Chapter 1: The Vampire's New Dawn

In the year 2022, Earth finally sent a manned mission on Mars. The newest discoveries on the field of fusion made it possible to build engines that could take humans to Mars. This mission was more symbolic than practical, but it returned the hope in space exploration. Fifteen years later, the first colony was built. This colony was but a small research station, but, a step has been made.

Ten years after that, the first city was built, and humans began terraforming the planet.

Three centuries after that monumental day as the first atmosphere processing facility was opened Mars was completely changed. Humans had many cities, and made Mars almost earthlike. The air was breathable and thick enough to allow almost Earth weather with enough CO2 to make the temperatures a little higher than they were. Where there were only vast desserts, now were seas, and with vast fertile soil for farming, humans began exploiting the untouched mineral wealth of Mars. More and more humans came from the overpopulated Earth and more and more cities, farms and mines opened every day.

One day, it was declared that one of the biggest iron mines had ore for only five more years, so the authorities decided to search for a new deposit. On Mars lived the foremost human geologist, Dr. Earl Marshall. He was responsible for finding most of the mining sites on Mars, some of them containing minerals unknown on Earth. He was entrusted with the task of finding the new iron deposit. Although he had discovered many things, his greatest discovery still waited patiently under the sand.

On August the 15-th 2317, Dr. Marshall set off to find the new deposit in a vast desert area, and he was scanning the sector for ore when his assistant called him.

- Dr. Marshall, come take a look at this. The scanner found iron, titanium nickel, and also steel eight meters under us. The first, Ok, but steel? — said his assistant, John Flyer.

- Steel? Maybe the scanner is malfunctioning... no, no problems. So this is something artificial.

- So, Earl, do you think we found something alien? — John asked.

- No. It's probably and old NASA mission or something. I'll call back to the base and we'll dig it out with the diggers.

Suddenly, the scanner let out an ear piercing noise.

- Dr. I don't know how to say this, but the scanner picked up a life form, very faint, though, but what ever it is, it has been down there for 300 years.

The moment of truth came. When Dr. Marshall said he found a life form still alive after three hundred years in the sand, a small crowd quickly gathered. After a few hours of digging, the diggers pulled out a busted up ballistic missile with a makeshift cryochamber as a payload. For what purpose their ancestors have sent this rocket here, they could only guess, but when the chamber was taken to the main lab and was opened, it all became clear.

Inside was Martos, the most horrifying creature they have ever seen, even though humans had made contact with aliens a long time ago. Martos stood in the same pose in which he was frozen, with an incredibly furious face expression, unnaturally long fangs that were about 3cm, and with beastly claws for hands.

His entire appearance was frightening, beastly, and even unnatural. The doors were deeply scratched and this showed that even with liquid nitrogen it took several seconds to freeze this thing solid. Many of the present were terrified, and one could see that many were thinking "What the hell is that?", and the anticipation to hear the report of the biologists was unbearable.

Finally the chief biologist, Dr. Heather Wilkins spoke

- Well, our scans show that obviously this person is not human, but at the same time is.

- What do you mean by that dr.? — A reporter spoke.

- The genetic scans show that he has human DNA, but he also has three other DNA chains attached to it, and these are completely unknown. I have never seen something like it before. Let me show you. - She turned to a small screen.

- The four chains, separated. No .1 is a normal human chain, and the other three are completely unknown. Also only the first is complete, the second is 97% complete, and the last only 64%. It would seem they are slowly built. Here is a show of his DNA chains together. The composition is so complex that any attempt to separate the DNA is impossible. But, we'll know more about him when we wake him up.

- Dr. are you sure that's wise? I mean, our ancestors surely sent this thing here for a reason. Who knows what might happen if we let it loose. — said another reporter.

- What ever he is or whatever his crimes, he cannot be left like this. He has the right of a second chance just like everyone else. — Dr. Wilkins said and ended the interview.

In the next 12 hours Dr. Wilkins and her team began thawing Martos. This was a complex and delicate procedure, as the freezing had severely damaged his body, at some points the damage was critical. After he was finally unfrozen, they left him lying on a table and Dr. Wilkins spoke

- Good work everyone. Now, let us just hope his body can reactivate itself. Activate the containment fields just in case he wakes up in a mood as bad as his look. A few seconds after the invisible fields activated, Martos jumped up with remarkable speed, still furious, but started to calm down when he looked around. His fangs slowly retracted inwards, his face calmed down, and the beastly paws changed into normal human palms. The ferocious creature turned into a normal man. As a matter of fact, Martos looked as a normal twenty year old man totally unnoticeable. He turned to Dr. Wilkins and spoke in a mellow voice that inspired trust.

- What is this place? How long have I been frozen?

- You were frozen for over 300 years, and are now in the main lab of Abidos, the capitol of Mars.

Martos closed his eyes and raised his head slightly, as if he was thinking something. He then opened his eyes and turned to Dr. Wilkins again

- Humans are now on Mars, while we are extinct. The others are gone, all I hear is emptiness. How unfair is faith to us.

- Who are these "us" you speak of? — A man further back asked.

- Me and my people, that's who. Faith does not want us to be strong, but it also denies me death. I fear I am doomed to live for many more years. A vampire's life is a difficult one.

- What! You say you're a vampire? I don't believe it. — The same man replied with a smile.

- Deactivate this field around me and I'll prove it. — Martos replied with a wicked grin.

As the man's smile left his face, Dr. Wilkins spoke

- Please, there is no need for violence. We mean you no harm. Hear us out before you make us your enemy. By the way, how do you know there is a field around you, you barely moved since you woke up?

- I can easily hear the buzzing of the generators because of my enhanced hearing. And I agree I will hear you out, but the decision whether or not you are my enemies is mine to make.

- Fair enough. Why don't you tell us about you, maybe that will remove some prejudices towards you? — She said.

- My name is Martos, which is an old vampire name. But, I believe I got a second chance, and I think I need a new name. I think that Jonathan, or John is an adequate name, so call me that. As for my past, you can find the story in great detail somewhere else. In the XIV-th century the Catholic Church took an old Latin manuscript from a dying vampire. The book is called "The book against the Heathens". It describes the interspecies war in the sixth century. I believe it is still in Vatican's secret library.