Digging Up the Past (Part I of VI)

Posted on 03 Nov 2017 @ 3:22pm by Ensign Miraj Derani & Commander Marisa Wyatt
Edited on on 03 Dec 2017 @ 7:06pm

3,100 words; about a 16 minute read

Mission: Episode 15 - Emanation
Location: Mirzcek III
Timeline: MD 79 1200

[ON]

Miraj looked down at the pale ochre circle below them, checked her telemetry and put the Runabout into geostationary orbit. "We're at Mirzcek III." Miraj called out to her passenger. "It doesn't look like much."

"Not from here, but it's what we'll find on the planet that matters," Marisa said. She couldn't hide her growing excitement ant the chance to spend several days at an archaeological site. It would go a long way towards helping her center herself after all that had happened since the destruction of the Cartagena. "Do you have the coordinates of the main site?" she asked Miraj.

"Waiting on a spot to land. Don't want to disturb anything on the descent." Miraj looked at the topology map the Runaboutc was making of the area surrounding the dig. Even from this far up, the small trenches and scattering of test pits were clear. "What are you hoping to find down there, anyway. This place looks like no-one's lived there for a zillion years."

"Exactly," Marisa replied, grinning. "We want to find out who these ancient inhabitants were and how they lived. So, anything will be important. Pottery, statues, bits of clothing. A dig like this can take years."

Her fathers work could mean several months spent looking for the remains of a ship, or breaking it up in situ, so a job taking time wasn't a new concept, but years? "You know you're only here for a few days. Right?" Miraj asked.

Marisa chuckled. "Yes. I'm only here for a few days, but there will be teams working here for years. Teams are here for anywhere from six months to a year and a half. I'm fortunate that a friend of mine is in charge here."

The flight panel beeped with a landing vector. "And it looks like you've got a welcoming party." Miraj stroked the controls and the little Runabout sank down through the atmosphere, to land on a rough cleared patch of scree about 500m from the main dig sit, with a set of tents and temporary buildings another three hundred meters from the site over to the left, another Runabout parked behind them. On the edge of the scree patch two people were waiting sheilding their eyes against the glare off the Runabout as it descended.

Miraj set the Runabout down carefully, and released the hatch seals. "Well, you've got four days. Ready to make the most of it?"

"Absolutely." Marisa was eager to get started and get her hands dirty again. "I'm sure Pete can find something for you to do while we're here. Maybe you can help. You never know, you might actually find something." Marisa hoped they'd be able to do more than just sift dirt, but at this point, she'd be happy to do it. Or to catalog findings. Anything to get back into practice. Four days wasn't much, but it was too good an opportunity to pass up.

She grabbed her bag and headed out of the Runabout. Their first stop was the command tent where she hoped to find Pete and find out what they'd be doing for the next four days.

They walked past an area that had been sectioned off with string and wooden stakes. Even now, the old-fashioned methods still worked best. You never knew when you would have to work without tricorders and scanners. A sign with several symbols indicated that there was some sort of stone structure underground. The date told her it would be another two or three months before they got to this section--if they found nothing where they were currently working.

She continued on to where a stone wall was being carefully excavated. A safe distance away were a series of temporary structures. "Over there," she said, indicating the larger tent to Miraj. "We should at least find out where to go in there."

Miraj grabbed her own kit bag and hoisted it onto her shoulder. Following Marisa through the dig over to the command tent she could start to see the feint lines in the earth indicating something had been there long ago. It was a bit like trying to spot downed space craft. It may just look like a shadow or a slight bump, but it was a key to something further down, like iceberg tops, floating through the sea of time.

Here and there, highlighted by bright neon flags were stones, carved, or etched or otherwise marked with glyphs, abstract shapes. Sometimes just a line, others more complex. The symobls were weather-beaten to near oblivion, but once you saw one, you saw them all. "Who used to live here then?"

"They haven't found anything to help them decipher the language as yet. They're calling them the Mirzcekians." She slowed as she walked into the large tent so her eyes had a chance to adjust. She found what she was looking for and walked up to a young man. "Hello. I'm Doctor Marisa Sandoval and this is Miraj Derani. Doctor Helsing is expecting us."

He looked up the names on a tablet. "Tent three, out the door and to your left. He's in there." He pulled two identification tags out of a drawer and handed them to the two women. "Wear these at all times. They'll give you access to the different areas of the camp and track your activities. We've had some threats from some group that thinks we're desecrating the graves of the dead. Keep a phaser on you when you're working alone. Other than that, there should be no problems."

Marisa took her tag and affixed her thumbprint to the back of it to activate it, then attached it to her combadge. "Thank you."

Miraj gave Marisa a look. She'd been expecting a slow few days, painstakingly brushing dirt, or ferrying delicate items back and forth. Not something that sounded like a small seige. "What have you got me into?" she whispered. "Threats? Keep a phaser?"

