Crystal Gift
Book 1 of a Crystal Skull Trilogy
A work of fiction based on plausible historical theories.
B E Dennis
Dedicated to my wife Katherine for her help and understanding.
Copyright © 2010 B. E. Dennis
Published by B E Dennis at Smashwords
ISBN-13: 978—4660-4594-1
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Prologue
Composing the message continued, "As the light of civilization fades, we are securing our legacy for the future. Our desire is to benefit the future of humanity with the knowledge we have acquired. Stored in the repository under the seated lion is the total knowledge and history of our peoples, our culture. The information provided on this marker will help locate and translate the sum of our society. Our greatest hope is that this information be found by peoples with the intelligence and advancement to recognize the significance of our legacy."
The solitary figure continued his efforts. His task, to provide a message to guide future cultures to the vast sum of wisdom and knowledge. More than a message, a time capsule that would allow future generations to know some of the greatness achieved over many millennium of peaceful advancements and human endeavors. Already included were maps and graphic instructions to locate the vast stores of information. He continued with his task completing the carefully worded appeal. The inscriptions included a statement written in a form of pictograms. Included around the edges of the crystal marker was a guide for translations.
Sunlight was gathered, intensified, and focused through a precisely aligned series of crystals to produce the powerful beam of light used to burn this final important message into solid crystal. As the light beam burned figures into the crystal marker, the thoughts of the author drifted to earlier times before the disasters now threatening humanity and the fragile environment.
The author of the message let his thoughts drift to better times, before the daily changes started. He lived in an age of advanced technology and rapid advancements in science leading to the hope of a bright future for humanity, a society in harmony with the environment where sickness and hunger no longer existed. His daydream state suddenly ended as a tremor brought his thoughts back to the reality of the present.
An unpredicted shift in the light caused a temporary interruption to the sculpting of the marker. The light gathering mechanism needed realignment. The device used to scribe the marker would normally track the movements of the sun and stay aligned. The shifts of the global axis are an indication of the impending disaster. These shifts were becoming commonplace and caused interruptions to a normally fluid task. With the device realigned, thoughts of the author refocused to the whole of civilization and the advancements in art, mathematics, and the sciences. Advancements including amazing strides in medicine and the care afforded all living beings, and centuries of discovery, peace, and harmony. His thoughts changed from family and loved ones to the rude awakening of impending disaster, and the urgency required in finishing this final task.
Only a handful of days remained before the inevitable end, all the natural signs showed this to be true. The air had changed, the planet heaved, and the seasonal cycles were no longer predictable. This great home, the planet was going into a long slumber. It was accepted knowledge that some species would survive, possibly even humans. It was also accepted that the civilization that had flourished for thousands of years was coming to a quick and abrupt end. The impending disasters were continuing and intensifying with each passing hour. The end of their civilization was inevitable. The only hope was to perpetuate the advances in the natural sciences and instruct future generations on peaceful uses of the resources of this environment.
Through a series of catastrophic events, the planet was purging itself. The weather patterns changed almost overnight. Lush savannahs were transforming into deserts. The home continent of this advanced society, once enjoyed a temperate climate, was rapidly becoming a world of ice and perpetual winter. Ocean levels were rising at a rate that changed coastal communities into submerged water worlds. The weather changes were causing crop failure and deep economic problems. The entire society was rapidly failing. Dealing with a death rate of over half the population each year, the end of civilization was inevitable. Even though science predicted these disastrous occurrences, the impact was so great there was nothing anyone could do to prevent the demise. A rapid shift in the rotational axis of the planet caused this global disaster. Humanity would be plunged into a dark period for science and learning. A culture that had the knowledge to power the planet and the power to destroy the planet, did not have the knowledge or power to avert this impending demise. The only hope was in the nomadic tribes, which frequented the cities. Those uneducated and uncivilized nomads may be the only salvation of humanity.
The information on the crystal marker included detailed instructions to access both the knowledge repositories and the devices used to access the knowledge. The instructions also included an explanation to the current situation and a map detailing a long forgotten maintenance route, the one passage that should survive for all time. The plan was to encase the marker in a wall near the learning complex. Entombed, the marker would survive until the planet healed and a new beginning could announce the dawn of a new civilization.
******
As the planetary slumber and global healing continued, small groups of descendants of the once great culture survived. A common goal and hope was that their ancestral greatness would rise again. They devoted any effort beyond basic survival to keep this dream alive. Through self-education, they strove to keep any fragments of their culture and history alive. The years turned to generations and the generations blended into centuries. The goals and hope evolved with a religious dedication. Over many thousands of years, diligence to this historically based religion kept the flicker of the dream alive.
As generations passed, the society was remembered first through reminiscence of a lost time and later through stories of former glory. As the many millennia passed, stories turned into myth and myths turned into legends.
After countless generation, humanity was starting a slow but steady rebound. Still far from the past glory and lacking the advanced technology of the distant past, an organized society grew from the devastation of the distant past. A new ruling class was emerging. To cement their power into society, they needed to dispel the myths of a more powerful past. They needed to rewrite history. The new ruling class had to appear all-powerful to the masses.
