Interlude – Treasure Hunt
"With over 25,000 years of computer records alone, the idea that anything – artifacts, cities, weapons – has been 'lost' is absurd. In my experience, if something can't be found, it's because someone wanted it that way."
-Dr. Henrietya "Corellia" Antilles, "Xenoarchaelogy Defined", New Journal of Ancient Studies (3678.10)
Malanose – Gree Enclave (Veragi Sector)
Abandoned Researcher facility
30:03:13
Malanose – a planet at the edge of civilized space. A world covered in dust and decay – and memories. Once this world had been pulsating with the strength of the mighty Gree Empire that had ruled this part of the galaxy and now all that remained was remnants of mystic technology-
The empire of the Gree – like so many others – had fallen: Their worlds became covered in ruins that told their tale to those who want to learn from history – or those who just want to steal the treasure of the past.
Dr Corellia Antilles was probably both. She was widely known as an expert for ancient and forgotten civilisations, but also as a specialist to find lost treasures in tight spots. And this was once again such a mission. An anonymous young curator had called her to find the Codex of T'tok, a work assembled by one of the last leaders of the Researcher cast and presumable hidden here on Malanose. Now the curator couldn't just go to this world and pick the piece up – that would be too easy: There was a reason why this part of the Veragi sector was called the Gree Enclave. But Dr Corellia Antilles, who was a friend of his father, had more than one way to reach forbidden worlds.
Dr Anitlles stepped up a ramp and looked over the ruined plaza that lay before her. Malanose was a ruined city-world. Nature had only reclaimed a part of the world – even after almost thirty-thousand years. The tall and monolithic buildings still reached high into the sky and were a silent monument for the long gone glory of the Gree.
She took out a datapad and compared the notes of the curator with the landscape markings around her.
"Dr Antilles?" her Bimm companion asked as he unloaded the equipment from the speeder, "Dr Antilles? Which way?"
Pacos was a treasure hunter, similar to Corellia Antilles herself. But the small, furry Bimm was young and inexperienced – but ambitious. She had picked him up on Asation, after he had claimed to know his way around Malanose. So far he had been a good help.
Corellia Antilles put her old hat back on and pointed towards a building almost opposite to the ramp where they were. "This way", she said.
Several hours later
Underground
The basement of the building had been a labyrinth – a dangerous one. Originally it had been designed to keep intruders out and the inhabitants save. Now, after almost thirty millennia, some of the systems were still active – mostly because they were of mechanical nature – or they had activated a long time ago and blockaded the path now, or the corridor had simply collapsed.
All these things had kept Dr Antilles and Pacos from getting any closer to the center of the labyrinth – the Codex Chamber.
"Careful now", Dr Antilles warned her companion and pointed along the corridor. Like all the other corridors, this one was tiled on ground, walls and ceiling and plunged into diffuse grey light. This whole place looked like a haunted house: Silent, abandoned, but still vigilant.
"Another trap, Dr Antilles?" Pacos asked.
Dr Antilles nodded. "I know this one: Don't step on any marked tiles – or die." She pointed with a laser marker on several tiles. "Don't step under any marked tiles in the ceiling – or die. Don't cross any 'barriers' formed by opposing marked tiles on the walls – or die. Understood?"
Pacos gulped. "Is there any tile we can step on? Or under?"
Dr Antilles gave him a reassuring smile. "Just follow my lead."
With that Dr Antilles carefully stepped forward and worked her way through the traps. One step after another she worked her was forward, carefully evading any dangerous tiles and certain doom. After reaching about the half of this trap-maze, Pacos began to follow her, trying to follow Dr Antilles footsteps. His body was shaking and sweat ran over his face.
"Who builds something like that?" he asked after reaching the midway himself. "How is this possible?"
"It's actually only a security system, Pacos", Dr Antilles explained, watching him from the end of the trap. "This system was never supposed to be active on a day-to-day basis, only at night. Think of it as an ancient laser-grid: You don't put something like that into your bank just to tick off your employees, you do it to protect your stuff."
"Oh", Pacos said with sudden realisation, "But why…"
That moment he didn't pay attention and that was all enough for him to slip. He swung with his arms, desperately hoping to regain balance, but the more he did so, the more he came closer and closer to the death-trap…
CRACK!
A stinging pain hit his arm and as he looked he saw the old leather whip that Dr Antilles always carried had slung around his arm. Before he could scream in pain or even realize what had happened, Dr Antilles yanked the small Bimm with such a force that he literally flew through the rest of the trap. As he flew, he saw the corridor behind him being filled with bright blue flashed of lighting, crackling between the marked tiles.
"Still active after all these years…" Antilles mumbled before she kneeled down to her companion. "Lesson for ongoing treasure hunters, Pacos: When evading a trap, never get distracted. Understood?"
Pacos was still in shock. "Ahm…"
"Now get up", Antilles said. "How is your arm?"
