Ashana's brow raised as Milenya assessed the site's setup in the millions. She looked at everything with a new appreciation.<span style="color: DarkOrchid">Hundreds, huh... that's a lot of people to disappear.</span>She looked through one of the windows as they passed it, glancing over the work space, the tables and instruments hanging over the various bits of warped and pitted metallic objects. They just looked like scrap to her, useless space junk, piles of which could be found in most any street of Omega.<br/><br/>Milenya's mention of the artifacts not even being Prothean didn't phase Ashana, however. She barely even knew the word Prothean, little alone any of their significance.<span style="color: DarkOrchid">I'm amazed you can tell anything from this crap...</span>she muttered, passing another sectioned off small semi-standing structure. A light had been set up, shining on it while a table of instruments had been set beside it.<br/><br/>Still, Milenya's reinforcement about the wealth such a site could produce was something Ashana could understand only too well. She stared back at Milenya, brow raised as she gave her a look, her own gaze lingering as she noted the reaction she had to the prolonged look. She didn't let her mind consider it. Even empty as it was, the site was just...<i>wrong</i>. The whole thing was<i>wrong</i>. The math on it didn't add up. No sign of pirates, or fighting, so there was no struggle. And from what Milenya told them, there would be legions fighting to control the place for wealth or fame. Every instinct she had developed over her life told her that if the situation didn't add up, get out.<br/><br/>Firas stood on the walkway, looking out over the site trying to pick out what looked important and what didn't. To the left of the main thoroughfare, which ran from the walkway down the center of the site to nearly its end, were several larger, and taller partitions far back against back of the cavern. Firas gave them a lingering look before looking to the right, the side that the generator was on. there were a few areas where the walls were spread out to create a more open area, but nothing larger or roofed.<span style="color: blue">Roger Milenya, left side from the entrance, approximately 600 meters from the airlock there's a few roofed areas... and against the far wall there looks to be a taller partition... larger too... maybe an enclosure.</span><br/><br/>Ashana followed Milenya, looking at the things they passed. None of it was special to her, except in the knowledge that it was all worth a great deal. Rather, she was focused on answering the question that was festering in her mind, making her more nervous every second - the question that had begun before they even landed.<br/><br/>On the left side of the site, the roofed area Firas had mentioned were the living quarters of the head research staff, inside which were desks with half empty cups of water, data pads with various readings open on them full of cross reference data and material analysis. In the head researcher's quarters was a bookshelf with a number of leather bound books, valuable relics of Human history found usually in the hands of wealthy collectors. On the desk sat a short glass and bottle of aged whiskey left open, the glass a quarter full. At the edge of the desk was an engraved plaque with "Dr. Andrew Mosalev." The name being one of moderate reputation among the archaeological community for his published works, among them, "Commonalities and Distinctions of Apex Species," for his theories and findings on sapient traits of the Prothean era and theorized earlier periods, and, "Prothean Technology: Zenith of the Sentient Mind," which looks at the radically advanced Prothean technology that is the basis for all space faring species.<br/><br/>The larger area Firas spotted was indeed an enclosure, almost an amphitheater that had been turned on its head, a half dome sealed against the cavern wall. Inside was a large apparatus of alien origin, following the traits of the other relics in the site. It had been carefully excavated from the lava that had consumed it long ago. Numerous lights had been set up to illuminate it from every angle, and an array of instruments were littered about for taking measurements, video,  and analyzing. The apparatus was like the other relics. Much of its bulk had been decayed, broken down over time... except for an opening in at chest level. The opening revealing a hollow cylindrical chamber a little under a foot in diameter, inside of which there was virtually no age to the material. It was as smooth as it would have been when the facility was still in operation. Inspection would reveal the reason for its preservation. It had been sealed, a portion of the apparatus having been carefully removed - what had once been a sealed panel had decayed into uselessness, trapping and preserving its contents, then cut away to open it again. The chamber was devoid of anything of interest, save at the top and bottom, where off toned silver prongs had retracted into depressions in the top and bottom of the chamber, and locking pins in a circle around it had been retracted.<br/><br/>On the right side of the site, the story was no different from the rest, until someone one would come to the living quarters for the rest of the staff. The rows and rows of bunks spread across several of the partitioned rooms were in various states of disarray, as anyone would expect of a diverse group of people. The oddity, though, was in the wash rooms and footlockers and outfitting rooms. Clothing and personal affects remained, Environment suits sat unused for some time. A number were missing, but no more than a dozen. Shoes and work boots sat beside bunks, waiting. The mess hall was an even stranger scene. Food sat on plates unattended, cups with drink left in them. And again, there was nothing overturned, nothing askew to suggest a struggle of any kind. It looked like it could have been full of people not a moment before, all busy about their work.