As the ingenuity of humanity again sparked, the legends, telling of the greatness of a long past civilization, were remembered. The legends included an obscure reference to a key to great knowledge. As the truth changed over time, knowledge was referred to as power. As societies advanced, power hungry rulers were threatened by the myths of such power from the past and suppressed all reference to the ancient myths. The head of the seated lion was reshaped to resemble the newly, self-appointed ruler. What remained of the locations of the old temples was replaced with new structures unlike anything seen for thousands of years. The old language was revived and adopted as the language of the new ruling class. The self-appointed rulers formed a new religion for the masses.
Quickly, the old myths of the long past glory were forgotten by the common citizen. Within the span of less than a single generation, the old myths and religion was replaced with a new society. Anyone with knowledge of the distant past either converted to the new religion or faced removal in the form of banishment into the desert wasteland or death at the hands of the rulers. The history and myth of a great society was fading from existence. As the new culture grew, the greed of the leaders would certainly spell the end of all trace of the past.
Fearing loss of the memories of a long past society, a single descendant of the ancient society took the initiative to record his remembrance of his lineage. The best method of the time was a record carved in stone. Fearing for his life, he worked in secret to preserve the historic truth. Much of the written language was lost to the ravages of time, but a rudimentary message could survive. His plan was to produce stone tablets to chronicle the myth and legends of the past, work he had to complete in secret for fear that the discovery of his work would have fatal consequences.
Each night, this descendant of the long past culture worked to create a message for the future. A message carefully worded to allow some future generation the information to learn of a long lost past and the hope that those lost achievements might one day be revived for the benefit of all.
Each night the laborious work continued. Each night the partially completed work was hidden in the sandy floor of his modest quarters. During the daylight hours, the author remained alert of any hint that agents of the rulers might discover his evening activities.
As he completed the second tablet and planned to start carving a third and final tablet, the author hid his work and settled down to much needed rest. The following day started with the author of this final message in the custody of agents of the rulers. His plans to perpetuate the ancient myth had in fact been discovered. The details of his work were not known, only his plans to perpetuate the myth. After a session of brief but brutal interrogation, the author carried the details of his activities to his grave. The partially completed message remained hidden and was eventually lost to time. Eventually, the desert reclaimed the mud-brick dwelling and sealed the message for some future discovery. As the planet once slumbered, now the existence of past advancements now slept, waiting for an eventual discovery. A mythical source of unlimited power waiting to be discovered. Civilizations flourished and failed and the marker remained entombed. In time, the key to a once great powerful society would be discovered. Humanity deserved the chance to benefit from the long lost gift, a gift waiting for the future. A gift shrouded in a long lost legend.
CHAPTER 1
As he exited the cab and started walking towards the front door, a breeze brought the faint fragrance of desert air, not the scent of plants or a recent rain, but the hot dry scent of sand and rock baking in the mid-day sun. The scent of the desert got his mind wandering back to an earlier time, only about a year ago, but it seemed like a lifetime or even a different life all together. The events of the last several months changed not only his life but the lives of those around him, with the potential to affect all of humanity. It all started so innocently, a routine job on an expedition on the Giza Plateau near Cairo, Egypt, a substitute assignment. He was simply filling in for someone else. Still the events that took place in such a short time, even just a year can change the entire future. As the distinctive scent filled his nostrils, his mind drifted back to that different time.
He prefers the searing heat and bright sun to the confines of an office, fieldwork rather than a cubicle. His name is Dennis Mathews. He is an archeologist with an education in Engineering and Ancient Cultures, an odd combination, but a combination that has fueled his career and passion. When he expressed his beliefs of the origins of ancient cultures in his PhD thesis and tried to publish discoveries of early civilizations throughout the Pacific Rim and their connection with South America, the mainstream academic community shunned him. He was branded as a fringe lunatic, although he preferred to think of himself as passionate and true to his convictions. Since then, assignments to archeological fieldwork have been increasingly difficult to come by. Not surprisingly, because of those personal disbeliefs in some of the accepted norms of ancient cultures, he has been relegated to lesser assignments as is his current one that involves collecting rock samples. The purpose of this expedition is to identify the quarry location of major temples and structures throughout the Nile delta. He was not even scheduled for that expedition. Dr. Gary Benson, his business partner, was the original choice, and Dennis was allowed to fill in while Gary is on assignment in South America supporting new oil exploration.
Gary and Dennis started a laboratory in Helena, Montana to support the fossil hunting craze. Dennis handled the paleoarcheology work and Gary was the geological expert. Their lab supports fossil hunting using Ground Penetrating Radar to perform sub-surface scans of rock searching for dinosaur fossils. With the fossil hunting craze nearly over, Gary works with oil companies exploring potential drilling locations while Dennis tries to get on any archeological dig he can. Getting back into that small and closed community is Dennis’s immediate goal. Yet he knows that for that to happen, he needs more proof of the existence of developed cultures predating recorded history. Failing that, he needs to seriously consider changing, or at least not voicing his personal beliefs. Understandably, preferring the former alternative, he keeps looking for the proof that validates his beliefs.
This current assignment involves sampling and cataloging rock samples around quarries and major temple complexes and includes removal of materials from the country. Dennis has to be careful of which samples are collected. He had initially hoped to remove pyramid samples for study. However, the strict rules included small samples from locations near temples and from quarry locations and he was not allowed to sample temples or other structures. With the fringe theories on construction methods of Ancient Egypt, there is a strict ban on material samples taken from temples or other major structures. He believed those samples might provide the proof to substantiate his theories.
