[10 minute read: Space explorers interact with broken space-time]
Daniel checked the atmospheric sensors for corrosives. “Looks clear, standard gear should be sufficient.”.
“Well and good, but lets keep the ship fired up while we investigate the first anomaly”. Sarge’s caution made Daniel chuckle.
“What, Do you understand what the sensors are saying enough to feel confident” Daniel shrugged, “We’re far enough out that I don’t want an unattended ship to burn itself out.”
A few negotiations later Daniel and Sarge exited the ship; The source of the lesser st-anomaly they’d detected was evident. A short distance from the ship stood a dais, clearly not created by the processes that formed the rest of the rocky surface. In the center of the dais stood a podium, and on the edge a gargoyle that seemed to face the center.
As they approached Daniel noticed the level of detail on the sculpture. At first it had seemed only vaguely humanoid, but on closer inspection the distortions where all horizontal stalagmites pointing away from the dais. The effect was especially evident on the hand outstretched as if to shake a hand; The back of the hand was a unrecognizable jungle of rock, while the palm showed similar structure to standard issue gauntlets.
“It appears to just be a stand for this device sitting on top, possibly to a telescope of sorts, perhaps this is an observatory”, Sarge’s short range comms barely registered. Daniel was too distracted by the glove, extended as if in greeting. Although, the rest if body language seemed off, the body was set towards the hand, but the head turned towards the dais. Curious, Daniel mirrored the pose, extending a symmetrical hand and looking towards the middle of the dais.
“I’m going to try remove it” Sarge said, laying hands to the podium.
“Uuuuh” was all Daniel managed to get out, looking down the barrel of what did not seem to be a telescope at all. The device, a yard long tube that bent at the far end doubling into itself to form a handle, came off the podium with a lurch that disrupted Sarge’s grip; hands fumbled so as not to drop it. A infinitesimal beam lanced out, just missing Daniel and hitting the petrified torso. The beam held still, impossibly still, as everything else seemed to warp, colours cycled through each other, the black sky darkened through a light grey, The beam couldn’t seem to decide if it was lancing from the device to the sculpture or retreating from it, Daniels’s stomach tried to empty itself, but the extended moment of perception did not extend to action.
After an eternal moment, The ringing slowly retreated from eyes and ears. Daniel turned to see what had been a rocky figure. Now there stood a humanoid shaped ‘warping’.The familiar feeling of eyes slipping around the figure confirmed Daniels suspicions: Something had petrified a previous explorer, recently too, fancloth refactors were recent stealth tech.
The figure turned towards Daniel. It withdrew its hand from Daniel’s , and a breathy rasp came through the comms: ‘You?’. The refraction seemed to break around the figures eyes and the stranger stared with a confusion that matched Daniel’s own. Slowly the figure’s confused posture lowered, and started to retreat, shuffling as though injured. The figure didn’t have to go far before a rocky outcrop hid it from sight. Daniel slowly let his hand drop.
Sarge recovered first: “Curious, but why were they here?”
“Perhaps you want to start with an apology”
“Come on, how was I supposed to know it would do that”
“It looks like a Klein bottle turned into a gun, and it was pointed at a petrified operative!”
“Ya, but it made them better”.
Grunting in frustration, Daniel set the ship to sentry mode:
“Your curiosity can kill me another day, I suspect the Klein-gun is the source of the readings, lets check out the second anomaly. Keep sharp, our defrosted friend seemed to know me, I’d rather not get blindsided.”
They headed off following the scanners, the second st-anomaly was just over the rise.
“It looks like our friend didn’t make it far” Sarge pointed at the bottom or the valley, the operative lay collapsed, arm outreached to another petrified figure. “Luckily they turned off their suits stealth, or we’d have tripped over them”. They walked up to the site.
“Nothing out of the ordinary here, perhaps its the petrification process that causes the anomaly”.
“Should we thaw this other one, then take both to high command?”
“Sounds good, but I’m firing the gun this time” Daniel said reaching for the Klein gun.
“Suit yourself”. Sarge said, passing it across. Daniel pointed the gun at the petrified figure and squeezed. Nothing happened. Daniel looked at Sarge then back at the Gun.
“Seems …”
‘Seems …’ was all that came out. The Gun fired a blast that kicked it back and up, past hands too surprised to hold it, smashing into visor plate. If the space-time warping happened again, Daniel didn’t notice it through the onset of concussion. Dim awareness of Sarge’s support washed through the haze, helping Daniel to sit down. On the edge of consciousness Daniel saw the newly thawed operative helping the original up. They moved like in a dream, nothing seemed quite right. The original operative picked up the Klein gun, Daniel reached out an arm to warn Sarge, but it was too late. The flash of light pushed out the last vestiges of awareness…
The stars didn’t seem to quite line up with the visor plate cracks, no matter how Daniel tried to pair the stars off with cracks. It seemed as though they should, maybe Sarge would know how the correct allocations. Looking across, Daniel felt a surge of satisfaction … the stalagmites growing from Sarge’s darkened suit lined up satisfyingly with the visor cracks.
A beeping from ship monitor sliced through the haze. Someone had switched it from sentry mode to active. Daniel groaned, “It wasn’t me, and it can’t have been you”. The petrified Sarge didn’t respond. Growling, and switching to stealth mode, Daniel set off after the thankless ship thieves. The Klein gun had to be with them. once they were apprehended, Sarge could be thawed.
Finding the two was easy, they were stood at the dais, apparently in discussion, but the short range comms didn’t extend far enough for eaves dropping. At this distance the fancloth would provide sufficient cover, unless luck ran out. Daniel approached carefully. Sneaking around one last boulder, Daniel was caught completely off guard. One of the operatives, standing at the edge of the dais was looking in his direction and was extending a hand. Detection shouldn’t have been possible with the fancloth, but at least they hadn’t drawn weapons. And a peace offering would we welcome if it were not a rouse. The element of surprise lost, there was only one thing to do. Daniel shuffled up.
Many questions cycled inside the suit with the shuffling footsteps, but when Daniel finally reached the operative, all that came out was ‘why?’. Daniel extended a hand, if only for stability, but a noise from the center of the dias demanded full attention.
If the path to the center of the dais had been clear, dodging might have been an option, as it was there was just enough time to see the second operative standing in the middle of the dais with the Klein gun. Distracted by the first operative, Daniel had not noticed the second was armed. There was no dodging the streak of light.
Daniel tried to look back to the operative who had offered a hand. Why the cheap distraction? Why the aggression? Why the betrayal? How did they know him? Who were they? The petrification made head turning impossible. Instead the newly restored podium filled a narrowing sight. At least the two were leaving the Klein gun, the anomaly might draw someone to thaw Daniel in the future.