Terraforming Mars

In the mid 19th century, a group of exceptionally wealthy families came together to discuss their disdain over the direction of the world. They formulated an agenda. In order to achieve their aims, they would need to develop a secret worldwide network.

The covert organisation that they formed was called Advanced Revolutionary Kingdom (ARK). Their goal was to rule the world from the shadows. ARK decided to ordain themselves the arbiters of humanity’s fate. Over the decades, these families expanded their influence and power by funding various wars and secret scientific advancements, influencing the political tides, and setting up covert bases around the globe to monitor and protect their interests.  

On that fateful night in 1947, when the illusion of cosmic solitude was shattered, ARK were perfectly positioned to steal the crashed alien ship, and the technological fruit that it bore. 

Armed with this new treasure, their motives evolved. The elite members decided to develop a new advanced civilisation where they could live with their families. This new society would serve as a foundation for them to expand their dominion into the stars. It was decided that Mars would be the most advantageous location to establish this new society… 

Siting at 229,000,000 kilometres from the sun, the red planet is a harsh mistress. The vast expanse of the ubiquitous crimson landscape is not an optimal environment for human survival. Unprotected, blood would boil due to various gases dissolving into the cells. A lack of a global magnetic field, coupled with a thin atmosphere, means vulnerability to radiation from high-energy cosmic rays. There is also the small task of trying to breathe. With an atmospheric composition of approximately 95% carbon dioxide, breathing would certainly be a challenge. And what about growing food? While the Martian soil does contain some of the macro and micro nutrients required—nitrogen, hydrogen, potassium, iron, and zinc—crops would not survive due to the extreme environment.

These challenges notwithstanding, the technology gained from the scientific scrutiny of the alien craft meant that ARK could overcome these obstacles and begin to change the Martian environment to suit their needs. It also meant that they could manipulate their own genetic code to allow them to be more adept to life in space and other planets. It was a risky move, but the ambition of the ARK elites emboldened them to push their biological limitations and strive for cosmic greatness. 

Sky machines of various shapes and sizes were constructed that possessed artificially intelligent minds. They may have been considered rudimentary compared to the original alien craft discovered in Roswell, but nonetheless, these machines operated autonomously and with great efficacy. Just like other sentient life forms, each ship developed their own unique personality. They enjoyed maintaining regular communication with one another and their crew members. The chatter between the machines was known to get quite complex. Each ship also contained its own unique robots to maintain the interiors and to serve as more dexterous avatars for its consciousness. The propulsion system of these great machines was engineered to bend the fabric of space time to allow for swift travel throughout the solar system. A trip to Mars would only take an hour. These highly advanced artificially intelligent machines were tasked with their first two primary directives—to begin the process of terraforming Mars and construct a new metropolis for the future inhabitants. 

Sky machines were not the only marvels that were built. ARK began to genetically engineer and birth their citizens through the process of ectogenesis. These Martians would be smarter, faster, stronger and better than human beings in every way. It was the dawn of a new species—Homo Deus. 

Chief among them was a secret warrior—one who could ensure that the directives of ARK were carried out with brutal efficiency. Engineered in that cavernous underground facility, he was the perfect arbiter of fate. Unlike the test tube babies who were raised on Mars, this future warrior named Isaac was to be nurtured on Earth, by parents from ARK’s elite. The purpose was to instil a unique understanding of humanity so that he could carry out assassinations, infiltrate countries, and carry out various other operations to suit the ARK agenda. 

Raised in a small town close to his birthplace, Isaac was not like the other engineered citizens; he was unique in ways they were not. 

Designed to be the ultimate weapon, Isaac was gifted with many superhuman abilities. As he grew, he began to discover these abilities and came to understand that he was quite different to other children. Advancing rapidly through the school system, by age eleven Isaac had a degree in mechanical engineering. Later, as a teenager, he received a masters in software programming. Deliberately encouraged by his parents, he was also a champion kickboxer and often competed in divisions above his age and weight class—regularly decimating his challengers. Although locals would question his abilities, ARK were scrupulous in mitigating any suspicions that the community may have had. Mysterious disappearances were known to happen… 

At age eighteen, Isaac was told the truth about who he was and began his military training with ARK. He became the most fearsome covert agent the world has ever known. Code named Alpha X, he regularly carried out secret missions for ARK and expanded their interests. Throughout the late 20th century and early 21st century, Alpha X would shape the fate of Earth and the new metropolis on Mars, now known as Eridania. 

Decades passed as ARK maintained their secret control of Earth and solidified their position on Mars. The people of Earth remained completely oblivious to this rapidly evolving breakaway civilisation—due to ARK’s masterful manipulations of technology, politics, and media. The Advanced Revolutionary Kingdom had no rival to challenge their ascension. 

Then, in the year 2021, deep in the now idle ARK facility on Earth, where the remnants of the old alien craft from 1947 lay dormant, its power system flickered momentarily. In that brief instant, a distress signal was sent out into the hauntingly cold and vast void of space...