Echoes of Memory: Beyond the Stardust

At 3:17 p.m. Mars Standard Time, a dust storm was brewing over the Acidalia Planitia. Orange-red dust gathered along the distant horizon into a hazy barrier, like a dormant giant beast slowly closing in on the Rusty Harbor settlement. The repair shop’s alloy roller door was half lowered, blocking most of the raging sand, but not the dry chill that seemed to seep into one’s bones. Lin Mo crouched on the ground, a miniature laser welding torch between his fingers. Its blue beam danced across the damaged mechanical parts, emitting a faint sizzling sound.