Sigma Altaris VI, Code-named "Zhandria",
Earth Calendar July 25th, 2499, 0900 Hours Standard Time;
Terran Consortium Archeological Site Alpha 998A.
Doctor Halsey was staring at the alien artifact with a look of complete astonishment. After a couple of seconds, Halsey snapped back to reality and turned to Malkine.
"What do we know about the artifact?" asked Halsey.
Malkine shook his head. "Nothing, other than it's very big. We have no clue how long the artifact has been here; it's origin, and its purpose. We were just about to send a team into the artifact when you arrived." And as Malkine finished his sentence, a pair of GEVs, Ground Excavation Vehicles activated, and hovered towards the massive artifact.
"We'll keep you informed of what we find, Doctor."
A black-armored Marine Lieutenant walked into the query. "Captain Archer?" the Marine asked. Archer turned around to face the Marine. "Sir, your wanted aboard the Andryakova by Admiral Hanley, he says it's urgent, sir."
"Inform the Admiral I'm on my way, Lieutenant." And Archer followed the Marine to the transit, and the two men boarded the vehicle and it sped off.
---
An hour later, Archer was standing at attention in the observation lounge of the Consortium Battleship, Andryakova. Vice Admiral Hanley stood with both hands clasped behind his back, looking out of the large, bubble-shaped view port of the lounge. Unlike the Zephranteyes, which lacked any form of simulated or artificial gravity whatsoever, the Andryakova had a large rotating section in the middle of the large vessel.
Archer had been waiting in the lounge for a good twenty minutes now, and Hanley had yet to speak. He was rather uncomfortable standing at attention for such a long time, but he remained quiet, it would be rude to do so otherwise. Finally, Hanley turned around and spoke.
"At ease, Captain," said Hanley in a rasped voice. "Please, sit down, son." Archer took a chair at the long table located in the middle of the lounge. Hanley remained standing.
"I bet your wondering why I called you up here, especially with our recent discovery of the alien artifact on the planet's surface, and why I kept you waiting for so long." Archer nodded. "Well, let me tell you a little history of Sigma Altaris VI. Sigma Altaris VI was colonized in the year 2254, lost during the Shadow War, and recolonized in 2456, and was on the fringe of the Consortium. The planet itself has no strategic value, no resources, and is barely habitable by Human standards. A team of scientists visiting the planet found an alien artifact not unlike the one you saw today, and another team found another. They analyzed these artifacts, and after a few days of study, they went completely crazy.
A squad of Marines killed the scientists, but not after they murdered two hundred people. The Office of Naval Intelligence looked over the scientist's notes, and they found astonishing information. A day later, High Command evacuated the planet of its civilian population, and we established this base you see here today." Hanley gestured towards the red planet below. "As you know, it's only been recently since we've allowed civilians to live on Sigma Altaris VI."
"And what of their records, sir?" asked Archer.
"The scientist's notes on the artifacts are so classified, I can't even tell you the header of the first page," replied Hanley.
The intercom on the wall crackled. "Admiral, sir, could you please have Captain Archer return to the planet? We might have found something, sir."
"This is Hanley, I'll send him down immediately." He clicked off the COM. "Now Archer, we think we have an idea of what this artifact is, and my orders to you are that if anything weird or crazy starts to happen down there, do not get involved. You understand me, son?"
Archer was confused, and he wrinkled his brow, but responded. "Perfectly, sir."
"Good. Your dismissed, son." And Hanley turned back to the view port, hands clasped behind his back. Archer got up from his chair, saluted, and walked out of the room. Archer was completely baffled as to why the Admiral called him up here, wasting valuable money and fuel to basically tell him a riddle. He knew superiors were supposed to be confusing, but not as confusing as Hanley was, moments ago.
Archer kept on thinking about the Admiral's words as he boarded a shuttle back to the planet.
---
Archer entered the query, and was immediately met by Malkine.
"Where's Doctor Halsey?" asked Archer.
"He's had prior engagements he needed to attend to right now," replied Malkine. "Follow me." And the two men walked further into the query, and boarded an elevator. Malkine hit the down button, and the elevator slowly descended. After a five hundred meter drop, the elevator stopped, and the two men exited it.
