RELIC HUNTER UNCOVERING THE PAST

RELIC HUNTER: UNCOVERING THE PAST Returning to the university, Professor Fox, and Nigel Bailey, were sure that, once the carbon-dating lab had a chance, to review the cell-phone, and the calculator, as well as the clipboard, that it would be found that one, of Sydneys own students would have left the devices, in the ground, as some kind of prank. Syd recalled standing, at the dig site, giving a general reprimand, to her students, "If this find turns out to be a practical joke, I promise you that this will have a negative impact, on final grades". Syd could only hope that the message sunk in. Still, she had asked the carbon-dating lab to find out just how long the devices had been underground. While awaiting the results, of the test, Syd decided that a lesson, in Archeological Ethics, was called for. Relic Hunting was neither a joke, nor a game. It was as serious as any attempt, at understanding history. While planning study sessions, about ethics, both Syd and Nigel would be surprised when no less than the director, of the carbon-dating lab, itsellf, visited Ancient Studies. When Syd asked "Professor, what brings you here?", the professor would say "I have brought you the results, of the test you ordered, myself". When Syd said "Thank you for bringing them, in person, but you could have e-mailed them". When the professor said "No, I couldn't. I wanted to deliver these", indicating the sheets he held, in his hands "In person, so I could tell you that I double-checked everything, myself". When Professor Fox said "I dont understand", the professor held out the pages, which Syd accepted. When Syd saw the pages, Nigel saw the look, of dis-belief, on her face. When Nigel asked "Whats wrong, Syd?", Syd asked the professor "You are sure, about this?", the professor said "Thats why I brought it, personally. So you would know this was no joke". When Nigel asked "Syd, what is it?", Syd passed him the pages, without a word, and Nigel scanned the contents, before saying "Syd, this cant be right". Syd looked right at the professor, who met her gaze, and held steady, then she softly said "No, its right. We have another mystery on our hands". Placing the "ethics" study notes aside, Syd and Nigel would examine, and reflect upon, the results, of the carbon-testing. What they saw, though, just didn't seem possible. That is, not until the carbon dating lab was broken into, its computer was "wiped", and the "artifacts" were stolen. When Syd and Nigel found out that the lab had been burglarized, Syd lead the way, to the lab, where the relic hunters found some odd facts, which lead to a simple conclusion. While the door, to the carbon-dating lab, had been forced, with sheer, brute, force, indicating a common, street, thief, the damage, inside the lab, seemed almost "surgical". As though items had been broken, according to a pattern. When the professor showed Syd the artifact cabinet, where the relics had been stored, Syd noticed the difference, with the lab door lock. The lock, on the relic cabinet, had been, dellicately, picked, by someone using precision tools. This was evidenced by the lack, of damage, to the lock, or the door. Also, the only articfacts missing were the ones Syd had delivered to the lab. When Nigel asked "Syd, what do you think?", Syd said "I think we should expect another visit, from the CIA". On the way back, to their lab/office, Nigel asked "What would the CIA want with some broken electronics? Things they could buy, brand new, at any discount store?" Syd said "I think we're about to find out", as she entered her outer office, and the pair found their CIA contact waiting for them. When the man said "professor Fox, we meet again", then added "And Nigel Bailey, as well". Syd FELT like saying "Get the hell out of my office, after what you did, to the C-14 lab", but, when CIA said "I heard about the lab. I hope no one was hurt", the way the man said the words made Syd realize that he was not the burglar. He was here, to see her. Remembering the valuable intel this man had provided, about the mysterious jewels case, Syd decided to play nice, asking "How may I help you?" CIA said "The agency is aware of the artifacts, which your students dug up. I wanted to ask your opinion. Is this all just a hoax?" When Syd removed the sheets, of paper, from her pouch, and said "If this is a hoax, it is the best one I've seen, in ages". CIA said "My superiors concur. This, however, raises the questions of Who, What, Where, When, Why, and HOW" Syd would add "And, who would stand to profit?" CIA asked "IF this data is correct, WHO could have had such access?" Syd asked "Did the agency contact major electronic manufacturers?" CIA said "Al of our contacts say that these devices are just one step ahead of the latest designs, which are on corporate drawing boards. To date, no prototypes have even been built". When Syd asked "Then the results MUST be wrong. If these designs are, still, on the drawing boards, then someone went to a LOT of trouble, and expense, to perpetrate a fraud". Thats when CIA