Distress Call to Earth — Sol 121, Mars Year 73

The lights flickered once more. The cracked comms console hissed quietly, a thin whine building beneath Ivanov’s palm. Dust clung to the screen and danced in the air, static rising from every surface. Years of patchwork repairs had left the system more exposed than functional, but it was still alive. Still reaching.

He pressed record.

“Major Anatoly Ivanov, Vostok Station. Sol 33. Mars Year 74. We are initiating full lockdown. The storm is not extraordinary — but we are not what we used to be. Structural fatigue. Systems beyond repair. Food reserves are critical. Power fluctuating. Coolant at minimum safe levels. If this reaches command — We need resupply.”

One breath. Then the emergency relay slammed down beneath his hand.

“Let them witness the collapse,” he muttered, the words lost beneath the low, humming static. “If this doesn’t open their stockpiles... nothing will.”

The message vanished into the void.

📖 Read the full scene here: When the Sky Turned Red – Vostok Station