<br/><br/>The lead researcher's console was open on his desk. It wouldn't take long to find the litany of data that had been collected from the site. Displayed prominently on the desktop was a video recording, as well as a journal dating back several months.<br/><br/>The first six entries read:<br/><br/>"<br/>PHD in Archaeo-Technology and Prothean Studies Andrew Mosalev:<br/>Site 00278: Site will be referred to as site 'A' should we uncover other satellite locations.<br/><br/>Well, we've landed and it looks like something out of the Odyssey... I suppose that makes me Odysseus descending into Hades. The site itself is approximately 1,284 meters beneath a lava plane that must have been forming for the last 50,000 years. Though the site is subterranean, it would have been much closer to the surface when it was operational. Generally with locations of this nature its a research facility... maybe to study the effects of the geoscape on this planet. It would have been a healthier planet then, though still millions of years from hospitable. Going is extremely slow as we are presently only a meager half dozen strong... I wish I had something better to do, but I don't. Just another credit to the resume, I suppose. We've got to drill with some cheaper lasers quite a ways into the side of a fissure just to reach the site. With any luck we'll receive more substantial backing once we actually have artifacts recovered.<br/>"<br/><br/><br/>"<br/>PHD in Archaeo-Technology and Prothean Studies Andrew Mosalev:<br/>Site 00278:A<br/><br/>It took some time, but we finally drilled to distance, and wouldn't you know it, we're about 30 meters above the damn place... its honestly lucky that we haven't hit some lava vein yet given how unstable this planet is. Still, we're cutting down now, trying to reach what we're scanning... though I must admit the data is very... strange. The probe that found the location reported a larger facility... but now that we're close enough to actually get much closer proximity scans of whats buried here... well, it's odd. We're reading what could be the skeleton of a site, but... its not NEARLY as much as it should be... no real walls to speak of or even a cohesive structure of any kind... Just bits and pieces.<br/>"<br/><br/><br/>"<br/>PHD in Archaeo-Technology and Prothean Studies Andrew Mosalev:<br/>Site 00278:A<br/><br/>Well, we reached the first object... and... I'm completely baffled by what I'm looking at. Its unlike any Prothean design I've ever seen. I'm digging into the books to find something to reference to it, but its just strange. The material is completely alien to me, even from what we know of early era Prothean elements. What was not yesterday an exercise in excavation busywork has just become something wholly more interesting.<br/>"<br/><br/><br/>"<br/>PHD in Archaeo-Technology and Prothean Studies Andrew Mosalev:<br/>Site 00278:A<br/><br/>I don't... know exactly how to say this, but as we've expanded the site we've hit more of these... I don't even want to call them artifacts, there more like remnants. The level of decay is astounding - and that's the strange thing. Being encased in lava, other than the expected surface damage, preserves these sorts of things. The site should be in excellent condition but... its just not. The more I look at these pieces and parts, clearly elements of some super-structure, the more I begin to wonder something which, if true, completely changes the landscape of our work - and will propel this team and myself to the very highest position of honor for what we've uncovered.<br/><br/>What if this<i>isn't</i>Prothean?<br/>"<br/><br/><br/>"<br/>PHD in Archaeo-Technology and Prothean Studies Andrew Mosalev:<br/>Site 00278:A<br/><br/>I was preparing to send a request for funding to the Serrice academy, compiling our admittedly limited data in an effort to get us the tools we need... when they just sort of showed up. While I should be furious, as it would appear one of the other team members already alerted someone to the unique qualities of the site, I can't be. We now have a benefactor who has chosen to remain anonymous... but frankly, the amount of credits this benefactor is rolling out are incredible. Whoever it is, they understand the importance of the site - though their funding has come with a strange addendum. We're not aloud to divulge any information until the site has been<i>completely</i>researched. Normally I would tell them to go fuck themselves, but the money can't be argued with. And besides, it would make more of an impact if I were to show up with a<i>complete</i>analysis and thesis, rather than let information filter out as we get it, risking some hothead coming in and trying to claim the glory. So we'll play ball. No information on the site until we know what it is.<br/>"<br/><br/><br/>"<br/>PHD in Archaeo-Technology and Prothean Studies Andrew Mosalev:<br/>Site 00278:A<br/><br/>Our progress has increased a hundred fold. A half dozen staff has become two hundred. Our one pitiful mining laser is now<i>six</i>-<i>six!</i>- current generation, brand new ones. We've decided to hollow out a chamber, give us some breathing room. We're installing atmosphere generators and an airlock so that we don't have to wear these stuffy suits anymore. We're sectioning off the areas we're expanding through. Empty zones are being converted to on site living, while the artifacts are being given their own rooms for focused study. Our benefactor is seeing to my every request. I've never had this much available to me, ever. Finally, a billionaire with the brains to know the importance of archaeology!<br/><br/>We've begun preliminary material analysis and... dear god is it beautifully alien. This is a custom made compound - not a composite material, but an<i>engineered</i>molecule. Its thermal profile is incredible - as is its integrity... though this only furthers my confusion around the state of decay. Encased in magma, and with the makings for REAL longevity - and yet dilapidated.  