said "We dont think these are frauds. It is the agencies opinion that the devices are real". When Nigel asked "You just said these dont exist, except on paper. If that is so, HOW could the devices be real?" The three then studied the information, on the pages, before Syd asked Nigel "How far down were the students digging, when they found these devices?" When Nigel asked "You mean underground?", Nigel checked the notes, then added "According to this, the artifacts were found at the deepest level of the dig. A few feet below the indian relics, atleast". Syd hated to admit it, but, she felt sure that there would be some digging, in the near future. The question would be: WHERE to dig? Syd then asked CIA a pointed question "Since you are here, to enlist our aid, does that mean that the agency now has the artifacts?" CIA was most diplomatic as he said "The agency has many items, in storage". Translation: The agency had the devices. When Syd asked "Any chance one of the artifacts might have been activated?" CIA could only say "I hear that there have been attempts, but, with such an advanced operating system, and the type of memory cells, there wouldn't have been much success, that I know of". Syd then made a deal, with the man "When we find the truth, in this matter, the agency agrees to share all findings with the university board. Agreed?" CIA said "Agreed". Now, the "hunt" was on. Professor Sydney Fox, and teaching assistant Nigel Bailey, were no strangers, to libraries, or to old texts. Over the years, each had learned more, about history, than either would have thought possible. Information about cultures, which had been gone, for longer than the Roman calendar had existed. In fact, some of the artifacts, the two had searched for, over the years, were of such an age that, by comparison, the Ten Commandments, Bible, Dead Sea Scrolls, and even the Egyptian "Book of the Dead", were all, "newly publlished", when compared to previous civilizations. In fact, Nigel had, once, graphed the rise, and fall, of various civilizations, over the planets history. His graph went from the present day, back, through time, past the Romans, then the Egyptians, through atleast two other, un-named, groups, which neither Nigel, nor Syd, had, yet identified, and right to Atlantis. Here, the trail MIGHT have ended, were it not for additional "clues". Atleast one other civilization had used this planet, even before Atlantis. Syd only halted Nigels research when the "clues" he was pursuing turned out to be little more than myth. Stories, told and re-told, over the centuries. In return for Syd's help, the agency arranged for her classes to be postponed, until the current task was done. Still, Syd recruited four of her brightest students, to assist with the research. Syd cautioned the students not to search for any information which was even as "recent" as the Egyptian dynasties. Despite all best efforts, it would take two weeks, both in the library, and on the internet, to bring together enough information, to be considered a serious clue. A Swedish Archeology professor had been working a dig site, for decades. He had been un-covering objects, which no one could identify. In fact, having dug deeper, than any American group had, to date, the professor would report finding objects, whose definition "could change the word". Since the Swede published only drawings, and descriptions, saying there would be no photos, until he was sure he had final pieces in place, Syd and Nigel were left to try to "visualize" the artifacts. When Syd asked her friend, the developer, for some help, he agreed to let one of his draftsman take a look at the material. Less than a week later, Syd and Nigel found themselves looking at a diagram, for what the draftsman had called "An extremely high powered printed circuit. Maximum potential/use: UN-limited" At Syd's request, the CIA arranged a cargo plane, to fly the relic hunters to the area, of the professors dig site. Since Syd was not sure what to take, to the dig site, she agreed to let the air force choose a "combat load", based upon their destination. Everything they might need, from transport, to rations, would be pre-packed, by the air force. As Syd reviewed the Swede's findings, she noticed that the man was as meticulous, in logging detais, as he was passionate, about his work. Based upon the written details, Syd could, almost, "see" the dig site, in her mind. From the nearest airport, which could handle an air force cargo plane, Syd was relieved to see that their military guide was the same commander, who had helped, at the portal. The commanders only question, to Syd, before the convoy set out, from the airport, heading for the dig site, was "No more time, or space, travel, please? I like the here and now" When Syd asked, with a smile "Where's your sense of adventure?", the commander responded "I left it in my other pants. They wont be back, from the cleaners, for another week" with a smile. (Syd thought she could learn to like this man). Another question was answered when the convoy approached the dig