with a breathable atmosphere and severe landscape we went as a team, the medic, the android, the scientist and me, the captain. our instruments showed no signs of life but there were structures that were not formed by nature. these towered into the stratosphere, strange gothic towers that spiralled and curved almost defying gravity. as we landed we took a close look at them, with their opaque portals and organic surfaces, it was almost like a petrified limb of some life force but there was nothing indicating technology or life. whatever this was it had been dead a long time.
it was the medic who proposed a small exploration party, he suggested we explore the rugged mountain range out near the edge of the dead sea, a vast expanse of what could well have been water but now left as black sand and rock. there was no colour here, just shades of black and brown. he was keen to get into the substructure, and his curisoty as an amatur archelogist paid dividents. i was reluctant at first but it did seem ridiculous to have come so far without a surface exploration. i sought reassurance in the wisdom of the android who suggested we time our first walk to three hours (earth time) and then explore the next day up to five hours, and finally a seven hour trek.
it was now the final trek, into our fifth hour, soon we would have to return and we had seen nothing of real consequence. a dead landscape and these towers reaching upwards, no clouds, little sun, no life. having extra augmented vision the android could scan the terrain in a number of alternative spectrums, it was a clunky old thing, shaped in human form but it's movements were odd and out of rhythm. however without it we would be at a huge disadvantage for it had saved us on many occasion. no one knew where it came from or who constructed it, it was something we had found wandering around with a wiped memory aboard an abandoned ship many years ago. we saved it and our technicians managed to give it a basic program, and the chance to create new memories. we collectively agreed we would never tell it, it was an android, we would just accept it as a crew member with equal status, and consequently like all androids would, it questioned its identity often, noticing many differences between organic bodies and it's own. recently it had settled into thinking it was just different but equal, a disability perhaps, but it understood it was amongst friends. the biggest leap in it's own growth was the emergence of dreaming. this surprised us all.
'there is a crevice seventeen clicks to the north west, it seems very deep and leads to ancient rock strata, this may give us some indication of the history of this world. i think we should investigate.'
we were all bored and tired so a chance of scenery seemed like a good idea, although i didn't want to go to deep. the idea of caving on an unknown mysterious planet seemed a little risky, but i thought my friend iggy in japan would just say, 'don't take care, take risks,' so i agreed.
we clambered awkwardly over the rocks making our way east until the entrance loomed in front of us. it was a dark slit in the rockface of a mountain, the sonar and spectrograph said it was very deep and part of a large network. i sent a couple of probes in but when they returned the imaging was to blurry to see detail, save for a series of glimmering lights.
'what is that?' the medic asked.
'it's a reflection. the drones lights are being reflected in something reflective.' the android responded. 'it could be polished stone, mirror, water or some kind of glass.'
'how far away is it?' i asked.
'we can make it in an hour, depending on terrain but there's no telling what sort of obstacles are in there.'
and so we found ourselves in the abyss.
my body was weary, it was hard going, not just physically but mentally, we could only see a few feet in front and there was no telling what lay ahead. the android had several instruments which would indicate dangers but dangers could take any form and i felt responsible for everyone. as it happened we seemed to be walking along a natural corridor. in parts it was very narrow but comfortable enough to manage without any problem.
my breathing became constant, deep and regular, calming any tension. above me flew the probe with it's array of lights. as we turned around what seemed like a corner, the reflections became visible and i halted the team.
'let's attempt a np flare,' see what we can see.
the android suggested aiming it above as the chasm seemed so deep.
as the flare ignited, all was revealed, the foreboding megalithic tombs embedded in the rock. they rose above us, filling the chamber with an awe, each inscribed with various hieroglyphs and markings, the vestige of panelling and technology, what were these, chambers, small ships, coffins, i wondered as we passed by collecting as much information as possible.
'let's stay 30 minites get as musch footage as possible and then head back, we can return tomorrow.'
everyone agreed.
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