Legacy

An incredible archaeological discovery is made. (500 words or less)

The fanatically zealous company funding our archaeological dig have insisted that we don't stop until we find what they're looking for. Though they won't say what that is.

After months of work, we found something. It took a crane to move the 10 ton block sealing the entrance. I was the first one in, and I was awestruck by what I was seeing.

The structure must have been half a mile long, several hundred feet wide, with vaulted ceilings 10 stories high. The walls seemed to be highly polished granite. While the enormity of the room was incredible, that wasn't what left me speechless. This was a lab of some kind. A lab buried deep underground for at least 1.2 million years.

As I took a few cautious steps deeper into this lab, an automated lighting system illuminated the entire space with soft blue light that seemed to lack a source. As far as I could see, computer terminals of all kinds littered the room. "Computer" may be an inappropriate term, but it's the best I can do. These machines were like nothing I'd ever seen and I expect it would take us years to even understand their user interface at a rudimentary level.

I scanned the room but my eyes were stopped by a spotlit pedestal 50 feet in front of me. A relatively bright light was shining down, highlighting a hyaline, tablet sized device.

I approached the pedestal and picked up the transparent glassy slate. Two men from the company flanked me, and together we watched as a video began to play.

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/"Progress report 63DFA. We have had our first successful test. While the integrity of the gate was not entirely stable, we maintained an active doorway for three second before collapse."/

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/"Progress report 97TS. We have made contact. Further data will be provided upon completion of debriefing."/

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/"Progress report 122UU. They are not who they claimed to be. We cannot shut down the gate. They are able to traverse the portal. Recommend full quarantine procedures."/

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/"We weren't able to contain them. I can't raise communications with anyone outside of the facility."/

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The company men promptly walked over to an instrument panel, interacted with it, and began the startup sequence for the gate. I don't know if they thought they could control what that technologically advanced species before us couldn't, or if they never even intended to.

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8.22.2017
Our expedition found something incredible today. It's some sort of video log from a dig that I'm guessing took place a million years ago!! A video log, can you believe it?! This is going to change the history books!

/"I hope this message finds someone, anyone. And if you do find it, stop now, bury this place. That company damned us all, don't let it happen again."/

Author's Note

This is my first foray into short form stories. Any feedback would be great. Pacing, logical progression, do it make sense in general, etc.

Reviews

[The earth (Titan maphah..]

me too I enjoyed it too...

[Zephyr]

Its a different story from the ones we usually read
and it is well-penned.
The entire flow is good and the idea that the past is more advanced than the present is creative.
Enjoyed the story......