Prisoner of the Amulet

CHAPTER 5

Personal journal of geologist Sanomis Ti'nullaim, Ganiwarthal's exploratory mission on planet Dorull

-Entry 163 (secured with triple encryption)-

This will be my one and only journal entrance, that I'll be talking about, as Ch'ybal said, the search for truth. It would be far too reckless to leave a bigger trace, if there really is some hidden agenda. The ice maiden is convinced in the existence of one. And I for one believe her, although I haven't found any proof to corroborate that claim. Not for the lack of effort, but because I was hampered from the very start. Besides the handful of documents, every single report is being held behind the secured, military encryption. And that was a good enough reason to back off. At least for now. Until I figure out what and how to proceed. If I manage to figure that one out. I don't...

-Entry 163.a (supplemental)-

I can't sleep. I haven't had a proper shut eye in four days now. I barely ate anything. I can't stop thinking about those damn locked reports. Something is definitely not right. They should be under the encryptions of the corresponding divisions. Why would the military place them under theirs? Am I the only one noticing this? Perhaps not. But whom should I ask? Is there anyone I could trust? I don't have a clue who's involved in this. Perhaps only a few. But who? Perhaps I could...No! I can't risk involving anyone else. I need to do this on my own. I'll do this on my own. And I think I know how.

***

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything." Vagyr said, walking into Sanomis' private quarters.

"Not at all." the geologist answered, offering him a chair "I was just revising the report, from my last surface walk, before sending it to the chief researcher."

"How did it go?" Vagyr asked, "Seen anything interesting?"

"Of course." Sanomis answered "Kabb'nal-an is one exceptionally fascinating region. Particularly below the surface."

"I heard the stories about numerous mines." Vagyr said.

"So far, we counted more than twenty of them." Sanomis answered "My guess is, there are ten times that."

"Impossible."

"And to top it off, almost half of them are naturally formed." Sanomis continued "I've been to few. I saw the walls of those caves literally sprayed with ores."

"You don't say."

"We're still in the early days of research, but according to our guesstimate, this region contains vast amounts or resources." Sanomis added "And because of that, we believe the Kabb'nal could become the most developed and prosperous areas of the entire planet."

"Or they could turn it the other way." Vagyr said.

"Which way?" Sanomis asked.

"The way of greed." Vagyr explained "The way which inevitably leads towards conflict situations."

"Well, that is a possibility." Sanomis said, after short consideration "But I'd like to think this region could elevate above the need for senseless violence."

"Hardly." Vagyr retorted "They are all savages. The violence is the only thing they know."

"Saying like a true soldier." Sanomis noticed.

"Well, I am a soldier." Vagyr grinned.

"True." Sanomis continued "Perhaps, that's why you're forgetting, we were like them not so long ago. Materialistic, greedy, belligerent. But we managed to change. Evolve. Better ourselves."

"Saying like a true scientist." Vagyr noticed.

"Well, I am a scientist." Sanomis returned the smile, as they both sighed in consent.

"We were fortunate." Vagyr said, after a brief pause "Do you really think that anyone on this planet will know to head on, in the similar direction?"

"Why not?" Sanomis retorted "Who knows. Perhaps some day, one of these races will do the similar things, we are doing now."

"What exactly?" Vagyr asked.

"Learn from the past experiences, so in the future, they won't repeat the same mistakes." Sanomis answered."

"If said future is something they should worry about, it's better they wise up fast." Vagyr said.

"And I believe they will." Sanomis added.

"I wish I could share your optimism." Vagyr was honest "But simply put, wherever we land, the only thing I see are countless killings."

"Is that so?" Sanomis for a moment let his mind slip towards the locked military reports.

"Everywhere." Vagyr said "For example, a few days ago, we had a skirmish with the group of orcs."

"Where? Why?" Sanomis wasn't hiding his interest.

"Somewhere in Chaygor." Vagyr answered "We were acting as a support to the group of botanists and zoologists, when orcs decided to attack us."

"Without any reason?" Sanomis asked.

"It turns out, we assumed the appearance of a rival orc tribe, against which they declared a war, a day or two before." Vagyr answered.

"Unfortunate coincidence." Sanomis said "How did it end? Did anyone get hurt?"

"It was nothing serious. Just a few cuts and bruises. We all managed to return safe." Vagyr answered "The problem is, these clashes are happening almost every time we are on the surface. And all of them are random."

"I see." Sanomis nodded.

"This planet is far too unpredictable." Vagyr continued "No matter how hard we try to stay unnoticed, somehow we always get involved."

"Surely there's something that could fix that problem." Sanomis perceived.

"There might be." Vagyr said "But the part of the problem is, that something's still just an idea."

"An idea that you hope to turn into a reality, because of my tech knowledge?" Sanomis asked.

"Well, yes." Vagyr smiled nervously, astonished by the geologist's correct presumption "Although, I don't know how real my idea is."

"We won't know unless we try it." Sanomis said.

"You are right." Vagyr nodded "Where do we start?"

"By telling me what you want, or need, from your module upgrade."