Paphos

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

They arrived together, the five other team members all interrupted from their tasks, jabbering and wondering what was so important.  When they saw it Dmitry said nothing, letting their own eyes take in the answer.  Then the questions came swiftly.

“An’ hell, what’s this?” Dublin asked.

“Is this…real?” Athen asked.

“It’s real,” Dmitry said.  Two seconds of silence followed.

“Is it man made?” Helena asked meekly.  The others looked at her.

“Nay, it can’t be,” Dublin said.

“It’s definitely not man made,” Orlean said, studying his prosthetic arm, a tool he used for field work.  His arm was a portable science lab.  More silence followed.  Dublin walked up to the wall and knocked on it. 

Everyone was too serious, Carolina felt herself shrinking.  This was making her upset though she couldn’t say why.  She wanted to cry, squeezing Austin’s hand absentmindedly.  Austin noticed this, and he knelt down to her level.

“This is a good thing honey, it’s a good thing.  You did a real good job,” he said.  It took a few moments for her breathing to steady, but when she looked up at him, he knew he said the right thing for once.  “We had better get back and radio this in,” Austin said.  “Report the find, send photos, prepare a data package, documentation...”

“No.”

Dmitry’s curt reply stopped everyone.  “We don’t know what we are reporting yet.”

“Aye, definitely need analysis first,” Dublin agreed.

Dmitry stood in the center of the group.  “Listen, all of you.  This may be what we think it is, the first ever proof of intelligent life.  And it also may be a classified government outpost.  If we say we found something of that importance and it washes out, our reputations will be ruined.  Also, if this is what we think it is, and if we handle it right, we might even become rich.  Famous.  Immortal,” Dmitry said.

The weight in Austin’s stomach grew tenfold.

“But… we are under contract,” Orlean said.  He stopped examining the readings on his prosthetic arm.  Under contract, anything of value that was discovered during a financed expedition became property of the sponsoring company.   

“Aye, Orlean,” Dublin cut him off.  “But jus’ think for a moment about what Dmitry is saying,” he said.

Austin gave a look to his daughter before speaking.  He could sense where this was going, and someone had to be the voice of reason.  “Guys, we are under contract.  An agreement is in place, we must report the find,” Austin said matter of fact.

Dmitry pursed his lips.  “We can argue the contract later,” Dmitry said, calm as if the debate carried no meaning.  “But until we decide what to do, you follow my orders,” Dmitry said.

“But the protocol states--” Austin began.

“--And my orders are that we will not report this find until we have had time to research it.  Then, once we’ve made sure this isn’t a classified outpost, we can report what we know,” Dmitry smiled.

“This architecture is unlike anything I’ve ever seen,” Orlean said after whistling through his teeth.  The digital displays on his prosthetic hand struggled to compare chart after chart of known and unknown compositions.  Athen surveyed the group, wondering where to side.  Austin noticed her physically leaning towards Dublin, whose rubber thick accent grew the more excited he became.  Austin could almost see the dollar signs glowing above their heads.