"Threats rarely materialize into anything," Marisa assured her quietly. "But you do occasionally run across a group that takes umbrage at the Federation digging into their past." She shrugged. "Someone stealing artifacts is more likely. Some can be sold for a good deal of latinum on the black market."

Marisa nodded to the man and headed out the door, turning left. She found tent three, although it was more a prefab building than a tent. The name was a carryover from the days archaeologists would pitch tents. She opened the door and stepped inside, holding it for Miraj to follow.

Long tables were carefully littered with bits and pieces. Most of it was nothing more than broken potsherds or bits of bone. But a table in the back held several mostly-intact statues. Marisa stopped to carefully examine the table.

"Hey, who left the door..." the man stopped speaking as he saw the two women. "Marisa?" He smiled broadly. "Glad you could make it." He noticed Miraj and nodded. "Hello. I'm Doctor Helsing."

Miraj gave him a smile and a shy wave. He was in his sixties she had to guess, grey hair cut long to his shoulders and a slight paunch that suggested he enjoyed good living when he wasn’t living under canvas on a backwater planet. "Miraj, I'm Marisa's chauffeur for the duration. If you need any grunt work done till we have to go, I’m happy to muck in."

Doctor Helsing smiled. "We always need grunt work around here. Everything from hauling out dirt to shuttling people around the area."

"She'd love the shuttling part," Marisa said, smiling at Miraj. "But first, we need to get settled first, then get our bearings."

"I'll give you an hour," Doctor Helsing said. "Then I want to put you to work. If I only have four days, I want to make the most of them." He handed Marisa a PADD. "This will catch you up on what we're doing. We're keeping it under wraps for now."

Marisa affixed her thumbprint to the PADD. She quickly skimmed through it and put it in a pocket. She would need to give it a thorough reading later.

Doctor Helsing handed Miraj another PADD. "This has some specifics about what we shuttle, in case you're interested."

Of course she was, and scanned it eagerly. "Alloys of unknown composition for analysis? Radioactive earthenware? Bone shards for comparison to other samples?...Grave goods?" Her brow arches flared out. This was an eclectic bunch of cargoes.

Doctor Helsing smiled. "Yes. We do find some odd things from time to time. Not all of these will date back to the time the structures were built, but we need to find out who was here, when. It's not unheard of to have three or four different groups of people living in the same area at different times. I've actually been to a site that had seven different layers of habitation, each culture building on the ruins of the previous one." He shook his head. "It was fascinating."

"Later," Marisa interrupted. "Right now, I want to find my cot, read over this material, and come back here with more specific questions." She nodded her head toward the door. "Come on. If we stay here, Pete will talk your ear off. There will be plenty of time for that at dinner."

She headed for the door, glancing down at the PADD to be sure she had her bearings, and then headed for the smaller bunkhouse. It was more a long central hallway going through the building with rooms on either side. Each was just big enough for two cots and two small tables.

Marisa found the one indicated on the PADD and dropped her bag on the bed, then sat down to carefully read the information Doctor Helsing thought too sensitive to send to her.

As the afternoon wore on, it got warmer in the room. Marisa seemed oblivious as she continued to read.

"How are you not dieing?" Miraj asked suddenly, appearing before Marisa. She'd stowed her own bag and finished checking any complications and limitations on the potential cargoes. Now she was bored. And hot. So hot. Her pink hair was already plastered to her head and she had stripped down to her uniform vest. "How can you sit there? Let’s go get some air before we both pass out. You can show me around."

"I spent my childhood on Vulcan. And I've been on desert digs before." Marisa closed her PADD and set it on the cot. She stood and stretched. "Okay. Let's see if we can find some air conditioning in the mess." That was the most likely place. If not, they'd at least be able to find where to go.

She walked into the central hall and paused to listen. The building felt empty. "Sounds like everyone is either asleep or out finding somewhere cool."

"Asleep in this heat? Best thing." Miraj decided. "But if they're doing something fun, shouldn't we be doing the same thing?"

"Only one way to find out." Marisa headed first for the mess hall. It was empty, except for one person making himself a sandwich. "Where is everyone?" Marisa asked.

The young man looked up, surprised to see anyone. "At this time of day? At the water hole."

"Watering hole?"

"Yeah. There's a man-made hole that we're using for a swimming hole. It's beyond the hill." He pointed in the direction of the hill. "But don't take the road. A group of protestors has camped there. Take the path over the top."

"Cool," Miraj said. "Swimming sounds awesome!" She was out of the door almost before the archaeologist had finished talking, heading up the hill, leaving Marisa to run to catch her.

Miraj was walking briskly, and she soon got close to the top. Looking down she could see the protestors' camp below, a makeshift collection of huts made from bended branches. It looked peaceful enough. She could make out a cook fire, and a figure bent over it.