The work Dennis was completing should disprove his theories and reinforce the accepted theories that there was no highly developed civilization in the area prior to Dynastic Egypt. It goes against his personal views, but he would take any fieldwork he could get. As a scientist, Dennis will complete the work without bias and report the findings truthfully.
The theories he subscribes to include the great pyramids predating the fourth dynasty by many centuries. These theories have placed a black mark on many in the field. Personal reputations associated with the wrong theories can result in having exploration permits either lost or flatly denied. The only way Dennis was able to find around that ‘unofficial’ ban was to work with Gary and use his experience in other fields of study. Mapping quarry sites and their relationship to specific temples should further the acceptance of current beliefs. Dennis always hoped for that single piece of evidence to add credibility to his theories. He kept looking and hoping for that one big break.
With Gary’s expertise in geology and Dennis’s studies in ancient cultures, they were able to tag along on several expeditions. Usually, Gary was able to find an excuse to allow Dennis to work on those assignments. This time they were providing study information on rock and sand for the area. This information helps to verify artifact dating based on the burial practices, and the location of quarries of the various dynastic periods. Part of the dig permit allows removal, for testing, of rock samples. The samples cannot disturb any historical structures. Since the expedition permit included a study of the geology of the area, Dennis had some latitude in removing natural stone from the area. He can also transport this stone out of the country for further testing. This allows him to remove the rock samples and transport them back to their lab for study while waiting for the next expedition.
The work is mundane and Dennis has tended to let his mind wander. With trying to focus on the work at hand, his daydreams were usually tracking petroglyphs in Hawaii or ruins in Mexico. The difference about this day was that he knew he was into the final days of the expedition season. The Egyptian government is very strict concerning the expedition schedules and the access windows provided on each permit. It is completely understandable considering the looting and stealing of antiquities that has been going on for nearly 5,000 years. Even in the times of early-recorded history, the treasures of this land have been looted for personal gains. So now, everyone is paying the price of governmental restrictions.
While walking on the Giza plateau, Dennis came across a strange rock formation on the side of a small hill southwest of the sphinx. He did not even notice the features as he tripped over one of the rocks. Lost in a daydream brought on by the heat and a lack of sleep, Dennis’s dream state suddenly ended and he found himself staring at this rock. It moved when he kicked at it, but it did not move as he expected. It was about the size of a large book and should have slid farther than it did. It was as though the piece of rock was glued to the surrounding rocks. He bent to pick up the sample, to his surprise, it was much heavier than he expected. It was sandstone, like all the rock in the area, but it was too heavy to be sandstone. From the size of the rock, Dennis estimated the weight to be about 25 pounds. When he picked up the rock, the weight was about 50 pounds, twice the weight he expected. The rock intrigued him and he decided to take this rock as one of the quarry samples. This sample needed to be investigated. His scientific mind needed to know why the weight of this particular piece of rock was so wrong.
It was a long walk back to the expedition camp. The weight of the newly found sample, made the trek even longer. It had been a long day and a long expedition. For now, Dennis needed to get back, get some sleep, and pack for the trip back to Montana. He had finished his work here. With Gary’s help, they would complete the analysis of all the samples when he got home.
When Dennis finally reached the expedition camp, the weight of the rock sample felt as though it had doubled. Several times during the walk to the camp, he considered leaving the sample, but the sample was different, and different might help him back into the academic community. He needed proof of advanced cultures pre-dating the accepted norms. He focused his attention on the question of the weight of the sample during his walk to camp. Why is this rock so different from the rest of the rocks in this region? Dennis thought about every conceivable reason for the rock to be so heavy. He concentrated on this new puzzle so much that he did not notice the lone figure following his every movement since he first tripped over this unique rock sample.
Completely spent by the walk back, Dennis finally arrived at the tent provided by the expedition, his home on the plateau. The housing provided as part of the dig was modest, but livable for the area. They each had a private work/sleeping area and common bath and eating areas. The camp was set up as a small village on the outskirts of Cairo. The buildings and tents were cooled with swamp coolers, which worked well for the area. It was a temporary village, but suited the expedition needs quite well. After a light dinner in camp, Dennis returned to his tent to work on his daily field entries and pack for the return to Montana. Part of the paperwork included a status email to Gary Benson. Thinking about the strange rock sample, Dennis wrote the email:
“Gary –
I have finished collecting samples for our analysis back in the lab. I found one sample a bit out of the ordinary. The rock sample was much heavier than it should be. I am going to carry the sample back with me and I want to start on it first thing. (Anything out of the ordinary has potential to help with my theories of older civilizations.) Let me know your schedule so I can get the equipment in Montana ready.
- Dennis”
He kept the email short, finished packing for his departure, and got some sleep. He would return to Montana tomorrow.
As Dennis sent the email to Gary, the same email was intercepted and analyzed. All of the email traffic from the expedition was intercepted and analyzed. Most of the emails were reviewed and filed, the email to Gary peaked some interest and extra action.
