“I think entrance to what I found was underground a half mile from here.” Henry explained. “It should not take us long to get there.”
“Be careful.” Nari suggested again. “I will be ready to come get you once the repairs are done.”
“I leave this in your hands.” Basta replied. “Get the shuttle back to flyable and await message from us.”
“Will do.” The flight engineers replied, both nodding
“Be careful both of you.” Nari said with a nod. “I’d hate to look for a new captain.”
“You won’t have to.” Basta said with a nod. “Take more than some aliens to get rid of me.”
The flight crew went to work as Basta and Henry headed off to their destination, to find the source of the gravitational anomaly and answers to what had happened in this universe
The group walked and the signs of anyone living in the place grew more prevalent. Though the city was long abandoned, there seemed to be aliens living in it. The pair managed to catch a glimpse of the aliens. They were humanoid in size with dark red skin. They look almost reptilian and were heavily armed.
“They look like raiders.” Basta commented. “Using anything they can find from the area and moving on.”
“Seems likely.” Henry responded. “We should not be easily detectable outside of our technology. I rigged a scanner on the shuttle so it should not be easily noticed by them.”
“What is the stop them from finding what we are going to.” Basta added. “Would they not have tried to strip is as well?”
“The thing I detected gives off a very strange scrambling field.” Henry replied. “Were it not for information form the administrator, I would not have found it at all.”
As the group got deeper the area became more and more barren, rubble was piled up and the area seemed to have not been much explored due to the advanced state of decay.
“I think we are here.” Henry said, reaching to unshoulder his tablet.
“There’s a pit here.” Basta replied. “I brought some grav harnesses and we can go down.”
“Sounds much easier than the last repel.” Henry said as he hooked up the gear with Basta. “This hole seems to only go down a few stories.”
The pair repelled down, the hole seeming to be what was left of a massive building that had collapsed. It looked mostly untouched since it caved in and lead down exactly to where the pair needed to go. As they got to the bottom there seemed to be a building, built with technology similar to the ships and untouched by the ravages of time.
“Well this is most definitely it.” Basta commented. “This looks much different that the other stuff.”
“It both seems to be comparable to the tech from the ship and not.” Henry replied, scanning with his tablet. “It is not a ship, it is more akin to a vault or archive.
“How do you think that it links up with the other things we have found?” Basta asked. “Is there power coming from inside.”
“Yes.” Henry replied. “There is definitely a wave compatible reactor powering the place. But it is impossible to tell what it’s intent is.”
“What about this?” Basta said as he looked to a large symbol written on the front of the structure. “Any idea what this could say?”
“Well we do have an archive of alien languages from the device Chalice worked on.” Henry explained. “It does seem to be similar to the language of the people who made the ship. I am feeding it through the computer and seeing if we can translate it.”
“How accurate would it be?” Basta asked. “The words could be separated by thousands of years of advancement.”
“Like language on earth evolved over generations?” Henry replied. “Though there are huge differences in languages over time most are based on certain core dialects. This alien language is likely the same. The computer cannot make an exact match but can take a guess based on similarities.”
“What does it suggest?” Basta asked. “Anything that would give us some ideas would be helpful.”
Henry doublechecked the results, the computer guessing the same word repeatedly as it was by far the most likely root word. “The computer seems to think that the writing says treasure.”
“So, this is like a treasure vault hidden by the enlightened aliens?” Basta asked, seemingly curious. “I don’t know how much ancient alien gold and diamonds are going to mean to us.”
“The term treasure is highly subjective.” Henry began. “First of all, it might mean simply, something of value, and that goes beyond simple wealth or valuable items. To a society focused on philosophical and technological enlightenment, knowledge could be the greatest treasure. Also, this is written in their simplest dialect, it is meant to be found and meant to be used.”
“Alright.” Basta replied with a nod. “Let us go take a look.”
Without further ado, Henry and Basta began to examine the door. Henry could tell there was some sort of mechanism but could not figure out how to activate it. “It seems that the door and the inner workings are still intact. Though your best guess on how to get it open is as good as mine.”
The pair found a podium near the entrance and a myriad of metallic discs with alien symbols rested on it.
“It is a puzzle.” Basta replied. “You need to get just the right piece from elsewhere on the door and fit it in the slot there on the front.”
“Can we just start trying them?” Henry asked. “And see which one works by trial and error?”
“That is not the best tactic.” Basta replied. “There are three ticks above the slot. I would guess that this means you have only three tries to open before the mechanism locks on the outside. And with no way of knowing how many people have tried it before we have to assume that it might be on two wrong guesses already.”
“Then we have to figure out the riddle and get it right.” Henry agreed.
Basta nodded, walking along and viewing the door. “There seems to be twenty different pieces that it could be. The door shows the symbol that’s a similar style to the one on the door, they once were seemingly the biggest thing out here…long, long ago. I am thinking that if we take the symbol of the aliens and put it in the slot we should open the door. This is it over here.”