site. Due to the depths of the dig, a cargo elevator had been installed, which ran from long coils, wound on spools, mounted to the beds, of flatbed trucks. When Syd, Nigel, and the commander, entered the elevator, they realized that this "cage" would win no beauty contests, or awards, for comfort, but it was functional. The elevator operator DID warn the three travelers that, with the depth of the dig, that the travellers should be prepared for a LONG ride. For this, first, trip, Syd had agreed to the army commander coming along, as a precaution. As a result, the elevator would send Syd, Nigel, and the commander, down the shaft, along with some basic supplies. What astounded Syd, though, was how deep the dig actually was. She wasn't even sure that coal mines went this deep. When the three reached the bottom, of the shaft, all three would do bending, and stretching, exercises, after the seeingly never-ending ride. When Nigel looked back up the shaft, the way they had come, he was amazed that the shaft opening seemed like nothing more than a pencil point, in size. Deep inside the "bowels", of the Earth, Syd, and her co-adventurers, would find what, for lack of a better description, was "another world". Deep under the surface, the Swedish professor had discovered what can only be called a village. The odd thing was its lack of ornamentation. The entire layout, and appearance, seemed more "utilitarian", in design, than asthetic. As Syd would walk among the structures, she noticed something which is very common, among mobile, and pre-fab, housing, but with, supposedly did not exist, when this vilage was built. Buildings, which were identified, not by shape, or design, but by what appearred to be numbers, stencilled into the wall panels. As Syd approached what she thought was, once, long ago, the "center" of this village, she found a building, surrounded by heavily armed guards. The question, to her mind, was "Did the massive, muscular, brutes, in their black, Special Forces, uniforms, look even more menacing, than the high-powered weapons, which they were armed with? Or, was it vice versa?" It was shortly after Syd walked up, to one of the un-moving guards, and announced herself, saying "I am Professor Sydney Fox, and I am here by invitation..." when an older, white-haired, man stepped through the buildings main doors, and said "Professor Fox, so good of you to come. I am glad you made the journey. Please, follow me". As Syd, Nigel, and the army commander, followed the Swede inside the building, the Swede was just showing Syd the latest finds when Syd asked "Professor, Why the uniforms, and the guns? Has your work received threats?" The professor responded "No more than usual". then added "Its not threats, which concern us. Its the destruction". When Syd asked "What destruction?", the professor turned to her and said "Syd, someone is using modern plastique, and incendiaries,to slow down our work. Before those guards arrived, my lab, here, was ransacked, twice, my notes were burned, and my computer was "wiped" so clean that even its operating system had to be re-loaded." The professor indicated that, in the time, since the military had been on-site, vandalism had decreased, by 80%, and the professor's lab had been secure. Problem was that, with the attacks, the project had lost six months worth of data. When Syd asked "Why would people want to shutdown the dig site, of an ancient civilization?", the professor suggested "Because of these". The professor showed Syd some relics which, if she had not known better, she would think that these objects were the latest models, in technology. Syd's next question was the obvious one "How do you know these objects were not planted here?", The professor said "I was here, when they were dug from the Earth. The devices are ages old, but the tech, behind them, is ages ahead of our current tech. I cannot understand it, myself, so I dare not publish my findings". Syd understood the mans dilema, all too well. Fact is, several times, Syd and Nigel had come across tech, which surpassed the finest, modern, tech, and yet the devices had been centuries old. Syd, too, dare not pubish her findings, out of fear of ridicule. Still, Syd and Nigel, first checked the cataloging system. After finding it adequate, to the task, Syd and Nigel joined in the process of cleaning new finds. At meal-time, when Syd asked the professor why he stopped the digging, at this depth, he said he was awaiting drilling equipment. There was a layer, below their feet, which was so hard that neither shovels, hammers, or picks, could penetrate it. The professor flatly refused to use explosives, since neither the professor, nor his team,had any idea what finds awaited them, and the professor was adamant that nothing risk being destroyed, without excellent reason. What really surprised Syd, and Nigel, was the TYPE, of drilling tools, and explosives, which the professor chose to use. When the shipment arrived, Syd would have expected to find the kinds of drills, and explosives, which oil drillers, and coal