Starship Legacy: A Novel by Not Elon Musk

16.

The modified rover sat at the entrance to the lava tube like a curious animal peering into a dark cave. They'd cleared away enough debris for access, revealing a roughly circular opening that disappeared into Martian darkness. Ben stood with the control pad, running through final checks while Mark set up additional sensor arrays around the entrance.

"Lights check," Ben announced, and the rover's powerful LED array blazed to life, cutting through the darkness. The beam revealed smooth walls curving downward, worn by ancient volcanic flows.

"Beginning video feed," Mark said from his portable station. Multiple screens showed different views – standard cameras, infrared, ground-penetrating radar. "Signal strength optimal."

Sarah stood next to Luke, practically vibrating with anticipation. She'd brought her tablet, ready to receive soil analysis data in real-time. "Remember," she said to Ben, "we need samples every twenty meters, focusing on areas that show high mineral concentration."

"Got it." Ben's fingers moved across the controls with practiced ease. "Starting initial descent."

The rover moved forward smoothly, its reinforced treads gripping the slight incline. Its lights revealed more details as it progressed – striations in the rock, subtle color variations, small debris. The tunnel walls showed none of the usual Martian wind erosion, preserved in their original state by eons of protection from the surface environment.

"First relay beacon deployed," Mark reported. "Signal holding steady."

Luke watched the feeds intently. The lava tube was even more impressive than the initial scans had suggested. The ceiling height remained consistent, easily tall enough for future construction. The floor, while not perfectly smooth, showed no major obstacles or dangerous degradation.

"Getting first soil readings," Sarah announced, her eyes fixed on her tablet. "Confirming earlier analysis... wait." She tapped the screen, enlarging a data set. "Moisture content is higher than expected. Significantly higher."

That got everyone's attention. Water, even bound in soil, was precious on Mars.

"Depth is sixty meters," Ben reported. "Temperature holding steady at 15 degrees Celsius. No significant radiation penetration detected." He glanced at Luke. "Want to push further in?"

Luke nodded. "Keep going. But mark this location – we'll want to do a detailed analysis of that moisture content."

The rover continued its descent, lights sweeping across the tunnel. Each new meter revealed brought fresh data, fresh possibilities. Sarah's tablet chimed regularly with soil analysis updates, while Mark tracked every minor vibration and temperature fluctuation.

"Hold up," Mark said suddenly, his voice sharp. "Getting some movement on the seismograph."

Ben's hands stilled on the controls. "Natural tremor?"

"Pattern matches previous observations. Small scale. Should pass in about forty seconds."

They waited, watching the rover's feeds. A faint vibration passed through the tunnel, barely visible on the video but clearly recorded by the sensors. Dust drifted down from the ceiling in a fine mist, catching the rover's lights like tiny stars.

"Structural integrity holding," Mark confirmed as the tremor faded. "No signs of stress fractures or instability."

Luke released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Another test passed. The lava tube was proving to be as stable as they'd hoped, maybe more so.

"Ben," he said, "take us to the first junction. Let's see what else Mars has been hiding down here."

The rover moved forward again, pressing deeper into the Martian underground. They were no longer just exploring – they were mapping humanity's future on Mars, one meter at a time.