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Captain’s Log, Stardate 56474.2
After repairing and reviving the crew of Deep Space K-13 we were ordered by Starfleet to delay the archeological and historical research on Dracon 2 and head to the third planet in the Nile System to lead the research teams of the Terrell and Smithsonian in, what is believed to be the ancient capital of the inhabitants that once lived here. Oddly the planet is still flourish with life but the ancient cities, that strikingly resemble those of Ancient Egypt, are either being retaken by nature or remained empty and became simply monuments that people once lived on this world. Lt. Commander Belok, of course, is on the surface and has been for the past four days, leading the research, archeological and historical teams reading, retrieving and cataloging everything in the capital while Commander Mendel handles the archeological and historical personnel on board as the artifacts or reading material is beamed or shuttled aboard. The crews moral is exceptionally high by all what we have accomplished at Deep Space K-13, seeing the Ships Of The Line the Federation Historical Society has put together with Starfleet, to show the rich history of the ships that created our Federation that is today, and now this newly discovered world that closely resembles that of Ancient Egypt. We, and the ships assigned to this mission, are also supplied with the new Exocomps that will help Belok, and other researchers and Archeologists, translate, decipher and work at sites that will help them speed through the process of finding out the lifestyle of this extinct ancient civilization, without having to worry about them turning sentiment like the original Exocomps. Though there are some that now do not seem to share the same enthusiasm and one of them I have steered cleared away from Commander Clark as he looked heavily occupied and frustrated as the historical and archeological departments are straining the ship’s power grid due to the massive computer, tricorder and transporter usage that has caused many of those systems and instruments to burn out.
Riva looked over to his left, as he stood, and watched as Commander Clark worked diligently at his station on the bridge while Belok spoked excitedly over the comm in his right armrest on his chair, “Captain, we have found a set of eight metallic, handheld rods that appears to once hold brushes at one end to brush the President of the Guard’s teeth! One for each day!” Riva smirked as he turned back to his chair, pressed a button on his right armrest and spoke, “Nice to share their ways of hygiene commander but can it wait till you beam aboard and go over the briefing next week? Whenever you come back aboard?” Belok sounded as if he recomposed himself when he replied, “Yes sir, and captain. Can you ask Commander Clark if the sand is cleaned out of transporter 2? I have a family heirloom table for a second shift Royal Guardsman from the sixth century that needs to be brought aboard for cleaning and cataloging and I don’t want it cross contaminated with the previous artifact.” Clark mumbled, “Can only work so fast to bring a very old table aboard.” Riva looked perplexed at Clark and asked, “What is it commander?” Clark replied aloud, “I said, I’m working as fast as I can captain! The sand from the surface is really clogging the transporter systems within the pads sir!” Riva smirked again as he turned back to his chair and answered Belok, “Clark says he is working on it, but you have to find someplace where there is less sand and dirt commander so we can avoid anymore delays and clogs in the transporter pads.” He heard Belok sigh but spoke, “Yes sir, I know a spot, but it will take my teams more time to move them to the new transporter location rather than beaming them up right away.” Riva ordered, “Then I suggest you get your teams moving commander. Riva out.” Riva sighed, looked at Andor sitting to the right of Riva’s command chair and said, “You have the bridge commander. I’m going to go to the Preservation Bays to see what we have brought up.” Andor smirked as he looked at his right armrest control panel and then looked at the captain when he replied, “Yes sir. Just don’t spend all your free time there, captain.” Riva gave a quizzical expression as he said, “All my free time? I wouldn’t dream of it.” Riva then smirked before turning away and headed towards the Portside turbo lift while Andor gave a light hearted laugh as he looked back at his control panel and continued pushing buttons.