At night, the desert takes on a completely new personality and a life of its own. The vipers and scorpions rule the night. Dennis always found a desolate night setting to have a certain peace about it. Whether it involved talking to the snakes on the Giza Plateau of visiting with the ancient Hawaiian spirits along the Kings Trail on the Big Island of Hawaii, he enjoyed the quiet. The air becomes still and the darkness heightens his senses, he almost imagined he could feel the earth breathe.
The next morning started like all the others in the desert. An early breakfast followed by morning meetings. The expedition was ending and people were leaving. As he finished his meal, Dennis saw Walter Smythe at another table. Walter was the expedition assistant. A better description would have been Dr. Johnson’s gopher. Dr. Johnson was the expedition leader. Dennis walked over to Walter and asked him where and when he might be able to find Dr. Johnson. Walter explained that Dr. Johnson should be arriving shortly. As Walter finished his statement, Dr. Johnson walked up to the table.
"Dr. Johnson” Dennis started.
"The only time you call me doctor is when you want something", came the reply.
"That's not necessarily true", Dennis knew that his reply was a lie, he only used the title when he wanted something. "I was wondering about next year’s schedule, I still have a few loose ends to complete to fully support your work".
"Our permit for next year has not yet been approved. With the international political climate we are in, there is a chance it will not be approved at all. Even though our permit is British, we have too many Americans on our field staff and the government is not as friendly as in years past.” explained Dr. Johnson. He continued, "I know that the main reason you are out on this expedition is to gather data for your own theories. I really do not mind that. I do not agree with your theories, but we have always helped each other. I even put up with your bull. You are a good field scientist and like I said that works for both of us.”
"So, Dr. Johnson" Dennis continued. “What about next season?” Dr. Johnson didn’t answer. He just turned and walked away.
*****
Hours later in the Brazilian jungle, Dr. Gary Benson pondered a new email. While Gary was thinking over the information about a strange sample, the foreman of the oil exploration unit walked into his tent. “Gary” the foreman started “I just got a message from the home office. They said we can cut you loose early. Of course, they’ll pay your full contract. I guess this means that you can take a little longer vacation.”
Gary was only half listening to the foreman and just caught a portion of what he had said. “Could you please repeat that?” Gary replied.
The foreman repeated, “The home office said you can leave early, for your full contract pay. Sounds like a good deal to me. You can be on the next flight out at the end of the week, back to civilization.” Gary understood that the next flight was in just three days. That was time enough to pack and get out of the jungle. “Will they need my reports any quicker, or does that schedule stay the same?” Gary asked.
“The report schedule stays the same. Is there anything you need us to do to help you with your arrangements?” the foreman asked. Gary let the foreman know he did not need any help, and that he would be able to make the next flight.
Gary got back to his computer to draft an email reply. The reply was slowed by packing. There was only a limited time to get ready for this week’s flight and Gary did not want to delay his departure. The crew from the oil exploration company had been good to work with, but the hours were long. Everyone in camp was working on a fixed contract. The quicker they found a potential oil location, the quicker everyone could go home. That meant more money per day for all. Late the next day, Gary had completed his email back to Dennis Mathews.
“Dennis –
My time in Brazil was cut short. I finished my work and was release to return home. My plane lands at LAX in 2 days.
Fill me in on more of the details as soon as you can. If I can get some more info before I leave here, I can think it all over on the plane ride home.
When I get back to LA, I will need a day or two to finish some errands. I should be back at the lab in about a week. I only have a couple of weeks before my next assignment, Peru.
- Gary”
*****
Back in Egypt in his tent, Dennis finished the last of his packing and checked his emails one last time. He saw the email from Gary and knew the schedule they would be working with. Dennis had completed all of his preparations. Now all he had to look forward to was a trip back to the states, a long flight after a tiring expedition. Next would be the work of testing and cataloging all of the samples. With some luck, he would find something of interest that would possibly fund his return next season. For now, he had the flight back to his lab in Helena, Montana.
During the public craze about dinosaurs, Gary and Dennis established a laboratory near the main dig sites. The public thirst for knowledge was short lived, but their lab remained allowing them work on other research projects. They were configured for fossil processing, but other rock and soil testing also helps pay the rent. When their work is funded, they are paid. They have good equipment to work with, offer a good service and have been able to keep enough work to keep the lab going.
For now, Dennis’s plan is to get back to the lab, organized his field notes, and wait for the rest of the samples to arrive from the Egypt. He will start to catalog, test, and process the samples. He has six months to finish, publish the findings, and work himself onto another expedition for next season, even if it ends up being a short or late season dig. All of this keeps him working at the things he enjoys. Dennis realizes he needs to get back to start the analysis of the strange rock sample he was carrying back home. There were unanswered questions about that sample.
He dreaded the trip home but looked forward to getting back home. Cairo, to London, to New York, to Denver, to Helena is too long and involves too many flights. The flights felt like a long marathon that never seemed to end.
*****
When Dennis finally walked through the door to the lab, he realized that ALL of the equipment needed recalibration. Each piece was either under used and out of calibration, or over used and out of calibration. He started to work on the equipment. This will consume the days until the samples arrive from Egypt. He also used the time to organize and transcribe his field notes. After a few days of prep work in the lab, the shipments arrived from Egypt. The shipments arrived quicker than anticipated. Dennis started the work he was paid to complete. He worked with the materials he had on hand and the written notes he had made. He needed to free up as much time as possible for work on the strange sample. As time would allow, Dennis alternated his work between the normal rock samples from Egypt and that strange piece of rock he had tripped over.
