{"data":{"id":12865,"title":"The Lost Generation: Issue #2","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/comm-link\/spectrum-dispatch\/12865-The-Lost-Generation-Issue-2","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-links\/12865","api_public_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/comm-links\/12865","channel":"Undefined","category":"Undefined","series":"The Lost Generation","images":[{"id":248,"name":"TonyaOrielSerial_FI_1_Crop.jpg","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/media\/f2lyrm83u0tc8r\/source\/TonyaOrielSerial_FI_1_Crop.jpg","alt":"","size":680902,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","last_modified":"2013-07-19T05:26:08+00:00","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/248","similar_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/248\/similar"}],"images_count":1,"translations":{"en_EN":"The Artemis.\n\nLaunched in 2232, it was a generational ship of five thousand souls in cryostasis pushing toward GJ 667Cc with Janus, an AI Core, at the helm. It was humanity\u2019s first expedition to the stars. Shortly after passing from our solar system into unknown space, we lost contact.\n\nSo much had changed since that day; jump points, First Contacts, towering achievements and tragedy in almost equal measure. Despite the hundreds of expeditions, studies and simulations conducted over the centuries, no one ever found anything. Many came to assume that it crashed, flew into a star or dropped into a jump-point. The Artemis slipped into legend.\n\nUntil now \u2026\n\n\n* * * *\n\n\nTonya stared at a piece of history. Here, surrounded by lava, was the holy grail of explorers across the galaxy. A piece of it, anyway. Her mind was barely able to keep up with the torrent of thoughts, hopes and ideas that assaulted her the second she saw it. She glanced around.\n\nEveryone else was just as stunned as she was. Senzen\u2019s face twitched like he was resetting himself to comprehend what he was looking at. The sight of the Artemis even seeped through Squig\u2019s alcohol-soaked brain.\n\n\u201cNo way,\u201d was all he could muster.\n\nGavin Arlington gave everyone a few moments to let it sink in. Finally, he cleared his throat. The CEO obviously had places to be.\n\n\u201cNow you know why I called you all here.\u201d An assistant handed him a MiniGlas which he read while he spoke. \u201cWhat we have here is a delicate situation \u2013\u201c\n\n\u201cWhat\u2019s delicate? You have to tell people,\u201d Deke Johnson interrupted. All of Arlington\u2019s assistants\u2019 eyes widened, incensed at the notion that this dreg would dare interrupt their boss.\n\n\u201cNo, Mr. Johnson, that is precisely what I\u2019m not going to do,\u201d Arlington replied, hardly missing a step. \u201cShould any of you disagree with that sentiment, allow me to remind you that based on the agreements you all signed, if you breathe a word of this to anyone without my express authorization, you, your family and your friends will be eviscerated legally, professionally, financially, socially\u201d \u2013 he glanced at his lawyer \u2013 \u201cphysically?\u201d\n\nThe lawyer nodded.\n\n\u201cPhysically,\u201d Arlington continued.\n\n\u201cTelling the UEE would shut this world down, and \u2026 eviscerate \u2026 your mining operation,\u201d Tonya chimed in.\n\nArlington glanced over and smiled. The utter lack of emotion behind the simple human gesture chilled her. \u201cThere\u2019s no sense in notifying the authorities or the scientific community until we know what we\u2019ve found. That\u2019s why you\u2019re here. I want the crash site of the Artemis found. My facility\u2019s mining scanners and personnel will be at your disposal. Whoever finds the rest will share in the credit for the discovery as well as a handsome compensation package.\u201d\n\nEveryone looked at each other, sizing up their competition. Arlington waited expectantly.