Lennier followed Dr. Carter up the path towards the cave. All around them was
the testament of the previous night's storm. The leaves of Edenberry bushes
were tangled up with equipment and other stuff that hadn't been properly tied
down. Several miners had been assigned to clean-up crew and were trying to sort
through the mess.
The cave was very large, and looked like it had been chiseled away gradually by
the diggers. Even now there were hundreds of them, in various parts of the cave
knocking away the stone to find what treasures lay beneath. Walkways were
constructed above to get to the higher parts of the cave. Carts moved back and
forth on a temporary track, transporting the rock debris out of the way.
At the far end was a tunnel which went down several meters. Along the walls
were long niches that had ancient writing engraved inside. Lennier held his
light to them and read what they said.
He turned to Carter in surprise, "These were burial tombs, we're in a catacomb."
She nodded, "The original miners found the bones of some Minbari. When we came
along I had Kendle and Huntington date them. We figure they died about 800-900
years ago. They were very well preserved due to the dryness this planet used to
have."
"Where are they now?"
"We've put them in a case to keep them from decaying, you can take a look when
we're done here." When he looked at her with a streak of shock and anger, she
gave him a hard look and said, "I'll put them back when I'm done." She then
turned and went down the tunnel, muttering. Lennier sighed, made a slight
gesture of prayer, and followed her down.
The tunnel opened up into a large chamber which was lit by several lights that
were hanging off the walls. They illuminated on the crew working on the walls
trying, without much success it seemes, to drill through. They illuminated
Huntington working on some machinery and swearing loudly. They also illuminated
the large door behind him.
It was a massive piece of work, at least ten meters high, and in the shape of a
triangle. Covering it was the writing which Carter had told him about, although
some had worn away. There was also some artwork depicting the cities on Minbar
and their ships engaged in battle with a Shadow. At the very peak, was a
picture of Valen surrounded by light. The whole thing seemed to be almost
moving in a fluid kind of way, but Lennier dismissed it as a trick of the light.
Beside it, set in the wall was a sort of dial, or rather, several dials,
stacked, each one smaller than the last. Engraved in the wall, encircling the
largest, was a series of symbols, 9 in all. There similar symbols on each dial.
Lennier was captivated by this and the door.
Carter smiled with smug satisfaction, "Fascinating, isn't it?"
He nodded dumbly, staring at the writing on the door. Already things were
jumping out at him, and he was starting to get a good idea of what was written.
several more chills went up his spine.
Meanwhile Carter approached Huntington and his equiptment. It was a strange
array of monitors, scanners, and other electronics she didn't even attempt to
identify. She only wanted to know what he was doing.
He was instantly in mock indignance, "Only what you told me love. You said you
wanted to see what's in there, and since that door won't budge, I've been
figuring on a way to take a peek."
He got up and led her to a group of diggers a couple of meters to the right of
the door. They were attempting to drill a hole in the wall. Carter pointed out
that they'd been trying to knock that wall down for weeks with no success.
"That's why I'm using a diamond drill love. Sure we'd never be able to knock
the whole thing down with one drill, but," he pulled a small probe out of his
pocket, "we can see what's inside using this little toy."
"What is it?"
He kissed the little device, "This is my baby. It's gonna emit sound waves and
transmit what bounces back." He grinned, extreemly pleased with himself.
She looked at the device doubtfully, "You thought of this all by yourself?"
His expression changed to slight hurt, "Yeah," he said, challenging.
She nodded, bitting her lip, "Good plan."
He shrugged, "Of course, if your new friend figures out how to open the door,
it'll be all for nothing." He called over to Lennier, "Oi! Any idea of what
that says, or is it just gibberish?"
Carter gave him a warning look and he instantly shut up. She then walked over
and stood behin Lennier as he continued to read the door. She waited a few
minutes before whispering, "Lennier? Do you know what it says?"
He was silent a few moments before saying, "I can't make out all of it. I'm
afraid time has worn a lot of it away. But I think it says here, "he pointed to
a spot on the door where the writing was clear, "'Symbol of our honor'
something 'of those who've gone before us', I can't read the rest of the line,
but below it says, 'pain and death to violaters'."