Basta took the piece up and placed it in the slot. There was a click then the disc was spit back out. The lock reset but did not lock completely.
“Interesting.” Henry replied. “That did sound a little too easy. At least we are lucky that it was not the third wrong answer. We have at least one more guess left.”
“We need to make it count.” Basta offered “Do you have any different ideas? Because that was my best guess.”
“Well let us look at it another way.” Henry replied. “I have been scanning the various symbols and while most of them seem to refer to races and languages that mean nothing to us…one of them says builders…or ones who make.”
“You mean like architects?” Basta asked. “It could mean the people who built not just this city, but the archive itself.”
“That is true.” Henry replied. “It could be something referring to this place specifically and not the broader race.”
Basta picked up the indicated disk of the builders “Do you think that it might be this one?”
“Well usually the builders get to set the lock.” Henry replied. “And the ancient aliens were too obvious a guess. I would say that you had your best guess, this is mine. If it does not work and we get another we can go from there.”
“Agreed.” Basta replied, putting the disc in the slot. In seconds, the lock disengaged and powerful machinery slowly opened the door. Beyond was a long tunnel. Lights sprung to light, lighting up the tunnel and the pair began to continue on. Beyond was a long hall chamber that led to a small metallic craft, sitting over what looked like a dry slide that led to a darkened tube.
“What do you suppose this is?” Basta asked. “Some manner of vehicle?”
“It looks like it.” Henry replied, gesturing to a control panel
to the side. “It looks to be some kind of electro magnetic shaft that carries the craft deeper underground.”
“But is it truly wise to ride it?” Basta asked. “What if there is no way out at the other end?”
“There is no way to truly know.” Henry responded. “But a temple usually has many secret exits once inside. Besides, don’t you have this feeling inside you that is calling out to see what is at the other end of this?”
“Very much so.” Basta admitted.
“Then let’s do it.” Henry replied as he hit the panel, activating it. Power flooded the tube, causing the crat to float up at the ready. The vessel was held in place by a simple mechanism that looked like it could be disengaged in the craft. There was enough room for two people and Basta and Henry climbed aboard. Henry hit the switch and instantly the craft began to move, soaring down the ramp into darkness. The lights from the shaft peered ahead but could only see one bend at a time. The slide veered left, right, over and over, moving many, many meters through the long-lost underside of the city. Henry could only imagine the aliens carving out these tunnels and building the temple to connect the near surface opening to something remarkable beyond. The idea of the lost city and the affairs of the surface seemed moot next to this amazing adventure and the secrets that lay ahead.
At first the slides were at sleep angled, making it so the craft rushed quickly and would allow it to gather speed. However, as they went the plateaus lengthened as if they were starting to slow the craft down. They were getting to the end of their destination and it was about to get more interesting. The last slide deposited them at a dock at the end, the power still affecting the hull of the craft and slowly drifting it to lock in at the other side.
“The level of complexity in what they have built is amazing!” Basta commented. “I have never seen anything like this before.”
“Me either.” Henry commented. “This is truly a one of a kind temple.”
“What do you think is at the end?” Basta asked. “Treasure? Artifacts? An archive? I am sure it will be beyond imagining.”
“I am sure you are right.” Henry commented. “One would not build a place like this or anything less.”
“But is it still here?” Basta asked. “That is the question.”
“I would almost guarantee it still is.” Henry said as he got out of the craft and started to look over the platform. “I’d bet on it in fact.”
“How can you be so sure?” Basta asked. “They might have taken it with them?”
“When you take the treasure out of the treasure vault…” Henry replied. “You don’t relock it behind you.”
“Good point.” Basta agreed as he climbed out of the boat. “This is like an old adventure story of heroes exploring a lost temple.”
“Well we cannot afford to rush too much.” Henry replied. “For there is much effort in the building of this yes…but there might also be traps.”
“That is a good point.” Basta agreed. “The aliens on the surface for example would strip this place if they could get in. They would have to build something in to inspire and teach the right people and repel the others who would exploit it.”
“The people that evolved in this world were very enigmatic.” Henry began, “They likely lived on this planet in a time longer than we can determine. They seemed to have somehow rigged the planet to be protected against the death of their sun for people to find this place.”
“What happened to those they left behind?” Basta asked. “The abomination creatures that they left behind with evolution?”
“No way to know really.” Henry replied. “Part of me is hoping there might be some kind of answer here.”
The pair entered a room at the end of the platform, it was massive with a central pillar and a high domed roof. As the pair walked in the door shut behind them.
“It’s a trap!” Basta called out. “We need to get that door back open!”
“Stay still!” Henry demanded. “Whatever this thing is doing…it is just starting.”
The floor was all a series of massive metal discs, each one with a pattern unrecognisable but seeming to depict the same symbols as outside. Suddenly on right behind Basta fell out, plunging to the ground below.