\n\n\u201cYou can start now,\u201d he finally said.\n\n\n* * * *\n\n\nTonya scrambled onto the Beacon II. She raced around the hold of the Freelancer, grabbing excavation tools, scanners, VidCaptures, her MiniGlas of books \u2026 she stopped for a second to catch her breath. Every fiber of her being was on fire, charged with the possibility of being the one to unlock the fate of the Artemis. It was all so unbelievable. She gave herself a moment to bask in the thrill of it.\n\nShe ran back to the dig-site. When she got there, Tonya realized that she was not the only one energized by the prospective discovery.\n\nSenzen had already deputized the mining crews into excavating the Artemis fragment. They gently chipped away the black lava rock, trying to see how much more of the ancient metal lay buried.\n\nDeke Johnson\u2019s Cutlass swooped overhead, kicking up a storm of loose rock. The bottom was lit up from its scanners surveying the surrounding landscape.\n\nOn a nearby hillside, Squig drank from his flask while swinging a homemade scanner.\n\nArthur Morrow walked past carrying surveying gear and deep-rock scanners. He barely acknowledged them or the artifact.\n\n\u201cNot interested in analyzing this, Art?\u201d Tonya unpacked her camera and tools. Arthur looked at her and snorted.\n\n\u201cThe money ain\u2019t in that. The money\u2019s out there somewhere.\u201d He motioned to the sea of solidified lava that surrounded them and moved on.\n\n\u201cSome people lack vision,\u201d Senzen said to her with a smirk.\n\nTonya snapped a series of pictures of the Artemis fragment and stitched them together into a composite. Once the image was reconciled, she applied it to a database of Artemis imagery, trying to isolate which part of the ship it could have come from.\n\nTonya realized Senzen was standing behind her.\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s a good idea,\u201d he grinned mischievously and went back to directing workers.\n\n\u201cSomeone needs to tell Deke to stop scanning so close. The gravel could damage the metal.\u201d Her MiniGlas hummed. Based on the stenciling and faded markings, there was a good chance that what they were looking at was part of the starboard thruster paneling.\n\nIt was helpful but not conclusive. The panel could have come off during a crash or in space.\n\nOver the course of the next few hours, Tonya, Senzen and the workers successfully extracted the piece and placed it carefully on the ground. Tonya slowly circled the metal and captured it from every angle.\n\nIn its entirety, the piece was roughly two meters by four. The edges had been melted away by the lava bath. Fortunately, its thermal shielding managed to protect this part of it long enough for the lava to cool.\n\nWhen she was done, she sat down and looked at it.\n\n\u201cPretty unbelievable, right?\u201d Senzen slumped down in the gravel beside her. He sipped from some water.\n\n\u201cI can\u2019t stop looking at it,\u201d she replied. \u201cAfter all this time, we might actually know \u2026\u201d\n\n\u201cYeah,\u201d he nodded and held the water out to her. Tonya eyed the bottle hesitantly.\n\n\u201cCalm down, Tonya. We\u2019re competing but that doesn\u2019t mean we can\u2019t be civil.\u201d\n\nTonya took the water and drank. She hadn\u2019t realized how thirsty she\u2019d been and ended up finishing the bottle.\n\n\u201cYou\u2019re welcome,\u201d Senzen said with a chuckle.\n\n\u201cSorry.\u201d\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t worry. I got some more coming through.\u201d Senzen glanced around. One of Arlington\u2019s assistants hurried out of the corporate headquarters with more bottles.\n\n\u201cYou already have his assistants fetching you stuff?\u201d\n\n\u201cI work fast,\u201d Senzen replied with a shrug. He took the bottles. \u201cCheers. Thanks.\u201d The assistant hustled off. Senzen turned to Tonya. \u201cShall we?