Everyone was very quiet until Huntington burst out, "Blimey! Not at all
welcoming, is it?"
the testament of the previous night's storm. The leaves of Edenberry bushes
were tangled up with equipment and other stuff that hadn't been properly tied
down. Several miners had been assigned to clean-up crew and were trying to sort
through the mess.
The cave was very large, and looked like it had been chiseled away gradually by
the diggers. Even now there were hundreds of them, in various parts of the cave
knocking away the stone to find what treasures lay beneath. Walkways were
constructed above to get to the higher parts of the cave. Carts moved back and
forth on a temporary track, transporting the rock debris out of the way.
At the far end was a tunnel which went down several meters. Along the walls
were long niches that had ancient writing engraved inside. Lennier held his
light to them and read what they said.
He turned to Carter in surprise, "These were burial tombs, we're in a catacomb."
She nodded, "The original miners found the bones of some Minbari. When we came
along I had Kendle and Huntington date them. We figure they died about 800-900
years ago. They were very well preserved due to the dryness this planet used to
have."
"Where are they now?"
"We've put them in a case to keep them from decaying, you can take a look when
we're done here." When he looked at her with a streak of shock and anger, she
gave him a hard look and said, "I'll put them back when I'm done." She then
turned and went down the tunnel, muttering. Lennier sighed, made a slight
gesture of prayer, and followed her down.
The tunnel opened up into a large chamber which was lit by several lights that
were hanging off the walls. They illuminated on the crew working on the walls
trying, without much success it seemes, to drill through. They illuminated
Huntington working on some machinery and swearing loudly. They also illuminated
the large door behind him.
It was a massive piece of work, at least ten meters high, and in the shape of a
triangle. Covering it was the writing which Carter had told him about, although
some had worn away. There was also some artwork depicting the cities on Minbar
and their ships engaged in battle with a Shadow. At the very peak, was a
picture of Valen surrounded by light. The whole thing seemed to be almost
moving in a fluid kind of way, but Lennier dismissed it as a trick of the light.
Beside it, set in the wall was a sort of dial, or rather, several dials,
stacked, each one smaller than the last. Engraved in the wall, encircling the
largest, was a series of symbols, 9 in all. There similar symbols on each dial.
Lennier was captivated by this and the door.
Carter smiled with smug satisfaction, "Fascinating, isn't it?"
He nodded dumbly, staring at the writing on the door. Already things were
jumping out at him, and he was starting to get a good idea of what was written.
several more chills went up his spine.
Meanwhile Carter approached Huntington and his equiptment. It was a strange
array of monitors, scanners, and other electronics she didn't even attempt to
identify. She only wanted to know what he was doing.
He was instantly in mock indignance, "Only what you told me love. You said you
wanted to see what's in there, and since that door won't budge, I've been
figuring on a way to take a peek."
He got up and led her to a group of diggers a couple of meters to the right of
the door. They were attempting to drill a hole in the wall. Carter pointed out
that they'd been trying to knock that wall down for weeks with no success.
"That's why I'm using a diamond drill love. Sure we'd never be able to knock
the whole thing down with one drill, but," he pulled a small probe out of his
pocket, "we can see what's inside using this little toy."
"What is it?"
He kissed the little device, "This is my baby. It's gonna emit sound waves and
transmit what bounces back." He grinned, extreemly pleased with himself.
She looked at the device doubtfully, "You thought of this all by yourself?"
His expression changed to slight hurt, "Yeah," he said, challenging.
She nodded, bitting her lip, "Good plan."
He shrugged, "Of course, if your new friend figures out how to open the door,
it'll be all for nothing." He called over to Lennier, "Oi! Any idea of what
that says, or is it just gibberish?"
Carter gave him a warning look and he instantly shut up. She then walked over
and stood behin Lennier as he continued to read the door. She waited a few
minutes before whispering, "Lennier? Do you know what it says?"
He was silent a few moments before saying, "I can't make out all of it. I'm
afraid time has worn a lot of it away. But I think it says here, "he pointed to
a spot on the door where the writing was clear, "'Symbol of our honor'
something 'of those who've gone before us', I can't read the rest of the line,
but below it says, 'pain and death to violaters'."
Everyone was very quiet until Huntington burst out, "Blimey! Not at all
welcoming, is it?"