Two men in GEVs were working on what appeared to be an old-fashioned fuse box. Sparks flew from the panels next to the box, as they attempted to rewire the ancient machinery.
Malkine spoke. "We believe we found an ancient power grid on this reactor. We have no idea what they might do when connected, and we simply wanted a senior officer present when we connected the grid." Malkine nodded to one of the men in a GEV. "Do it."
And the GEV put two large wires together, and activated a portable fusion battery. Power and electricity flickered from the wires, and entered the fuse box. Then, the whole artifact lit up in a spectacle of energy. Archer looked up in complete awe. The black artifact kept shimmering from colors of bright red, silver, gold, brilliant white, and to dark purple, and black again. Then, all at once, the artifact dimmed, and the power disappeared.
"That's it? Just a light show?" asked Malkine in disappointment, and kicked the fusion battery, before walking off and boarding the elevator. Archer, however, was scrutinizing the artifact a little more carefully. He swore he saw a small black, shadowy figure in the corner of his eyes, and when he turned, it disappeared. One of the men in the GEVs started coughing, furiously.
"You ok, Sergeant?" asked Archer. The Sergeant cleared his throat, hit his chest a few times, and swallowed.
"Yes, sir. I reckon I just got somethin' in my throat, that's all, sir." And the man went back to his work. Archer made note of all that had happened, and joined Malkine in the elevator, took one last look at the artifact, and hit the up button. After going through the security check points which seemed to be the tenth time that day, Archer took a transit to downtown New Eden, the capital of Zhandria.
After wondering the downtown area for a while, he eventually found his favorite bar, Zhanos. Archer ordered a single malt scotch, and sat at one of the many booths in the bar. Archer kicked his head back and listened to the music; he had been away from New Eden for to long. Archer took a sip of his drink when he noticed a very attractive redhead, with green eyes, a seductive look and cleavage was sitting across from him.
"Are you Captain Jack Archer of the T.C.S. Zephranteyes, who visited the alien artifact and Admiral Hanley today?" asked the redhead. Archer was taken aback, but responded.
"Yes, but that information is classified. Who are you?" asked Archer.
The redhead introduced herself. "I'm Rachael McDaniel, my comrades call me 'Quierath Mots'." She laughed at her own joke and the look on Archer's face.
Authors note, Quierath Mots is Tari for "Want more".
"I'm just teasing, they don't call me that. But on a serious note, I'm the leader of the Terran Resistance. You may have heard of us on the newsnets." Archer nodded. He heard about the Resistance daily, and the mayhem they caused against the Consortium.
"Well your obviously not a smart leader, coming here to Zhandria, the biggest military base next to Earth in all of the Consortium. What the hell are you doing here?"
"I'm here to offer you to join the Resistance. My contacts and I have reason to believe that the artifact you found here today is a Shadow artifact, and a dangerous one at that. What did Admiral Hanley order you to do when you met with him?"
Archer paused. "He ordered me not to interfere if anything weird happens on the planet."
McDaniel held up a finger. "Exactly. We have reason to believe that key members of the Office of Naval Intelligence knows about these artifacts, and wants the Shadows to return, so that they can take the credit for defeating them a second time, and take over the entire Consortium."
Archer thought about what McDaniel had just said, all that had happened today, and the orders he had received. It made sense, why else would he be told not to interfere with the possible deaths of hundreds, and information about what the last expeditions had found?
"I'll think about it," Archer finally said.
"Good. I'll be staying at the Grand New Eden Hotel. You know where that is? Good, then I'll be seeing you." And with that, Rachael McDaniel got up, kissed Archer on the cheek, and walked off. Archer sighed, shook his head, and finished his drink. As Archer got up, the bartender suddenly started choking. He coughed three times, cleared his throat, and stopped choking. He then went back to his work as if nothing had happened.
Archer raised an eyebrow and left the Zhanos Bar. As Archer walked into the darkness, unknown to him, a shadowy figure got up from his table, left the bar, and followed Archer as he walked towards the transit area…
End of Chapter 2.