miners, used. The professor went, way UP, in Syd's estimation, when Syd saw that, instead of heavy, industrial, tools, the professor had ordered small, carbon-alloy, precision, drill bits, for use with the accompanying hand-held drills. It seems that professor had, in fact, ordered atleast a couple of dozen drills, and bits. As for the explosive, itself, Syd was, also, impressed that the professor had opted AWAY from dynamite, nitro, and block C-4 (plastique). Instead, the professor had ordered cases of chewing gum sized C-4. At a pre-selected location, far from the freight elevator, a grid had been mapped, on the ground. The professor had been schooling his team, for months, about where to drill, and why. This is why the crew was ready, and each member chose a "star", or connection point, and drilled into the layer. Since no one knew how deep the layer was, the professor decided to drill each hole only deep enough for two sticks, of explosive. Once the holes were drilled, crew members came in, with hammer and chisel, chopping at the layer until small grooves became clear, turning the connected, painted, lines, into channels, between the stars. The process, of drilling, then chiselling, took almost twenty-four hours, to complete, but even Nigel was pleased with the results. After the holes were packed with C-4, the professor pressed the detonator, and there was only a small thump, followed by a long, low, crackling, sound. Soon, though, as though following the chiselled grooves, the layer opened up, cracking open, with almost no dust blow-back. Sydney made a note, to herself, to mention this "technique", to other archeologists. Syd also could not believe how smooth the edges, of the hand-sized rubble, were. Syd had heard of "surgical" explosions, before, but this Swedish man had taken demolition to a whole new level. It would take two more, layered, explosions, to open the layer, but the end result was that the opening was so smooth that the team could pass through, immediately. What they found, no one would believe, not even in pictures. Syd, and the U.S. army commander, suspected that the team must have broken through, into a hangar, of some type. This observation would be based upon the miriad number, and types, of "vehicles", which sat, as if in waiting, in the room. When Syd, Nigel,the commander, the Swedish professor, and others, entered the space, flash lights provided the only lighting, until work-site lighting could be lowered into the area. When Nigel showed his flash light around the space, then called to Syd "Hey Syd, come look at this". When Syd joined Nigel, and he shone his light up, at a set of stencils, on the walls, Nigel asked Syd "Look familiar?", Syd realized that it DID look familiar, and in more ways than one. For one thing, the groups, of symbols, were in a pattern, incredibly similar to modern, industrial, warning, signs. The kind which warn of 1) No Smoking, 2) No open flame, etc. The lettering, itself, seemed familiar as well. Nigel reminded Syd "The columns, near the portal?". That is when Syd realized it was, in fact, the same language. After this, Syd thought her imagination played a trick on her, as she stared at the symbols. For a moment, as she gazed upon the un-faded symbols, and how well defined the lettering remaiined, even after countless years, Syd thought she saw the symbols change, to English, and the sign read, as any modern signs had read, since World War 2. A set of simple safety instructions. Syd turned away, from the symbols, as the army commander, and a security guard, approached, talking of either warnings, or threats. When Syd realized that the men were speaking of the stencils, she told them "Gentlemen, these are not threats. Just look at this one, behind me. Al it says is "Warning, No Smoking, No open flame, etc." When the black clad security guard asked "Where does it say that?", and the army commander also asked "Yeah, where?", Syd no-sooner turned back, toward the sign, only to see that the English was gone, and the stencil was back. When Syd turned to Nigel, asking "Tell me you saw that. It was in plain English". Nigel could only say "Sorry, Syd, all I saw were the stencils." When Syd stared at the sign, again, it remained symbols, even as she asked "How can that be?" As the team moved on, into this unknown place, various groups found the first, of what seemed like dozens, of underground plaza's. The odd thing, the team noted, was that the only dust was right near where the hole had been made. The rest of the place seemed as if it had just been abandoned, yesterday. As the teams emerged, from the "hangar", and into the first plaza, members noticed that the plaza seemed to have five, defined, levels, of balconies. The place was, clearly, utilitarian, yet it was, somehow, beautiful, at the same time. As flashlight power was replaced with with site lights, tha various search teams found plenty more of the symbols, some of which Sydney would maintain, changed to English, even if only for a moment. When Syd, Nigel, and a guard, passed an office space, with a