“Look out!” Basta shouted, scrambling from area to area, trying to get to area that is not part of the disk.
Henry looked down and recognised something dangerous on the non-disk parts. “Don’t step off the disks! There is a lot of heat coming off of them.”
Basta paused, having been seconds from putting a foot down. “But if we stay on the discs we will fall. Being burned or falling to our death…I will pick being burnt!”
Henry watched another disc fall. “No! We are supposed to stay on the discs! Trust me!”
Basta nodded, stopping his movement and standing on the disc. “If we both die I will never forgive you.”
Henry laughed and as the disc he stood on feel he waved. The disc did not fall far, landing the level below in a slot slowed by magnetic energy. Henry was shaken but not even knocked off of his feet. Seconds later the disk under Basta fell and he joined him.
“You were right!” Basta said in an excited tone. “Have you figured this place out?”
“Not yet.” Henry admitted. “Though I do have a few ideas.”
Before Henry could speak further blades came out of the central pillar, one shot out to one side then another.
“I take it we are not supposed to stay on this level for very long.” Basta added.
“Very much not.” Henry replied. “Look for an exit to the next level.”
Basta moved over and found that there were a series of exits, some lit up with glowing stones, some that were pitch dark. “Dark tunnels and lit ones…I think we should take lit.”
“No!” Henry replied. “Take that dark one there and I’ll take one here. I am sensing a pattern.”
“You haven’t been wrong yet!” Basta replied, leaping into a dark entrance. Henry did the same, his world turning dark save for the small light from his flashlight, but soon he found himself on a slide and was safely deposited to the level below.
Basta got up and looked around. “More discs.”
Henry examined the area and indeed found a series of discs, each the same size as the ones above but these ones were fewer and spaced further out…also the ground around was not rigged with het traps. The central pillar began to light up with holes in the middle, threatening the launch energy out at any moment.
“I would imagine this is the last challenge.” Henry replied. “The entrance is below us.”
“Yes, but how do we get the discs to fall?” There seems to be lots of similar discs on the wall? Do we grab some?”
“I think so.” Henry replied, there are slots for several on each disk.
“One of each then?” Basta asked. “Though it seems there is more than there are slots.”
Henry looked around, the column seeming to grow hotter. He noticed that each area behind a disk had several of the same symbol. “No!” Pick enough of one symbol and only one symbol!”
“Got it!” Basta replied, running off to collect some disks. Henry did the same, gathering all of a symbol before placing them all in his disk. As he placed the last one it fell, followed shortly by Basta’s disk.
Both people looked around, the room was empty with the central pillar slanting to the far side of the room and a massive door beyond, the door began to slowly open.
“We did it!” Basta cheered. “How did you figure it all out?”
“The first puzzle was the beginning of the story.” Henry began. “It is about stagnation versus expansion. If you stay on the area you are safe for a time but stuck as you are. The falling discs represent the various alien races branching out.”
“That’s amazing.” Basta admitted. “And the next?”
“It is the journey into the unknown.” Henry replied. “To take the known paths would lead back and death. Only by committing oneself to a path that i
s random and facing uncertainty can you truly thrive.”
“This is all making a lot of sense.” Basta replied. “And the next?”
“The need of a people that are expanding to make alliances.” Henry explained. “The ancient aliens were colonialists not conquers. They knew their time was coming and they seeded the universe. They used the ships and archives like this one to teach them. They strove to work with the peoples they found to make stronger civilizations. Each of us had to get on a disc and pick the people closest…it released the disc and opened the next floor.”
“You never cease to amaze me.” Basta nodded. “I would not have gotten that one.”
“It seems we have solved the puzzle.” Henry noted as the door opened. “Let us go take a look.”
“I am excited for the treasure!” Basta replied. “Do you think there will be some sort of archive we can download?”
“It is hard to say.” Henry admitted. “The Administrator seemed to not have been given much information, preferring to help the races with stepping stones.”
“Well either way this was an adventure worth taking.” Basta admitted. “Another thing on a long list of things we have done together. It seems that np secrets are beyond our grasp.”
“By the way there is something I need to talk to you about.” Henry replied. “Something about what happens after this current mission and we return back home.
“Anything.” Basta replied. “You know you can talk to me about anything.”
“Fair enough.” Henry replied with a smile as the pair walked deeper into the structure. “I think after we return home Nari and I are going to take some time off. Build a house on Atlas and see about our relationship.”
“Finally settling down eh?” Basta asked.
“Yes and no.” Henry admitted. “Well for a time maybe. I do not know how long I can resist the call for advancement. But I owe it to Nari, I owe it to myself to find out.”
“I wish you both the best.” Basta replied. “As much as I enjoy how quickly you turn over to a new mission I understand taking some time for your lives. The Endeavor will always be waiting for you.”
“Thank you.” Henry replied. “For everything.”
Waves: The Collapsing Universe Page 17
