the matter of payments, don’t fret; you’ll be rewarded handsomely.

A well-built man in his fifties stood up. “G’morning Doctor, that was quite an entertaining speech. I’d like to ask a few questions, if I may?” The Doctor nodded enthusiastically. “Who will be leading the expedition and what is the potential threat level?” The doctor sternly studied the Scotsman and replied. “You would be in charge of the expedition Commander Joe McMullan. The threat level is unknown, thus as a precaution I suggest you prepare for maximum protection…”  

10 Weeks later
Onboard NASA space transport vehicle ‘Explorer13’.  Date: December 15 2098. Location: Planet Eve                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Day1:

The giant space shuttle landed on an open patch in a green mountainous valley; surrounded by waterfalls, plants and trees. “Orders sir?” asked the young pilot ‘Bill Vaughn’, “Prep the constructer team, we need to set up HQ. I’ll handle the protection team” Ordered Commander McMullan. “Construction team Alfa, please report to your exit compartment” commanded Vaughn over the ship intercom.

The Construction crew’s exit compartment was a gigantic area filled with heavy machinery, build materiel and all other industrial necessities. The crew were managed by Jack Collins, a man who had years of building experience. “Frank, you and your team are in charge of tree clearance, go prep your tree-dozers. Johnnie, you’re in charge of sleeping quarter construction; gather your team and move. Myp i-#.+p5,l start construction on the HQ” ordered Jack. And so began the first construction on Eve.

Day 5:

A young woman named Annie Field walked into Commander McMullan’s quarters and reported: “Sir, we received word from Jack Olsen. Camp1 is completed and ready for population. There is also a call from Doctor Franz in the coms room”. “Thank you miss Field. Please order Bill Vaughn to go ahead with inhabiting Camp1” replied Joe. “Right away sir” exclaimed Annie. Joe made his way to the coms room, where a video call from Franz Olzen awaited. The pale looking doctor did not bother greeting, instead he spoke in a rushed and concerned tone. “Ah Commander, I’m afraid that I have bad news. One of our probes was lost two hours ago, it transmitted this message minutes before it was incinerated: Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth. Can you make sense of this?

Seconds after reading the words Joe scrambled out of the room and yelled “Yes Doctor, perfect sense!” He ran straight towards the scout room and bowled an order at Mark Abrahams, a twenty five year old drone operator. “Abrahams, activate the heat signature drone”, Abrahams responded without question “Aye Sir, one moment… okay Drone’s up” ‘Good, now scan the area directly opposite the ship water supply” Said Joe.

Suddenly the drone screen flashed a warning and locked onto two approaching objects. “Sir, two invisible objects approaching at speed from the North” yelled Abrahams. “Shoot them down, shoot them down” Shouted the Commander. Mark responded in an instant and fired two heat seekers at the objects. The targets exploded into a blue cloud as the drone missiles struck.  “Water hunters, useless unless you give them the mask of invisibility. It’s then when they tell you the truth of their destructive nature” exclaimed Joe. “Never hear of them sir, what are they?” asked Mark. “They are tiny missiles designed for one purpose: To poison their enemy’s water supply without them ever knowing…”

“Sir, four ground targets spotted; I’m restoring normal optics” interrupted Abrahams. What they saw left them speechless. A couple of men wearing brown army clothing and gasmasks were carrying two other men dressed in the same apparel. “Is there supposed to be another exploration group on this planet?” Questioned the confused Drone operator. “Absolutely not” Exclaimed Joe McMullan, he continued; “send a team to pick them up, I’ll be waiting in the interrogation room.

 End of Part 1