\u201d\n\nThey pored over every inch of the Artemis metal, front and back. Tonya cleaned it the best she could, then searched for any kind of clue to indicate what happened. There was nothing. The edges were melted to the point where it was impossible to determine whether the panel was ripped off or not. She ran tests on micro-samples of the metal. Another dead end.\n\nShe sat back and tried to disconnect from the puzzle. Hoping a few moments away would give her some perspective, she looked at Deke still scanning the landscape from his ship.\n\nSquig was slumped on the hillside trying to fix his scanner. He pulled an entire scanning module off and tossed it down the slope.\n\nThen inspiration hit her. Quelling her impulse to run, she attempted a casual stroll back to the artifact. She rescanned the edges of the panel. Senzen approached.\n\n\u201cGot something?\u201d\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t know. Maybe.\u201d Tonya ran her fingers along the edge of the metal. \u201cBut it\u2019s not like I\u2019ll tell you if I do.\u201d\n\n\u201cFair enough,\u201d he stood over her and watched.\n\nTonya grabbed the metal and tested the weight. She could flip it on her own but not with control or without damaging it.\n\n\u201cGive me a hand,\u201d she said to the workers. They didn\u2019t move, only looked at each other then Senzen.\n\n\u201cYeah, I\u2019ve already made arrangements with them so they\u2019re only really helping me out.\u201d Senzen shrugged innocently.\n\nTonya glared at him then flipped it herself. The metal face slammed down on its other side. It hurt her spiritually to do it, but she wasn\u2019t going to give Senzen an inch.\n\nThe interior side of the plate was much like the exterior. Metal. Melted. There was a patch less warped than the rest. Tonya examined every millimeter with her zoom optics. Finally, she found an edge. A clean edge.\n\nThat was it. She had to suppress the swell of elation inside her to not tip her hand. She looked around but Senzen had disappeared.\n\n\n* * * *\n\n\nFive minutes later, Tonya was outside Arlington\u2019s temporary office. The assistant ushered her inside. Tonya again resisted the urge to sprint those final steps. Arlington was at his desk, sifting through datafeeds of company assets.\n\n\u201cYou\u2019ve found something?\u201d he asked without looking up.\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t think this is a crash site, Mr. Arlington.\u201d\n\nArlington finally gave her his attention. Tonya brought up photos and zoomed in on the patch until she focused on the clean edge.\n\n\u201cSee that? That edge wasn\u2019t ripped or bent. It was cut.\u201d Tonya brought up additional datascreens of her findings. \u201cMy analysis says it was made with a precision laser that, while clumsy compared to today\u2019s standards, is period-accurate to the type of tech included on the Artemis.\u201d\n\n\u201cGo on.\u201d\n\n\u201cI think it set down here to make repairs,\u201d Tonya said, that thrill bubbling up again. \u201cIt\u2019s still out there.\u201d\n\n\u201cQuiet a discovery indeed, Mr. Turov,\u201d Arlington said to a side door. Tonya looked around, confused. Senzen stepped out.\n\n\u201cI told you we found something big.\u201d Senzen stepped up beside Tonya.\n\n\u201cWe?\u201d She stammered. Her confusion quickly turned to fiery indignation. \u201cMr. Arlington, I don\u2019t know what he told -\u201d\n\n\u201cMiss Oriel, please.\u201d Arlington waved his hand. \u201cYou\u2019ve sold me.\u201d\n\nTonya glared at Senzen, suddenly wishing for pyrokinetic powers.\n\n\u201cThe offers still stands,\u201d Arlington said as he turned back to his feeds. \u201cNow, you two go find it.\u201d\n\n. . . to be continued","de_DE":"Die Artemis.\n\nEs war ein Generationenschiff von f\u00fcnftausend Seelen in Kryostase, das 2232 gestartet wurde und sich in Richtung GJ 667Cc bewegte, mit Janus, einem KI-Kern, am Steuer. Es war die erste Expedition der Menschheit zu den Sternen. Kurz nachdem wir von unserem Sonnensystem in den unbekannten Raum gelangt waren, verloren wir den Kontakt.