Late in the afternoon, he was tired and not paying attention to what he was doing. As Dennis reached for a book on an upper shelf, he brushed against a rock hammer. The hammer fell from the shelf and struck the corner of the strange rock. The impact broke a small section from the corner of the rock. As he picked up the rock fragment, Dennis was surprised by the sample once more.
Given the weight of the rock sample, the fragment was much lighter than he had expected. This particular rock sample continued to raise questions without answers. Even more questions when he picked up the rest of the rock, it was just as heavy as he remembered it. It was then that Dennis noticed the broken corner of the sample and had even more questions. The broken section was not the sandstone he expected. The break exposed a black, shinny interior.
The exposed interior looked like obsidian or black crystal. Dennis decided to try to chip enough rock away to free whatever he had found within the sandstone. He started tapping, scraping, and chipping rock from the small tip of the shiny interior. As he worked at clearing the rock away, the embedded object grew. He soon discovered it was not just a small crystal inside of the sandstone. He tapped the edge of the rock with hammer that had fallen to break the corner, and a fine crack developed down the edge of the rock. He worked at the fine crack to try to dislodge the embedded object until a larger section of the rock flaked away. Dennis gazed, frozen on the newly exposed section of sandstone. His mind could not comprehend what he was looking at. Questions and fatigue overtook his thoughts. He did not know when he fell asleep, the day finally caught up with him and Dennis simply drifted into a sound sleep mesmerized by this strange rock sample.
The morning sun streaming through the window woke Dennis still at the lab workbench. Gary was scheduled to arrive today. It was a late morning following a late night in the lab. With less than a half an hour to spare, Dennis headed to the airport to meet the morning’s turbo-prop flight. He pulled into the parking lot of the airport just as Gary's plane landed. After a short walk, Dennis met Gary Benson in baggage claim. As he walked into the terminal building, he saw Gary heading to claim his bags. The first thing out of Gary’s mouth was "When can I get a look at the samples you brought back from Egypt." Little did Dennis know he was not the only person in the terminal building to take particular interest in Gary's greeting.
"No even a simple hello," Dennis started, "I have the lab set up and ready. We can head right there or stop and get some lunch if you're hungry."
"I ate during my lay-over in Seattle" Gary replied. "I would rather go straight to the lab to see just what you really didn't describe to me. Why were you so cryptic in your description, or should I say lack of description?"
Dennis’s reply to Gary was the complete truth. "If I tried to describe what I found, I would have had to tell what I thought I found. I did not know what I found until last night. In fact, I still am not sure what I found. I would rather you determine what you think I have. Anyway, you'll understand better when you see the sample."
Behind a newspaper in the public area of the terminal, a man listened intently as Gary and Dennis exchanged greetings. Walter Smythe was the expedition assistant on the last work Dennis had done in Egypt. Walter was not from Montana; in fact, he was not even a U.S. citizen. He had no reason to be in Montana. For some unknown reason he was behind a newspaper in the terminal building to watch the arrival. As Gary and Dennis left the airport, Walter followed at a safe distance. He knew where the two scientists were headed.
Gary and Dennis continued to talk as they drove the few miles out of town to their lab. Once inside the lab, Dennis showed Gary the rock sample with the crystal inside. Gary simply could not believe what he was looking at. Dennis continued the conversation explaining, “Like I told you in my last email from Egypt, I found this sample.” Gary was holding the sample as Dennis continued. “As you can tell, the weight is too heavy for sandstone. That is why I kept the sample. Yesterday, the corner broke off and I found what you are looking at. I worked into the night and cleared away that section. It looks like a manmade object inside of the rock. See the etched markings?”
Gary turned from the crystal interior and started looking at the rock. “This looks just like natural sandstone. It could be an elaborate hoax. We need to determine the age of the rock and figure out what this thing inside of the rock is. We don’t even know if the thing inside is manmade or some natural anomaly, what you call etched markings could be gas bubbles. I have some ideas on dating the rock. Do you have the pieces that you removed?”
Dennis handed the broken pieces from the sample to Gary and said, “I will keep working on getting this piece of crystal, or what ever this stuff is, free from the rest of the rock.”
As Dennis went back to working on the rock sample, Gary started working on the pieces Dennis had broken away from the main sample. Gary did not even take the time to unpack, he just left his suitcases by the front door to the lab. They both worked through the rest of the day.
By late afternoon, Gary had prepared small samples for further testing. Their lab was limited and the samples had to be delivered to another lab for the more extensive testing. “I am taking these samples across town. I will order several types of tests to try to determine the age of this sample. I will have these tested for both recent and very ancient ages. If this is a hoax, we should get an answer.” Gary finished his announcement and walked out of the lab.
Dennis continued to work on the rock sample. Before long, another crack developed along another edge. As he worked at chipping away the rock, another section flaked off from the main sample. Even though the results were the same as the last time an entire section dropped away, he was still just as surprised. The section of the sample that flaked off exposed another band of crystal-like material. The first band ran almost the full width of the sample, this band covered almost the entire length of the sample. His surprise grew when he noticed that there were definite markings on this crystal band, manmade markings. There was sand almost draining from the rock sample and from around the crystal-like bands. Soon, an entire block of crystal-like material slid out from the rock sample.