transparent desk inside, and Nigel asked the guard "Maybe, a guard station?", the guard suggested "Or a brig". Syd said "It was a medical aid station". When the guard asked "How do you know?", Syd turned back, to the confused men, saying "Its written right...", and she pointed at the sign, which had reverted to symbols, again. The guard pointed his light, at the symbols, then at Syd, as he asked "Right where?". Syd realized that the men had not seen the symbols change, again. Now, Syd was beginning to wonder if SHE had seen the change. Syd became even more un-sure, of herself, when she thought she saw other symbols change to English. When Nigel suggested that she rest, for awhile, Syd agreed. What she couldn't understand was how she could see the signs, and others couldn't. When a Swedish medic checked Syd over, and reported "I can find nothing wrong. No bruises. bumps, or broken bones. Perhaps, she is just tired". When another case was brought in, another woman, who said she saw the symbols change, to English, this was followed by three more women, who made the same report. When the medic found five patients, with identical "symptoms", the medic had a message sent to base, with a copy of the teams records, as well as requesting advice, for treatment. When men began to be affected, as well, and no one had any idea what to do, Sydney asked for an "interim" suggestion. "Let those of us, who think we see the words, take black markers, and write what we think we see, beside the actual symbols. If our answers dont check out, then we can be evacuated, to nearby hospitals. Agreed?" The medic said "Nothing to loose. Just keep another team member lose at hand, as a precaution". Syd said "Agreed". While the medic waited, for what seemed like an "eternity", for their messages to be delivered, first to the surface, then to base, then for answers to return, to this place, down the shaft, Syd, and the other "affected", walked around, writing what they thought they saw, next to each set of markings. The markings were, then, photographed, and sent up the "cable" to the surface team. It wasn't long, at all, before the "affected", including Syd, had marked out atleast five plaza's (so far), various offices, shops, and even three food courts. One team even found a corridor whose plate read "dorms/barracks". The viewer could not be sure of which it was. When the area was checked, it turned out to, truly, be a dormatory, full of bunk beds. Several soldiers would remark that this place had the feel of an army center. Not without life, but without much, to feel like home. The professors also found rooms, which were similar to the class room, at the portal. Desks, with smooth, glass, tops, and panels, powered by long silent projectors. Purpose: Un-Known. The Swedish professor would report that something was odd. Not with this place, and its wonders, of tehnology, but with the surface. With OUR world. When Professor Fox asked, the professor said "Its odd, but, since we broke through, into here, our communications, to the government, are not being responded to." When Syd suggested "Maybe, we are just so far underground. Maybe, it is a delay, in transmission?" The Swedish professor said "That is why we dont transmit, from underground. No signal, here. Instead, we sent all messages, over the "wire", to the base camp, and they send the messages through". When Syd asked "Whats the problem?", the Swedish man said "The government message, verifying receipt, of our past few transmissions, has not been received. The base camp has called three times, with no response". Syd, and Nigel, agreed that it was odd that transmissions had stopped, just about when the team had entered this place. Coincidence? By the time most of this first part, of this place, was mapped out, in English, with work-lights illuminating the unusually subtle colors, of the walls, the team was just working on deciding if the crystal columns, at various corners, were support posts, or lighting, when, "out of the blue", the Swedish army came onto the site, calling "Professors (swedish name), Profesor Sydney Fox, and United States Army commander (american name), you are to return, with me, to the surface, immediately." When Syd was the first, followed by the Swedish professor, to ask "For what reason?", the Swedish army commander said "I have my orders. I do not question. I obey. Now, after you, please?" Facing incredibly powerful, and automatic, military weapons, the archeollogical team would return to the surface, surrounded by more, heavily armed, soldiers. When Nigel saw the weapons, he mentioned "I guess that they dont want us to escape". On the surface, the team saw how soldiers were rushing the base camp, to pack up. Soldiers were just tossing things in boxes, while team members tried to pack delicate items, as well as possible. When a Swedish military commander came forward, and asked the soldiers "Are these the last?", the soldier said "No, sir. There are atleast one more load, coming up". Syd was surprised when the commander said "Very good. The trucks will be