\n\nSeit diesem Tag hatte sich so viel ver\u00e4ndert: Sprungbretter, Erstkontakte, \u00fcberragende Leistungen und Trag\u00f6die in fast gleichem Ma\u00dfe. Trotz der Hunderte von Expeditionen, Studien und Simulationen, die im Laufe der Jahrhunderte durchgef\u00fchrt wurden, fand niemand etwas. Viele kamen zu der Annahme, dass es abst\u00fcrzte, in einen Stern flog oder in einen Startpunkt fiel. Die Artemis schl\u00fcpften in eine Legende.\n\nBis jetzt.....\n\n\n* * * *\n\n\nTonya starrte auf ein St\u00fcck Geschichte. Hier, umgeben von Lava, befand sich der heilige Gral der Entdecker durch die Galaxie. Jedenfalls ein St\u00fcck davon. Ihr Verstand war kaum in der Lage, mit dem Strom von Gedanken, Hoffnungen und Ideen Schritt zu halten, der sie angriff, als sie es sah. Sie blickte sich um.\n\nAlle anderen waren genauso fassungslos wie sie. Senzens Gesicht zuckte, als w\u00fcrde er sich zur\u00fccksetzen, um zu verstehen, was er sah. Der Anblick der Artemis sickerte sogar durch das alkoholgetr\u00e4nkte Gehirn von Squig.\n\n\"Auf keinen Fall\", war alles, was er auftreiben konnte.\n\nGavin Arlington gab allen ein paar Augenblicke Zeit, um es auf sich wirken zu lassen. Schlie\u00dflich r\u00e4usperte er sich. Der CEO hatte offensichtlich Orte, an denen er sein musste.\n\n\"Jetzt wisst ihr, warum ich euch alle hierher gerufen habe.\" Ein Assistent gab ihm ein MiniGlas, das er las, w\u00e4hrend er sprach. \"Was wir hier haben, ist eine heikle Situation -\"\n\n\"Was ist heikel? Du musst es den Leuten sagen\", unterbrach Deke Johnson. Alle Augen von Arlingtons Assistenten weiteten sich, ver\u00e4rgert \u00fcber die Vorstellung, dass dieser Dreg es wagen w\u00fcrde, ihren Chef zu unterbrechen.\n\n\"Nein, Mr. Johnson, genau das werde ich nicht tun\", antwortete Arlington und verpasste kaum einen Schritt. \"Sollte einer von Ihnen mit diesem Gef\u00fchl nicht einverstanden sein, gestatten Sie mir, Sie daran zu erinnern, dass Sie, Ihre Familie und Ihre Freunde auf der Grundlage der von Ihnen allen unterzeichneten Vereinbarungen, wenn Sie jemandem ohne meine ausdr\u00fcckliche Genehmigung ein Wort davon sagen, rechtlich, beruflich, finanziell, finanziell und sozial ausgeweidet werden\" - er blickte auf seinen Anwalt - \"physisch\"?\n\nDer Anwalt nickte.\n\n\"K\u00f6rperlich\", fuhr Arlington fort.\n\n\"Der UEE zu sagen, w\u00fcrde diese Welt abschalten und... Ihre Minenoperation ausweiden\", l\u00e4utete Tonya ein.\n\nArlington blickte hin\u00fcber und l\u00e4chelte. Der v\u00f6llige Mangel an Emotionen hinter der einfachen menschlichen Geste k\u00fchlte sie ab. \"Es macht keinen Sinn, die Beh\u00f6rden oder die wissenschaftliche Gemeinschaft zu informieren, bis wir wissen, was wir gefunden haben. Deshalb bist du hier. Ich will, dass die Absturzstelle der Artemis gefunden wird. Die Mining-Scanner und das Personal meiner Einrichtung stehen Ihnen zur Verf\u00fcgung. Wer den Rest findet, wird sich an der Anerkennung f\u00fcr die Entdeckung sowie an einer stattlichen Verg\u00fctung beteiligen.\"\n\nAlle sahen sich an und sch\u00e4tzten ihre Konkurrenz. Arlington wartete erwartungsvoll.\n\n\"Du kannst jetzt anfangen\", sagte er schlie\u00dflich.\n\n\n* * * *\n\n\nTonya kletterte auf das Leuchtfeuer II. Sie raste um den Griff des Freelancers herum und schnappte sich Ausgrabungswerkzeuge, Scanner, VidCaptures, ihren MiniGlas an B\u00fcchern.... sie hielt eine Sekunde lang an, um Luft zu holen. Jede Faser ihres Seins stand in Flammen, angeklagt mit der M\u00f6glichkeit, derjenige zu sein, der das Schicksal der Artemis freigibt. Es war alles so unglaublich. Sie gab sich einen Moment Zeit, um sich im Nervenkitzel zu sonnen.\n\nSie rannte zur\u00fcck zur Ausgrabungsst\u00e4tte. Als sie dort ankam, erkannte Tonya, dass sie nicht die Einzige war, die durch die zuk\u00fcnftige Entdeckung angeregt wurde.