Dennis completely lost track of time. When Gary returned from dropping the samples off, Dennis was just standing at the bench staring at the crystal block. He recognized that Gary was talking, but none of his speech registered in his brain. He just kept staring as Gary walked up behind him. Gary started to ask if Dennis was all right, when Gary froze in his tracks as he saw what Dennis was looking at.
As Dennis held the hollow rock shell, a block of black crystal slid out on to the workbench along with the thin layer of sand. The crystal block was protected from the encasing rock by the thin layer of fine sand. From the markings etched on the block, it was quite clear it was a manmade object.
After a few additional minutes, Gary finally broke the silence. “What is that? Was that block incased in the rock sample?”
Dennis was still unable to think clearly from the absolute shock of was what he was looking at. He first answered instinctively, and his mind began to clear as he spoke. “I do not know what I have. As I cleared another side of the rock sample, this block just slid out.” As his thoughts cleared, he started to realize what he was looking at. “It has to be manmade, look at the markings. None of this makes any sense. A crystal block encased on a rock sample. The outer rock looks like natural stone, but the crystal block has manmade markings carved into it.”
Gary answered some of his questions, “For now, we have to consider this is some type of hoax. Until we have more information, we can make no other assumption.” Gary changed the subject as he got over the initial shock of this new discovery. “The lab said it would take a couple of days to get the results on dating the samples I dropped off, but they might have some preliminary data tomorrow. The lab data might help to answer some of our questions. For the time being, let me see what I can learn with a better examination of the rock from your sample.” With that Dennis handed Gary the section that broke away to allow the crystal block to fall free from the rock sample. Gary took the sample and went over to a workbench to prepare the rock for further examinations.
A few minutes later, Gary called out. “Dennis, you need to look at this. Not only is that black crystal block manmade, but the rock from your sample is definitely manmade. Look at the sample I have under the microscope.” As Dennis was looking through the lenses of a microscope, Gary continued. “See the microscopic bubbles in the sample, pores are natural in this type of rock, but the uniformity convinces me that this is manmade. This has to be a hoax, it will be confirmed when we get the lab results dating the material.”
Dennis was really hoping that this would be proof of a civilization pre-dating ancient Egypt. This might be his ticket back into the academic community, his redemption. Still holding out a small amount of hope, he asked. “When did the lab say the results would be ready?”
Gary answered, “The full report will take a few days, but they are doing us a favor and will have preliminary results ready in the morning.” Gary continued, “It has been a long day, why don’t we call it over. We can continue prepping samples tomorrow. The sooner we get our report done, the sooner we get paid.”
Dennis responded, “I have a little cleanup to finish and I want to take another look at that block I found inside the rock sample.”
To keep costs down, Gary and Dennis set up the lab with a small apartment in the back. It worked well since they spent most of their time traveling around the world on various assignments. They were seldom both in town at the same time, but there was still enough room for both of them.
A night’s sleep helped clear Dennis’s mind. Dennis had convinced himself that this was not his ticket back into the academic community, not his big discovery. He went to work on the other samples he had gathered in Egypt. It was mid-morning before either Gary or Dennis checked their emails. He heard Gary talking to himself as Dennis was working to catalog all the samples and getting data ready for their report. Gary’s level of excitement and the tone of his self-conversation increased as he read and reread the email. He finally focused his discussion in Dennis’s direction. “Dennis, you may have found your ticket back. This may prove your belief in earlier civilizations. The preliminary lab results are back. They had to rerun the tests a second time because they did not believe the results. The rock sample dates out at around 15,000 years old. I need to retest all of the pieces from yesterday. I think we need to look at the crystal block you found. This is no hoax.”
Dennis immediately went to the crystal block that he found encased within the rock sample. He needed to understand this artifact. The artifact was made of black crystal and about the size of an average book, 5 inches by 9 inches by about 2 inches thick. The artifact was covered on all of the surfaces with some sort of writing or pictures. Even the edges were covered in a series of odd geometric figures. One face was covered in figures similar to ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, the other face included a series of lines and one unexpected oddity, a picture of the Mayan calendar. All of the glyphs, figures, and pictures on the artifact were so finely carved that they appeared to be laser etched, he started to copy and photograph all of the details of the artifact. Dennis had to make sure that all of his work was correct, this might finally prove his theories that advanced civilizations existed long before early Egypt. While he worked over the artifact, Gary worked on the manmade rock that encased the crystal block. By the afternoon, Dennis had documented the artifact and Gary had completed more work on the rock.
Gary reported some of the information he had discovered by examining pieces of the original rock sample. “Dennis, I know that this rock is manmade. It is similar to concrete or some of the newer composite materials. It is also similar to the rock that the pyramids are constructed from. There has been research about the pyramids being made from a type of concrete or cast stone, this may be proof to support those theories. This could be definitive proof of how the greatest Egyptian monuments were constructed. If it is, this would be one of the greatest discoveries of the century.” They both knew a discovery like this could make or break a career. Handled and researched correctly, the discoverer would be acclaimed a genius. Any less and you might be labeled as the boy who cried wolf and laughed out of the academic community, loosing all future credibility. Gary repeated his thoughts, "Do you realize that this is hard evidence to support construction methods possibly used to build the great pyramids?"
