Research Log 10
Due to the unusual nature of my research my AI unit Susan needs to install a new program. While planet 29 has satellites that broadcast the sum of all galactic knowledge they seem to miss a single fifty square foot spot which happens to be where my quarters are located. I have to bring my gear to the lab in order to connect. Although not having immediate access to the galactic knowledge has proven to be productive for my research. It takes about six days for all the latest news and research to reach me through the hyper relay. I find that I don’t mind though. When the news does arrive I feel so wrapped in my own work that I pay it little attention and rarely does any of it affect me out here.
Today a friend took me in his hovercraft to go see some of Planet 29’s best preserved petroglyphs. Ancient people carved pictures into a small canyon of black volcanic rock. By hand! They are mysterious and abundant. It makes me wonder what the volcanic site meant to those people. Who were the artists? Was it one person or many? One thing is for sure, the energy at the petroglyph site is much calmer than the energy of the more recent archaeological sites.
On my way back from the petroglyphs site we came upon a doorway embedded into the base of a mountain. It was so well camouflaged we missed it the first time. A closer look revealed it was an elevator- destination unknown. The vague warning signs rang empty in my head as the excitement of the mystery took over. We were surprised it didn’t have a security system and stepped inside without hesitation. Delighted to hear the hum of the engine start we began to ascend. A minute up the smooth acceleration became jostled and the engine sputtered a bit. Clearly it wasn’t being used much but someone was maintaining it. The mostly smooth acceleration made it difficult to estimate how high we were going. The doors opened and we stepped onto a sandy metal floor. The facilities walls were all transparent revealing that we were in a low planetary orbit. It was one of the older distribution satellites; spreading for the galactic knowledge that arrives each day through the hyper-relay. I stared at it as it silently sent all of the news and turmoil of the galactic empire and beyond to the already burdened population of planet 29. I am not even sure how it does it. The specialized task of making and maintaining technology was taken over by AI’s long ago. They are the ultimate specialists. Few know how much of anything works anymore. The view of Planet 29 from the satellite was outstanding. I am glad to have disregarded the warnings and look forward to visiting the vista in my dreams tonight.
-RMJ signing of