Pacos looked down and saw the red streaks where the whip had hit him. It burned and after the adrenaline rush was gone it would hurt a lot more. "Ehm… fine", he mumbled, "I think… Dr Antilles?"
"What is it, Pacos?"
"Thank you… for saving my life."
"You're welcome", she said with a smile, "Now let's get moving, we aren't finished here!"
Main Chamber
Later
Finally, they had arrived at their destination: A hexagonal chamber with a crystalline stasis block in the middle. Inside the field, on a thin pedestal, was a small, irregular-shaped ancient Gree device: The Codex of T'tok. The walls were filled with ancient control panels and one of them would release the Codex.
Dr Antilles carefully studied the panels and Pacos absorbed every little notion or comment she whispered. "That's it", she exclaimed after a while and pressed a large panel in the wall.
The room rumbled and from the ground, a hexagonal rail emerged around the stasis field. Like the walls, it contained panels and switches.
"This is the control grid for the field", Antilles explained, "Now all we have to do is…"
"S- step away from the panel", Pacos said with a commanding, but shaking voice. Antilles turned around to see Pacos with a blaster pistol in hands and pointing it at her.
"Pacos, what are you doing", Antilles demanded to know, but nonetheless followed Pacos' orders.
"This thing…" he said and pointed at the Codex, "It'll make me very rich. Some people will pay more for it than some stupid museum."
While keeping the pistol aimed at Dr Antilles, he slowly moved towards the control rail. "Now this shouldn't be so hard…", he mumbled.
"I wouldn't touch it if I were you", Dr Antillles interrupted him.
Pacos turned around. "And why not?"
"There might still be a security field active. The Gree were known…"
"Shut up!" Pacos shouted and turned back to the rail, "Do you really think I am so stupid to let you at the controls so you can…"
His hand touched the rail and in the moment he touched it a silvery blue security field that surrounded the rail flashed up and reduced Pacos, his gear, clothes and blaster to ashes in a matter of a mere blink of an eye.
The room was silent and Dr Antilles was alone. The field was still active and the Codex was still on the pedestal in the middle.
Antilles let out a sigh. "Why am I not surprised?"
Asation – Gree Enclave (Veragi Sector)
Spaceport cantina
30:03:18
Another business finished, Antilles thought, sipping on her drink. The curator had been very pleased that the Codex had been found and secured. Right now it was on its way out of the enclave to the Core, but that was not of Antilles' concern.
Right now her thoughts were more focused on her own imminent future: She had not the best relations with the Empire and some of her past jobs had gotten her in more or less serious trouble with the law. Not that she liked the Empire much, either, but somehow she had to make a living. Contracts like this one had become more and more rare, the more the Empire had tightened its grip on the market for artefacts. The rumours say the Emperor himself has an interest in lost artefacts, Antilles thought, I wonder why…
"Dr Antilles", a voice brought her back to reality. An Advozse had approached her table. He wore rugged spacer's clothing and made a serious impression. That could be a new opportunity…
"That depends", she answered and leaned forward.
The Advozse sat down in her booth, "My name is Lionel Gan-ma-ki. Currently the people I work for are looking for a lost Rakatan artefact. Interested so far?"
"Rakatan…" Antilles thought for a moment, "I haven't seen Rakatan ruins for a few years, but I know a few bits. What is this 'artefact' you look for?"
"A… device hidden by its creators a while ago. We don't know its exact purpose, but we have a few clues. We might to travel around a bit."
"So you know there is something somewhere out there in the galaxy and you only have a few hints. Sounds more like a long-time project to me."
Gan-ma-ki nodded. "To be honest, we don't have a time-scale planned but the sooner the better, of course."
Antilles nodded. "Of course."
"I will not deny that there a few risks involved", Gan-ma-ki continued, "But I have some… specialists that will provide security."
"You mean we will clash with the Empire", Antilles responded dryly.
"I can't deny it's a possibility", Gan-ma-ki replied. "Still interested?"
Antilles sighed. "I will probably regret this, but all right: You have your archaeologist. But I have a few conditions myself."
"I'm listening."
"I will be completely in charge of research and excavation."
"Of course."
"And these 'security specialists' will obey me, too, unless it specifically involves security issues. I have seen more than one dig ruined by careless mercenaries."
"My men a well disciplined", Gan-ma-ki replied, "But I agree."
"Very well", Antilles said and stood up, extending her hand, "To a good partnership then."
Gan-ma-ki stood up and took Dr Antilles hand. "To a good partnership."
End of Interlude
Author's notes:
-The opening quote is from the story Death in the Slave Pits of Lorrd.
-The Gree Enclave is from the old Adventure Journals.
-In case it wasn't obvious, Dr Henrietya "Corellia" Antilles is supposed to be a female, Star Wars version of Indiana Jones.
-That's for the interlude, the main story will continue in the next chapter.
-If you liked the story so far or have any questions, feel free to leave a review, thanks.
-JCE1985.