Even if we were extrapolating this to<i>predate</i>Protheans, even if we were to apply the 50,000 year apex extinction theory, setting this site in the range of 100,000 years old... it shouldn't be anywhere near this decayed. I don't have the data to back this up, but if I were to fire off a guess - I would say it would take hundreds of thousands of years to reach this level of decay. Maybe millions. Which makes no sense... but my god, my god... what if it were true...<br/><br/>Either way, our scans have detected a large, intact element a few dozen meters further in. Suffice to say, I'm riveted by the possibilities. We're going to be excavating with companion video footage this time. Our benefactor is very interested.<br/>"<br/><br/><br/>Seven more entries remain. The video is of a portion of the logs for the excavating of the larger apparatus further in the site. The header on the video labels it as taking place five and a half weeks ago.<br/><br/><br/>-<br/>The camera pans around the apparatus while the user remarks at its size, ecstatic. It pans down to where the chamber is, though it has not yet been opened. A series of techs stand about in environment gear, a small laser mounted on a tripod currently cutting its way inside.<br/><br/><span style="color: red">Alright, doc... fill us in.</span>The camera holder, a woman, says walking the camera to inspect the laser's work, its small red beam shooting sparks from where its cutting.<br/><br/><span style="color: blue">Right...</span>One of the techs says.<span style="color: blue">Uh, I'm Doctor Andrew Mosalev... Uhm, we detected this mass, </span>he gestures to the apparatus,<span style="color: blue">a week ago, and have been trying to get to it since. uncovering it has been painstaking but worth it... once we had it mostly cleared, we did some deep level scans and got a lot of solid material, but most interestingly, was a density change right here where we're cutting. This piece we're removing was... a door, or a seal - which we're hoping was protecting some vital machinery within. With a great deal of luck, what's inside will be in a better state than the rest of the apparatus. Also,</span>he pointed the camera at himself, showing little more than a visor with eyes behind it,<span style="color: blue">I just want to convey our thanks for your generosity... I understand you're taking a risk on something like this, but once we publish we're all going to be famous and very very rich.</span><br/><br/><span style="color: DarkOrange">Doctor!</span>One of the techs called. The camera looked back down at the work. The laser had stopped.<span style="color: DarkOrange">We're through.</span><br/><br/><span style="color: blue">Alright, everyone back - back, back back!</span>Mosalev pushed most of them all back several paces to give them room. They carefully extracted the plate, and as they did a hushed gasp fell over the team members at the location. The Doctor stood frozen, hand on visor in silent awe. Inside was a cylinder, of a glistening grey black material, a iridescent, fluctuating blue light glowed palely from slits in its side.<br/><br/>There was complete silence, the camera barely moving, locked on the device. After a long moment the doctor muttered quietly taking a hesitant step forward.<span style="color: blue">My god, my god... oh my god... god, god...</span>He leaned forward, staring into it.<span style="color: blue">Its functional... its <i>functional</i>!</span>He laughed and the group erupted in cheers, the camera shaking slightly.<br/><br/>He leaned forward reaching out hesitantly toward it.<span style="color: red"><i>Doctor</i>...</span>the camera woman warned. He looked back, hand nearing the device.<span style="color: blue">Its alright...</span>He looked back, nearly touching it when suddenly it moved, a loud mechanical bang sounding as parts around its base and top retracted into the chamber it occupied. The doctor fell backwards, the entire team jumping, some shouting in surprise. After a moment the doctor laughed, embarrassed. He got back to his feet peering in at it.<br/><br/><span style="color: blue">Its ok... we're alright... It uhh... it looks like locking pins...</span>The camera came closer to look inside as the doctor pointed, keeping his hand noticeably further from it as he pointed out the grooves at the base of the cylinder.<span style="color: blue">Maybe... proximity triggered... hang on, back up back up!</span>The camera retreated again, and the doctor very slowly, cautiously reached inside, and pulled the cylinder out, holding it gingerly in his hands, away from his body. He turned around, showing it to them.<br/><br/><span style="color: red">What is it?</span><br/><br/>Mosalev laughed, turning it over in his hands, looking briefly at the plugs on the top and bottom.<span style="color: blue">I've got no idea...</span><br/><br/><span style="color: DarkOrange">Doctor!</span>a voice called from off camera.<span style="color: DarkOrange">You need to see this!</span><br/>-<br/><br/>The video ends.<br/><br/><br/>***<br/><br/><br/>"<span style="color: navy">Hell yeah it does!</span>" Taseer responded to Kala's question about being buzzed. She paused in her staring at the laser as Kala went on to mention other equipment of value, then started nodding. "<span style="color: navy">Yeah... yeah, yeah! Alright, everyone start busting open boxes! You two, load this thing onto the Acheron! We take everything that even looks valuable!</span>"<br/><br/>Taseer grabbed one of the crates they had pulled from the laser and opened it, looking at its contents. She didn't recognize the instruments inside, but they looked new - and new meant valuable. She closed the crate and slid it across the deck toward bay doors. "<span style="color: navy">That.</span>" She said, moving onto the next crate, discarding it as she found MRE foodstuffs, then opening another, liking what she found, and sliding it over with the other crate, building a pile of loot to be moved.<div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>