“If this find will have any validity, we need to follow it through.” Dennis replied to Gary’s statements. “Most written text tells a story. I need to figure out what this story is. That combined with the data we are getting from the rock sample will complete the discovery.” Dennis now knew the tasks he needed to complete, document and translate the markings on the crystal block. He retrieved the block and started with a renewed enthusiasm, this might be the proof he had been searching for to substantiate his theories. He decided to start on the side with the scribed glyph text.
The text was similar to ancient Egyptian, but oddly different. Dennis was not able to decipher much of the text, so he decided to try the other side. The other side of the artifact contained a series of finely scribed lines and intricate figures. In the upper right corner was a figure very similar to the Mayan calendar, another in the mounting mysteries of this artifact. There has never been a documented connection between ancient Egypt and Meso-America. Even without a solid translation of the text, they had proof of this connection. Dennis set the artifact under the low powered microscope. The microscope could project a view into a computer or onto a wall. He used the computer setting to gain a closer look at the lines and figures and to capture the views into the computer memory. It took all day to view and document a single side of the crystal block. By combining the computer images displayed from the microscope, he was able to piece together a single detailed view of one entire side.
While Dennis was documenting the crystal block, Gary worked on pieces from the original rock sample to document the structure and evidence that the rock was manmade. The pieces were sliced, polished, and placed under a microscope. Gary also ground other pieces to run chemical tests. All of the results were compared to known baselines of rock from Egypt and the Giza Plateau. With his academic future in the balance, Gary was extremely careful in running the tests and recording the results.
As the work continued, Gary noticed the time and suggested, “Dennis, why don’t we call it a day? If we can get to a good stopping point, we can discuss what we have so far over a celebration dinner, burgers and beer at a local tavern. You are buying. With what we have so far, you may be on your way to publishing some groundbreaking results. It looks like all of your theories were true. You may rewrite what we all know.”
As Dennis finished his work, Gary was printing out his preliminary results. When he finished printing, it was Dennis’s turn. Dennis printed a picture of the complete face of the artifact he had been scanning through the microscope. A few minutes later, they were on their way to a local watering hole for a well-deserved celebration dinner. As they walked into the tavern, Gary caught the eye of the barmaid and said, “A pitcher, two glasses, and two burgers.” He pointed towards Dennis and continued, “He is paying.” With that, Gary made his way to a side booth where they would be able to talk about their findings. As the pitcher of beer arrived at the booth, they spread pictures and printed pages across the table. Gary started the conversation, “I have pictures showing the microscopic structure of the rock sample. It shows it as definitely manmade. Look at the uniformity of the pore structure. There is nothing like that in nature. The chemical analysis of the sample also shows some strange results. It is close to rock, but even closer to the chemical compound of some of the newer manufactured stone. Without the carbon dating, I would still believe this to be a hoax. We now know this sample is about 15,000 years old. It should either be millions of years old, or only a few years old.”
As the burgers arrived, Dennis started showing his findings. “To review everything, I have determined the artifact is made of a black crystal-like material. All the surfaces are covered in etched markings. The markings are so smooth they look to be laser etched or ground with dental tools. One face is covered in glyphs similar to ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. The other face is covered with lines and symbols. One of the symbols looks like the Mayan calendar. All of the edges are covered in small symbols and some text. I have scanned what I call the picture side and loaded a composite image into my computer.” He pointed to a printout of the picture side on the table. “I have not studied the figures yet to determine any form or function. It took all day just to scan, record, and make a single picture.” As Dennis looked at the complete printout, he started to see some structure. “I did not notice this before, but there are four points on this that look familiar.” After a short pause, he continued, “Three of the points look like the stars Mintaka, Alnilam, and Alnitak, the belt of the Orion constellation. The fourth point location corresponds with the location of the Orion Nebula. There is also a line scribed between the points that correspond to Alnilam and the Orion Nebula. The layout of the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx match those stars. This helps tie this artifact to Egypt and the Mayan calendar ties this artifact to Central America.”
Gary started to summarize what they knew so far, “You found this artifact in Egypt, incased in rock. The rock was heavier than it should have been because of the encased artifact. The rock looks like the local bedrock, but the rock is manmade. The object inside the rock is made of a crystal like substance and is covered with symbols and pictures, on all of the surfaces. One of the pictures is the Mayan calendar. The symbols look like ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, but not quite the same. All the facts point to an artifact outside of any known civilization. We have to think outside of the box on this one if we are going to get any answers. So far all we have are a mounting numbers of questions."
Dennis continued to summarize their list back to Gary. "Out loud this list still doesn't make a lot of sense. You are correct about out of the box thinking. I think we need to assume that this is not connected to any known culture so we don't make a wrong conclusion. With the Mayan calendar and the Egyptian connection, I don’t even know where to start for help. Let’s put some thought into this problem. We are smart and should be able to figure something out.” Pausing as he thought about all the information. ”I think we may have a map of sorts. Looking at the layout and the way the lines move around, this may just be a map, but a map of what?”
