Both stopped and turned toward the sound. The figure approaching was, to say the least, peculiar. Small and thin like a dry branch, the person had tanned, scarred skin. Several parts of their body gleamed with exposed metal: a hand replaced by robotic pincers, protective plates on the chest, and a neck with visible wires blinking like faulty microcircuits. But the most mesmerizing feature was the left eye, which expanded and contracted like a camera lens, adjusting focus as it scanned the corridor with quick, restless movements.
"I knew it wasn't just a conspiracy theory! They thought they could hide this forever, but now it's out in the open!" The voice rose and fell erratically, excitement spilling out uncontrollably.
Mars-1549 stepped closer, narrowing his eyes in curiosity.
"Hey! What are you talking about? What did you know?"
The figure stopped, leaning forward as if studying Mars-1549 with their mechanical eye. The lens adjusted again, clicking dryly before they replied.
"Don't you see? X Company, Union Orbital, all of those corporations!" The figure waved their thin arms, gestures exaggerated. "They've known about this for decades! The Dyson Sphere, Type II civilizations… They've already been in contact!"
"In contact?" Mars-1549 crossed his arms, skepticism written across his face, though curiosity glimmered in his eyes. "And what makes you think that?"
The stranger let out a short, choking laugh, more a bark than a genuine laugh.
"You think they just found this now?" They pointed dramatically toward the station's ceiling, as if the answers were somewhere out in space. "Since the first colonies on Mars, strange signals have been intercepted. Energy pulses, structures too improbable to be natural. Ancient civilizations on Mars, maybe… But they erased the data, buried the evidence! Always said it was pareidolia, interference, or system glitches. But it was more than that. It was communication."
Mars-1549 exchanged a glance with Moses, who shrugged, clearly skeptical.
"Alright, and why do you think they decided to announce it now?" Mars-1549 asked, turning back to the stranger.
The mechanical eye adjusted again, focusing directly on Mars-1549's face.
"Because they've lost control." The voice dropped to a near-whisper. "Maybe the others decided it was time. Maybe it was a threat, or an agreement. But one thing's for sure: if they've announced it, it's because they're desperate."
Moses finally intervened, his tone dry.
"Alright, buddy. And who are these 'others'? Who's behind this Dyson Sphere?"
The stranger smiled, revealing yellowed teeth, some replaced with shiny implants.
"No idea," they answered, their expression a mix of madness and conviction. "But they're ancient. Older than anything we can imagine. Maybe they're just watching us... or maybe they're already among us."
The silence that followed was heavy, and Mars-1549 felt a chill run down his spine.
"Hey, and how do you know all this?" Moses asked, the skepticism in his voice growing stronger.
The stranger let out another choking laugh.
"I worked on X Company's monitoring satellites. Years ago. I saw things… things that made me want to tear out my own eyes." They tapped the mechanical lens. "Unfortunately, I only managed to replace one."
The stranger took a step back, their gaze frantic, and started retreating, but not before delivering a final warning.
"They know you'll want answers. But be careful. Sometimes, it's better not to know what's in the dark…"
With that, they disappeared into the crowd in the corridor, their shouts echoing as they faded from sight.
Mars-1549 remained rooted in place, the stranger's words swirling in his mind like a storm.
"What do you make of that?" he asked Moses, his eyes still fixed on the now-empty corridor.
Moses glanced at the corridor where the stranger had vanished, then at Mars-1549. A crooked smile formed on his face as he exhaled deeply, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder.
"I think you shouldn't go talking to lunatics. He's probably had too much to drink."
Mars-1549 let out a short laugh but remained thoughtful. Without another word, the two walked toward the exit, the silence between them heavy with the weight of the night's revelations.