Marisa thanked the man, then hurried after Miraj. When she did, she, too, noticed the camp. "Oh, dear," she said under her breath. A man from the camp noticed them, and began to make his way quickly to their position.

He came striding up the hill, dark robes flapping as he loomed up on them. He was clearly not human, with his long high forehead, vertical ridges running from the outer edge on his eye sockets back to the crown of his head a good twenty centimeters up, and between a lightly sunken area that looked a bit like a rounded rectangle. He was nearly seven feet tall, and towered over the two women. "You are interlopers here. Leave this place. You can find only death and ruin in these tombs."

Marisa raised an eyebrow. "And you have been in these tombs yourself?" She was polite, but had no desire to argue with this man. At the same time, she wanted to get away without involving Miraj in any altercation. That was all the pilot needed just after healing from a brain injury.

The alien looked down at her. "I will not profane the sacred places. And if you seek to unhallow them, we will kill you all. Your unholiness threatens to taint this place forever."

Marisa had seen the research on the site. It wasn't holy ground. She did not support digging up sacred sites. However, the history of this area very clearly showed that the protesters had nothing to do with the historic or cultural significance with the ruins here. More they were opposed to digging up the past in general. They seemed to be of the opinion that the past itself was sacred and should not be revisited. An odd notion she did not agree with. "Have you spoken to your government?"

"We are our government," the alien intoned. "You are not welcome here. The Federation refuses to understand the nature of this place. The past must not be disturbed. Leave now, or be destroyed. We will not warn you again. You will suffer with your fellows."

Marisa was now curious. It didn't hurt to find out a little about why the protesters were here. Perhaps, if she listened, she might help Pete and the others work with these people. "Why must the past not be disturbed?" she asked. She wanted to know why--and how--they would be destroyed, but that was not the best question to ask right now. Not if she wanted answers.

He leaned down to their level, his nose almost touching Marisa's "The past is a tomb, a prison, a vault. Run now. Some doors must stay closed."

Marisa remained unphased by his tactics. "So, you're afraid of the past. Good to know. Now, if you'll excuse us, we must move on now."

The alien gave her a cold look, waited a moment, then stepped aside. "When next we meet, I shall treat you as the infidel you wish to be. All mercy will be withheld." And then he bowed.

"I am not an infidel, but I do like to hear both sides before I made a decision." Marisa bowed to the man. "Now I know yours." She had absolutely no say over what happened with the dig; she could not stop what they were doing, even if she wanted to. The proper paperwork had been filed and authorization given, but she did want to learn more and she would not be able to do that until she got back to the camp later.

As they hurried on Miraj looked back over her shoulder. The alien was watching them. The whole episode had been slightly creepy. "Well, that was weird."

"Indeed. I'm not sure what superstitions or traditions he thinks are being violated, but I'd like to find out." She grinned at Miraj. "I find history fascinating, and now, I have a mystery I want to solve."

They came over the hill and saw a small copse of trees near what looked like a deep hole in the ground now filled with water. "I'm curious what the other archaeologists think of the protesters." Perhaps, if she mentioned the man, she'd learn something. At least she hoped so.

One of the older archaeologists stood when he saw them approach. "Hi! You must be Sandoval and Derani. We should have mentioned the siesta period. Most of us come here because it's too hot to be inside--there's no air conditioning for us peons."

"We had a close encounter with one of the natives," she added.

"Yes. There's a group that believes the past should be locked away and never revisited. Something about the past cursing the future. I don't know, I tend to avoid them."

Miraj looked at the water hole with longing, and eagerly stripped down to her bikini. "What is here that could get them so excited?" she asked. "It just looks like ruins and pottery."

"There's a group that believes that the past is over and done with and they need to look to the future." He shrugged. "They think we'll curse their future by uncovering the past."

"A lot of beliefs don't make sense to us because we don't see the past the way they do," Marisa said. "How much trouble have they caused you?"

"Not a lot. They've buried a few sites and they burned down one of the buildings, but since we put in the access restrictions, they can't come close enough to do more than what they are right now."

Miraj slipped into the cool water with a happy sigh, it was blissful after baking in the heat of the sun. "So what have you found? Anything which would explain why they are so worked up.?"

"Not yet, but we're just getting started here. I'm Jim, by the way. Nice to meet both of you."

"Marisa, and that's Miraj," Marisa said, indicating her friend in the water.

"Oh, yes. The Professor said you were coming for a few days." He waved at Miraj in the water. "Maybe you'll find something."

Miraj laughed. "You don't want me digging. I'd break things." She sculled out to the centre of the hole. "Come on in!" she called to Marisa. "The water's lovely!"

Marisa nodded and stripped down to her suit. She dove cleanly into the water and came up near Miraj. "You're right. This is nice."

Which was when the camp exploded.

To be continued...

[OFF]

--

Ensign Miraj Derani
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Galileo

Lieutenant JG Marisa Sandoval
Former Chief Counselor
USS Galileo

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