Gary continued the summary “We cannot jump to any conclusions about maps and treasure. We have an artifact found in Egypt with a Mayan calendar, strange markings, scribbles, and a written language neither of us can translate. The object has writing on it similar in structure to ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, and the object contains a picture of a calendar from a civilization from many thousands of miles away, and across an ocean. There were too many questions and not enough answers. I think over your head means over our heads, and that is a major understatement. Dennis, we need help on this one.”
Dennis replied, “I know. I also realize my reputation limits how and where we can get help. If it was fossils, I could have a long line of volunteers, but with this, my reputation throws up roadblocks. Let’s finish dinner. We may have some better ideas tomorrow.”
As they left the tavern to return to the lab, neither of them took note of a man sitting off to the back of the tavern. He was engrossed in a phone conversation, “You had better be finished. They are on their way back to the lab. They should be there in a matter of minutes.”
The lab was out of town a short distance, isolated closer to some of the dinosaur digs. They established the lab to support that research. Therefore, it was rare to see other cars on the last part of the drive to the lab building. As they drove up the last mile or so, they passed a car going the other direction.
"Since the fossil craze dropped off, this is the first time I think I've seen another car on this section of road this late." Dennis noted. "It is probably a couple of kids that were parking and fell asleep. Boy, are they in for it when the girl’s dad catches up with them."
As they walked into the lab, neither noticed anything out of the ordinary. There was no evidence of anything missing or out of place. They did not notice the listening and video surveillance devices expertly hidden throughout the lab.
It had been a long day that might have included the discovery of a career. The excitement of the discovery destroyed the chance at a good night’s sleep for Dennis. He was thankful for the morning. With the night over, he could continue his work on the crystal artifact. He had already been working for several hours by the time Gary entered the lab. Working on scanning and documenting the rest of the crystal artifact had given him something to work on. After the discoveries of yesterday and their discussions from last night, Dennis had no clear direction to continue his research. With no hypothesis to explore, he busied his time with whatever task he could find.
As Gary wandered into the lab, Dennis voiced his frustration. “The biggest discovery of my career and I don’t know where to start. I was too exited to sleep. I have been dreaming and hoping for this all my adult life and now I am lost on the next step. I need your help to come up with a plan to continue.”
Gary was less emotional about this discovery. It had not been consuming his career, but he knew the importance to Dennis. Gary replied, "I have been involved with some of the fringe theories before, if your work is not completely accurate and on track, you risk being dismissed as a lunatic. We have a chance to either elevate your career or tank it in an instant. If proven wrong, there will be no recovery. The artifact shows a direct connection between Egypt and Central America, this is groundbreaking. 15,000 years old is even more ground breaking. The translation will help tell the complete story. I think you need the complete story. What is the message and why was that artifact left? The manner that the crystal block was disguised, it must have been left for some purpose. You need to discover that purpose. To start with, you need to work on as much of the translations as you can complete. The story of this artifact is important."
Both Dennis and Gary started referring to each side of the artifact as the text side and picture side. By early afternoon, Gary had complete scans and mapping of the remaining surfaces on the artifact. Dennis’s work on the translations did not fair so well. He was making no real progress on the text side. The picture side made even less sense. As Dennis thought about what Gary had said about discovering the whole story, it finally dawned on him. Not thinking, Dennis blurted out loud, “It has to be a map, and I think I understand where.”
Gary turned from his work, responding to Dennis’s verbal interruption. He responded, “What are you talking about?”
“The lines on the picture side, it has to be a map of a tunnel system between the pyramids and the sphinx.” Explaining his outburst, Dennis continued. “If I am going to get the complete story, I need to get back to Egypt to search the route on this map.”
Gary brought Dennis’s train of thought back into reality. “So you are going to go to a country that does not allow random exploration. Then you are going to search for something, but you do not know what you are searching for. You have a map that is 15,000 years old with lines that do not match the features that exist today. Please explain to me again, how this is going to work? This is your ticket back, do not mess it up. You need to be careful and you need a sound plan. Remember, for us to keep this lab going, we need to continue working and getting paid. I have to leave for Peru in about a week. I have to go, it is a paying assignment.”
“If I can get back to Egypt with my Ground Penetrating Radar equipment, I could determine the meaning of the lines on the picture side of the marker.” Dennis answered Gary’s comments with the beginning of a plan. “With a translation of the text side of the artifact, I would have an idea of what I am searching for.” His excitement started to drop. “There are too many things that need to fall into place, I fear it may not happen.”
Gary replied, "You know who you need to contact don't you. It may be a bit awkward, but she is one of the best at this type translation. She may also have a lead on an Egyptian expedition coming up."
*****
In another part of town, both the video monitors and audio listening devices delivered information. This might be the information they had been searching for, for those many decades. A message was sent informing the others that a map 15,000 years old has been found in Egypt. The map might be the key to the legend of power.
CHAPTER 2
Dennis had mixed feelings about seeing Susan again. Any involvement could rekindle a flood of past feelings. It could end in disaster. Their last meeting had ended on a less than pleasant note. In fact, Susan had tried to run him over with a rental car. “I agree, we need her on this one. Gary, you are going to have to contact Susan and at least start the conversations. When we saw each other last, she made it quite clear that it was over. She will not even answer a call or email from me." Dennis continued, "Appeal to her academic curiosity, challenge her with an unsolvable puzzle, anything to peak her interest. I think this artifact and the writing will get her to work with us."