Various class Federation shuttles flew toward or from the desert surface of a stone made city in the third planet in the Nile System, with four large, dome stoned shaped structures clustered in the center of the large city, with the largest (about five football stadiums wide and high) in the middle of the four. The domes are surrounded by either smaller domes, squared or rectangular shaped buildings that appeared to be as if they were put there and the inside rooms were carved out for accommodations for the civilization that once existed. Surrounding the complex/city of the four domes is a valley that appears to once be a shallow river with various clusters of teams either digging, chiseling or brushing in what appears to be boat pits. In front of the complex/city there is a large, half buried, statue of a Sphinx, but with a body of an alligator rather than a lion or cat and the stones or whatever makes this form is not sandy or brown but looks like it is made out of granite as archeologists and historians took either multiple scans or (faintly) lightly chisel the rocks before taking the small samples back to their respective campsites and analyze the material. Belok appeared from one of the smaller domed structures with dust and sand covering his overalls and looked absolutely delighted once he removed his googles, shook the sand out of his hair and exclaimed, “WOOH! Now that is what I call a find for history!” A young, female historian came running up with a data pad in her hands and yelped, “Mr. Belok! The analysis of Kafra’s Sphinx!” Belok looked alert as he took the data pad and scrolled through till he stopped and (still surprised) exclaimed, “Just as I have suspected all along! They have ruled this entire world! This type of granite material originated from another continent on the other side or this world and transported it just to build this moment to their 5th century leader!” The historian spoke, “Correction sir. 6th century leader! A team from the Smithsonian just uncovered a ruins of another city but smaller and in a further state of decay that can only mean that….” Belok finished, “It was buried much longer! Astounding!” His communicator then beeped on his chest and he tapped it and asked, “Lt. Commander Belok here, what is it?” A male (slightly static but audible) voice replied, “Commander, team 4A has uncovered something that I think you should see.” Belok gave the historian her pad back and replied, “On my way!” And tapped it and ordered, “Transporter site 2Z transport to 4As location!” And after a few moments dematerialized from where he was to the 11 o’clock side of the main dome structure where many workers, archeologists, researchers and historians either dug or analyzed the newly formed entranceway to the structure (to Belok’s surprise) with the assistance of Exocomps and he was immediately confronted by an expressionless male Vulcan and said, “Lt. Commander Belok. If you follow me, you will see why Professor Ghazi has called upon you.” Belok followed the Vulcan officer past multiple historians and researchers as they were either examining or cleaning off the sand and dirt from a buried stone path (that he and the Vulcan are walking on) that leads to the newly discovered entrance that he and the Vulcan are walking into and once they did, Belok was taken aback by the site of the walls to their left and right are covered with hieroglyphics. The hallway of hieroglyphics echoed the voices of many historians and researchers as they talked to one another about what they are seeing and many of them either almost side by side or stood on top of stools with their transparent data pads over portions of the wall as the translator began translating the language while at the same time Exocomps hovered or glided along the parts of the walls that is unreachable to the researchers and either took scans, videos or images (while also lighting up the hallway in the process) and flew over their heads and back towards the entranceway, where they will stop at the research tents where their data, images and videos can be extracted and analyzed by the researchers and historians that awaited for them. Belok was memorized by the site of this ancient civilizations language and images covering both the walls that he completely forgot about the Vulcan officer that was escorting him that in order to break his concentration and come back to realty, the Vulcan literally stood close to his right to cast a shadow over him that Belok looked up in surprise and the Vulcan starred down at him and spoke (in a demanding like tone), “Lt. Commander. May we continue?” Belok quickly nodded and followed right behind the Vulcan, as they continued deeper into the domed pyramid till a bright light (brighter than the electric lamps the researchers setup along the tunnel) appeared and nearly blinded Belok as he cringed and brought his left hand up to cover his eyes and heard the Vulcan order, “Reduce lighting by 30 percent!” And the light dimmed enough to allow Riva to see a large, silver statue of a scaled man sitting on a bronze like throne with a human head that has a gold, pipe shaped goaty and a headdress that looks exactly like that of the ancient pharaohs in Egypt, with the exception of being formed in silver and gold as two researchers scanned the statue up and down and side to side with their tricorders. Again, the Vulcan broke Belok’s trance by saying, “This way Lt. Commander.” And Belok quickly took a picture with his transparent data pad before moving on around and to the left of the statue to see another hallway but this time there are many stone statues (like the one he just saw but they are all standing as if at attention and are all made out of the same granite material like Kafra’s Sphinx), with square columns in between every two, where the researchers are now in the middle of setting up their lighting gear while some just started scanning the statues with their tricorders. Belok looked astounded at the site and spoke (as if almost out of breath), “I know some of these statues. They are the leaders of the Chinook Dynasty.” The Vulcan added, “With leaders that have not been identified yet.” Belok added, “Nor known to exist. This changes how long this civilization lasted.” He continued to follow the Vulcan (while still staring at each statue and column as they pass) down the long hallway till they reached another entranceway carved out of the stone wall (including a set of stairs) that leads a 45 degree angle downwards to an opening that is already brilliantly lite by electric lamps and Exocomps as he and the Vulcan both entered (while the Exocomps also took scans of the hieroglyphics that covered the walls and four pillars in the chamber) a carved out chamber and something that immediately drew Belok’s attention as he looked wide eyed in shock and mouth agape.
