During preliminary site excavations on Mars, Celina Delacroix stumbles across evidence if an ancient civilization on Mars, evidence that threatens to topple governments and established religions as it rips apart the fabric of lies and deceit woven into human history, but there are those who would kill to keep those secrets buried in Martian soil!
Construction has begun at the site of the first Mars colony, Captain Brody Cameron in command of the project. Celina Delacroix, ship's Science Expert, explores and examines the system of caves that will serve as the crew's base quarters once renovated. Beyond those caves, lies a long, dark corridor that ends at a rock wall. Further examination puts her on an irresistible path to discovery. The rocky surface is easily swept away, revealing a huge metal wall. Her explorations halted by the order to return to ship, she excitedly relays her findings to Captain Cameron, writes up her initial finding report for him that includes her observations of the first caverns and smaller caves, adding her agreement to the proposed base quarters plans for the crew.
Over the next several days, she continues exploring the far reaches of the cavern system, focusing mainly on the metal wall. Strange lines and curlicues decorated the metal, as yet untested and unknown. Questions buzzed in her mind, articulated by a tendency to talk to herself when focused on a single task. Who would build a metal room on Mars? When? Why? It has to enclose something! She snaps tons of pictures and video clips before she finds a mechanism to open the wall, an enormous door that parted in the middle with each half sliding back into the wall. Beyond lay darkness so black it swallowed her light beam and revealed nothing. At the threshold of the huge doorway, she stops straining to see something, anything. As though sensing only one life form at the threshold, the door had only partially opened, wide enough for two people to walk side by side into the unknown. Celina hesitated, common sense urging her to stay, to contact the Captain with this latest discovery, but that lifelong need to learn, to know more, pulled at her, created a soul deep need to finally know... She took one step forward, her heart leaping into her throat, and then another. Cameron's voice came over the helmet radio, but she made no reply, only took another step forward.
As Capt Cameron reaches the enormous door barely cracked open, his gaze rooted on Delacroix, she walked through the door. He reached the threshold as the inky blackness swallowed her.
