Forgotten Tower

Discovery

The command deck of the Infinity was empty, its crew and the passengers sleeping peacefully in stasis. The ship, drifting slowly through space, on its long trip to second earth. The ship, with all systems on auto pilot, was silent. Empty, empty except for Jane sitting in the captains chair drumming her titanium-alloy finger tips on the arm of the over the oversized-high-backed-fancy-command chair. She didn't have to be in the command chair, or even on the command deck. Her neural link would allow her to monitor all the ships systems from anywhere inside the ship, or outside the ship as she knew from experience, having spent numerous hours climbing around the outside of ship repairing one system or another. However, she enjoyed the oversized-high-backed-fancy-command chair most, that was if androids could be said to enjoy anything. Numerous scholars and philosophers had written papers discussing both sides of the argument, Jane had read all the papers, and had often wondered about this. At any rate it was familiar and with familiarity came a level of comfort. So she sat in the captain's chair drumming her fingers on the arm of the chair
Empty ship, empty-boring ship, empty-boring-quiet-ship.   blinking light on the console.
Jane stood, "Time to wake the captain."

-Yet to be titled-

The captain's stasis pod opened, He stepped out shaking off the effects of stasis For most, stasis was a long process involving injections and a slow decent into the strange dream world of suspended animation, and an equally complex revivification process. However the captains pod was one of only a few on the Infinity equipped for "deep-freeze" which involved nearly instantaneous transition into and out of a dreamless stasis. However before the process would work, it required the subject to undergo a transfusion where the entirety of their blood was exchanged for Ichor. After which they could be flash frozen and thawed out without any aging or tissue damage, however it was recommended for the subject to emerge periodically, ten minuets every hundred years or so was suggested to prevent insanity. The captain yawned, and stretched, his fragmented thoughts coalescing once more into a functional consciousness.
"Update?"
"Good morning Captain, long range sensors picked up a transmission, a few years back, It's encrypted, not one of our frequencies. Scanners indicate exotic particles consistent with an atomic reactor coming from the vicinity of the signals origin. The output profile is consistent with the temple on Picto Four." The Redheaded lieutenant, smiled as she handed him the report. The captain flipped through it.
"The All-Fathers?" The captain asked,
"It appears that way captain, the computers calculated its probable course, we should be passing near it in about six months." He handed the report back to her
"Maintain observation, and keep me apprised of the situation. If this pans out it will be worth delaying the mission to investigate"
"Yes captain." She turned to walk away.
"Oh and Jane."
"Yes, Captain?"
"I'll be going back into stasis now."
"Understood, Captain." Handing him the flask of vodka she had ready, "You know there is not evidence that alcohol helps the process"
He took the flask and had a long sip "Yes, but it makes me feel better about the whole thing."  He handed the flash back before taking a backwards step into the deep freeze pod.

-Six Months Later-

Rachael stood on the command deck. Her gaze fixed out the window on the alien ship that loomed in front of them.
"Derelict" the captain said, "Figured this was worth waking you up for, scanners picked it up six months ago, it's still broadcasting a distress beacon. Took us three weeks to slow down for it. Scans show no signs of life, but there is power, and a good deal of it. They left something turned on and I've authorized a team to investigate. It will be ten years before they can get anyone from back home out here to look at it.
"It looks just like the temple to the All Fathers on Picto IV," Rachael said, stepping forward pressing her palm to the observation window.
"Only this ones ours", said the captain, "no superstitious indigenous cults to restrict access"

-Briefing-

Rachel sat in the briefing room, three men sitting opposite her. As the captain entered, Jane in tow, everyone in the room stood, and Gideon saluted, "At ease commander Gideon" Gideon dropped his salute. The captain sat and began the meeting, as you've all been told we've been observing an alien vessel of unknown origin, that's been floating in this area for who knows how long, and we've discovered, well Dr. Weaver would you care to explain?" He said motioning to Rachael.
"To put it bluntly, Aliens". Rachael said with a smile.
"That's not possible, Matthew interjected, "I've looked at the scans there isn't any life support or signs of life."
"They're in stasis, Rachael replied.
"Deep freeze?" Matthew asked "we assumed the All-Fathers had advanced stasis technology but this has been what? Twenty thousand years, at least?"
We're not sure, but the technology appears to be functioning. The last log entrance details the crew setting automatic systems and entering stasis."
"And you need us on hand for when you wake them up?" Chris asked.
"It's more complicated than that", Rachel Continued, "You can only exit this deep freeze from inside"
"How is someone in deep freeze going to know when to come out of it?" Matthew questioned.
"This stasis is different then ours, we've been able to discover that much, while the body sleeps the mind stays active in an artificial reality." Rachel smiled.
"That's why you need us," Chris said accusingly, "We're the only nonessential crew equipped for deep freeze"
"I went in, but I didn't meet them, the inside is well, you'll have to see for yourself."
"And that" the captain said, "is why your here, I want you to go in and seek out whatever aliens are in there you'll be making first contact."