here, soon, and we can be done, with this". When Syd tried to ask the commander what was happening, and why, the commander asked "Professor Fox, even in your field, of Archeology, there are rules to be followed, without question, right?" When Syd said "Ofcourse", the commander said "It is the same in my work. I follow orders, just as you follow rules." When Syd asked "What does the government plan to do, here?", the commander would only say "You dont need to know". Instead of boarding the next personnel truck, which was taking the team members away, Syd, Nigel, and the Swedish professor, stayed behind, to help with orderly packing (and, perhaps, learn wht the government planned to do with the site.) Syd, Nigel, and the professor, got a good idea, though, when a Swedish soldier brought them some "Non-Disclosure" forms, to sign. The form stated that none of them were, ever, to tell anything, of what was found, in the shaft. After each signed the forms, they were guided to a waiting truck, which would drive them to the nearest U.S. Army base. At the Army base, Syd and Nigel would be presented wth the American version, of the "Non-Disclosure" form, while an executive class jet plane idled up, nearby. The army lieutenant made it clear that safe passage was only possible with their signatures. Otherwise, who knew? To Nigels relief, once the two signed the second set, of American forms, the relic hunters would fly back to America, first class, on the private jet. Via video-link, Syd would watch, in horror, as a convoy, of cement trucks, would deliver trucks full of cement to the dig site, and the cement was pumped into the hole. When the hole was filled, the international sign, for nuclear radiation hazzard, would be mounted upon its surface. Syd was just thankful that her own notes, and photos, had been sent back, to the American university, and she could continue her study, from her office. Her cheer was dampened, by a flood of despair, as she returned to find her office looking not ransacked, but to find that ALL of her research materials, on the artifacts, was gone. Files gone, pictures gone, even the computer was "wiped". When Professor Fox tried to list a complaint, about stolen property, with the university board, the response was "Ms. Fox, at this time, your position, with this university, is under review. Your teaching certificate has, also, been suspended, pending review. Your classes await re-scheduling". Syd was about to prepare to file action, against the board, itself, until her friend, the CIA man came to visit. CIA would tell her "Professor Fox, Please understand...", When Syd cut him off, saying "Understand?! It was YOU, and your bosses, who CALLED me IN, on this. YOU got me involved". CIA said "I understand that, professor, but, please believe me. If I thought THIS was going to happen, I would NEVER have called you into the investigation" When Syd asked "What happens, now? Prison?" CIA said "Only if you pursue this investigation. If you do, "they" are prepared to revoke not only your teaching certificate, but your degree's as well" "So, what you are saying", Syd would conclude "Is that, either I abandon the investigation, of the artifacts I DID have, plus what I saw, in that shaft, or I lose my career". CIA would say "I am, truly, sorry about this". When Syd asked "Why you?", and the CIA man asked "I beg your pardon?", Syd asked "Why did they send you? Why not send one of the regular thugs. The ones they usually send, to scare people into complying?" The CIA man said "With YOUR reputation? You would have laid the thug out. As a matter of fact, my superiors ASKED me to come. They thought that a friend would be more convincing, than a threat." When Syd asked "What happens if I continue my investigation?", the man said "You lose everything, AND, since I am the one who brought you in, on this, I receive a free trip, to Gitmo" He, then, looked at Nigel, saying "And you, Mr. Bailey, get deported, back to England, and a cell, deep under the royal palace. I hear the place hasn't been used, in centuries. Most people no-longer think it exists. All that your family will know is that you disappearred". When Syd said "We get the point, thank you" The man asked "Do we have a deal?", Syd said "Yeah, I guess we have a deal" The man smiled as he said "Excellent. In that case, I have been asked to tell you that your teaching status, and degrees, will be re-instated, within the week and, I dont know about you, but, with this week, of free time, I plan to relax, and have fun." Syd said "Sounds like a plan, to me", as she smiled back at him. Syd didn't like the idea, of history being buried under tons of concrete, with a stupid, radiation, seal, covering it, but then she thought about how many relics she, and Nigel, had un-covered. Objects so dangerous that even Sydney Fox was glad to have the artifacts locked away, in vaults. Syd just wondered WHY both the United States, and other governments, were so afraid of an anient, underground, shelter, which had not been in use, in all of recorded history? Maybe, time would tell.