Chapter 3.
“Father, there is one thing I would ask before we depart.”
“What is that, my son?”
“There is a child, an infant. Her parents will not survive much longer. Her father asks that I take her away from this, this ending. Yes. He knows who I am. He knows of my beginning. He knows that I will soon depart. Never has he asked me to spare him or his wife. His thoughts are only for the welfare of his baby daughter.”
“What will you do with her?”
“She must not know that I am to become a Procurator, like you, and like my grandfather, and his father before him.
“She will go to a couple who will raise her in love, in compassion, in the ways of truth.”
“What will you call this child?”
“I will call her . . . DAWN.”
REPORT FROM THE SITE
Axis: 72.625 °
Radial Offset: +1.5° LINK: 625 x 1012
Optics Settings: 3-D (Infra-red optional secondary)
Phase Modulation: Standard Bandwidth: .001°
Compression Ratio: Maximum
Transmission follows
(Viewer pans around and over, right to left; front to back.) (Image data is compiled, compressed and transmitted via Link.)
“Found in the rubble of an ancient stone structure. Adjacent to it is another object much degraded compared to the first. Both objects are identical in shape: roughly 12 inches wide, deep and long, and are a crystalline material.”
(View tightens for close-up of inscriptions printed on each surface.)
“These glyphs show what appears to be a concise and repeated symbol structure indicative of a race that had become well advanced in the use of two-dimensional communication devices. The groupings, together with repeated use of specific symbols, as can be observed from scan analysis, will greatly aid our translation efforts.
“Planetary conditions remain stable, though no atmosphere is present to shield against meteor showers which have been prevalent. Risk levels associated with the most recent meteor bombardment have decreased sufficiently to allow for actual manned exploration, should it be deemed beneficial. The planet’s orbit, though still decaying, has taken it out of the densest part of the debris field.
Archived records, though incomplete, suggest the debris field to be all that remains of the planet’s moon.
“Though the condition of both artifacts is, by relative approximation, equal; the symbols seen on the nearer of the two retain a higher level of clarity. This may enhance our ability to determine the extent to which the now extinct race developed its communication skills beyond the standard three-dimensional process.
“Relative intelligence of this race was apparently well into abstract cognition with some attention to social organization, as is indicated by the close proximity of these objects to others found nearby. More data must be analyzed before any further definitive postulations can be brought forth.
“Elsewhere, work continues on analysis of the objects found inside several of these crystalline structures.
(View switches)
“It appears from initial inspection that the techniques used in the insertion process were relatively primitive, utilizing mechanical rather than molecular manipulation. The inhabitants of this planet apparently did not possess technology necessary to do otherwise.
“It is reasonable to assume, therefore, that the disc-shaped objects identified within the crystals may not retain their original structural integrity, owing to multi-environmental degradation caused by introduction of the aforementioned fractures. Physical reconfiguration, based upon material similarity and proximity at this level will not likely yield significant data. It is believed that these objects had shifted from their original positions sometime before the planet’s seismic activity ceased. Additionally, the risk is great that physical repositioning of these artifacts may result in further degradation.
“Following is an holographic representation of the glyphs visible on the surface of the lesser degraded disc. Note: The power settings on the penetration scanners was set at lowest, so as not to further degrade the artifact.”
—-sperion. Conc—-rations are still at criti—- -evels.
Hade- left this mor—— to search f— survi—rs. Nahm ha- -ot been seen sinc- —- d—- ago. I fear - will not la— -he nigh-. Hope so—on- finds this. G—- bye. Bro-.
“Ground-penetration scans in the vicinity have revealed several rectilinear objects which appear to be in much better condition than the smaller ones shown in this transmission. Each object’s dimensions appear to be consistent, approximately 2 by 3 by 7 feet. Apparently they had been linearly aligned and buried some time before seismic activity ceased. Preliminary scans show no evidence of degradation of the exteriors to be present, as can be seen in the surface artifacts. However, owing to the depth at which the objects were found, the accuracy of our scans has yielded less than optimum data. Remote analysis of the container’s interiors indicates decayed organic matter, which suggests these may be burial containers.
The surface artifacts are crystallized, very similar to other objects found within the 200 foot search area. We have identified numerous other sites similar to this one, scattered across much of the planet surface. Their circular patterns suggest that low altitude, high-order thermonuclear explosions caused the crystallizations.
“Wide angle scans of the surface near by seem to indicate the one-time presence of several large pyramid-shaped structures located in relatively close proximity to each other. Their construction appears to have been composed of large cube-shaped stones fitted closely together and stacked one upon another. Numerous stones of similar shape have been found in the vicinity, suggesting a random but powerful redistribution prior to or during the planet’s seismic period. However, since only the bottom three courses still remain in place, little can be determined regarding their original size or purpose. Similar structures have been located on the opposite side of the planet, though they are fewer in number and much smaller in size.
“Several burial plots have also been located a short distance from this research site. However, owing to the high degree of degradation, they have not yielded information significantly different from that obtained in other systems. Our most promising artifacts are those described in this report.
“Preliminary findings suggest that the inhabitants of this planet had made significantly greater technological advances than those of nearby systems, as evidenced by the quality of the artifacts thus-far discovered.
(See written and photo documentation attached)
“We are aware that previous missions here have yielded similar findings. None-the-less it is our recommendation, based on the quantity and quality of the artifacts thus far located, that an excavation team be dispatched to the surface to more effectively evaluate our findings.
“Orbits of the two inner-most planets remain relatively stable even though the star itself has recently entered the first stages of collapse. Data suggests that this planet’s orbit will remain stable at least until the inner-most planet’s orbit begins to decay.
“The exertion placed upon our scanning mechanisms continues to be a challenge, owing to our extreme distance from the planet, and its unstable magnetic field. Our technicians continue searching for more effective ways of gathering and processing data from the surface.
“Improvements in image quality continue to be a high priority for this mission. Should it be deemed of value, placement of a LINK closer to this system would likely improve the quality of our transmissions as well as provide more reliable data from our drones.
“The Cygnus Sector LINK appears to be beyond our reach. Numerous stars in its vicinity are nearing collapse. Their resulting electromagnetic instability degrades the LINK’s ability to use them as positional locators. The risk/cost associated with resetting the LINK’s program may outweigh its value in any salvage operation.
“However, if it becomes feasible to restore adequate control of
this LINK, it may be possible to relocate it to the Orion arm long enough to facilitate collection of some representative artifacts.
“We await your decision.”
Transmission Ends
#####
I wonder what happens next….
Thanks for reading The Sea of Marmara. I had a blast writing it and LINK, so much so that my next project looks more closely at the lives of two now-familiar characters: Broc and Nahm, as they sojourn through Central and South-America, and their encounters with the Mayans and the Incas.
It’s been so much fun exploring the lives of Amon and his friends! I can’t wait to see what happens next.
Please feel free to let your retailer know what you think about my book.
Again THANK YOU for your interest. More will be coming soon. Keep a look out!!
Wayne
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