\n\nSenzen hatte die Bergleute bereits bei der Ausgrabung des Artemis-Fragments eingesetzt. Sie zerhackten sanft den schwarzen Lavagestein und versuchten zu sehen, wie viel mehr von dem alten Metall vergraben lag.\n\nDeke Johnsons Entermesser st\u00fcrzte nach oben und l\u00f6ste einen Sturm aus losem Gestein aus. Der Boden wurde von seinen Scannern beleuchtet, die die umgebende Landschaft beobachteten.\n\nAuf einem nahegelegenen Hang trank Squig aus seiner Flasche, w\u00e4hrend er einen selbstgebauten Scanner schwang.\n\nArthur Morrow ging an der Vermessungsausr\u00fcstung und den Tiefenscannern vorbei. Er erkannte sie oder das Artefakt kaum an.\n\n\"Nicht daran interessiert, das zu analysieren, Art?\" Tonya packte ihre Kamera und ihr Werkzeug aus. Arthur sah sie an und schnaubte.\n\n\"Das Geld steckt nicht dahinter. Das Geld ist irgendwo da drau\u00dfen.\" Er bewegte sich zum Meer der erstarrten Lava, das sie umgab und weiterf\u00fchrte.\n\n\"Manche Menschen haben keine Sehkraft\", sagte Senzen mit einem Grinsen zu ihr.\n\nTonya schoss eine Reihe von Bildern des Artemis-Fragments und f\u00fcgte sie zu einem Komposit zusammen. Nachdem das Bild abgestimmt war, wandte sie es auf eine Datenbank mit Artemis-Bildern an und versuchte zu isolieren, von welchem Teil des Schiffes es stammen k\u00f6nnte.\n\nTonya erkannte, dass Senzen hinter ihr stand.\n\n\"Das ist eine gute Idee\", grinste er schelmisch und ging zur\u00fcck zur Leitung der Arbeiter.\n\n\"Jemand muss Deke sagen, dass er aufh\u00f6ren soll, so nah zu scannen. Der Kies k\u00f6nnte das Metall besch\u00e4digen.\" Ihr MiniGlas brummte. Basierend auf den Schablonen und verblassten Markierungen bestand eine gute Chance, dass das, was sie betrachteten, Teil der Steuerbord-Triebwerksverkleidung war.\n\nEs war hilfreich, aber nicht schl\u00fcssig. Das Panel h\u00e4tte sich bei einem Unfall oder im Weltraum l\u00f6sen k\u00f6nnen.\n\nIm Laufe der n\u00e4chsten Stunden gelang es Tonya, Senzen und den Arbeitern, das St\u00fcck zu gewinnen und vorsichtig auf den Boden zu legen. Tonya umkreiste langsam das Metall und fing es aus jedem Winkel ein.\n\nIn seiner Gesamtheit war das St\u00fcck etwa zwei mal vier Meter gro\u00df. Die Kanten waren durch das Lavabad weggeschmolzen. Gl\u00fccklicherweise gelang es ihm durch seine Hitzeschildung, diesen Teil lange genug zu sch\u00fctzen, damit die Lava abk\u00fchlen konnte.\n\nAls sie fertig war, setzte sie sich hin und sah es sich an.\n\n\"Ziemlich unglaublich, oder?\" Senzen st\u00fcrzte in den Kies neben ihr hinab. Er trank aus etwas Wasser.\n\n\"Ich kann nicht aufh\u00f6ren, es mir anzusehen\", antwortete sie. \"Nach all der Zeit k\u00f6nnten wir es tats\u00e4chlich wissen....\"\n\n\"Ja,\" nickte er und hielt ihr das Wasser entgegen. Tonya sah die Flasche z\u00f6gernd an.\n\n\"Beruhige dich, Tonya. Wir konkurrieren, aber das bedeutet nicht, dass wir nicht zivilisiert sein k\u00f6nnen.\"\n\nTonya nahm das Wasser und trank. Sie hatte nicht bemerkt, wie durstig sie war und beendete die Flasche.\n\n\"Gern geschehen\", sagte Senzen mit einem L\u00e4cheln.\n\n\" Tut mir leid.\"\n\n\"Keine Sorge. Ich habe noch mehr zu erledigen.\" Senzen blickte sich um. Einer von Arlingtons Assistenten eilte mit mehr Flaschen aus der Konzernzentrale.\n\n\"Du hast bereits seine Assistenten, die dir Sachen holen?\"\n\n\"Ich arbeite schnell\", antwortete Senzen mit einem Achselzucken. Er nahm die Flaschen. \"Prost. Danke.\" Die Assistentin eilte davon. Senzen wandte sich an Tonya. \"Sollen wir?\"\n\nSie blickten \u00fcber jeden Zentimeter des Artemis-Metalls, vorne und hinten. Tonya reinigte es so gut sie konnte, dann suchte sie nach jeder Art von Hinweis, um anzuzeigen, was passiert war. Da war nichts. Die Kanten wurden bis zu dem Punkt geschmolzen, an dem es unm\u00f6glich war, festzustellen, ob die Platte abgerissen wurde oder nicht. Sie f\u00fchrte Tests an Mikroproben des Metalls durch. Eine weitere Sackgasse.\n\nSie lehnte sich zur\u00fcck und versuchte, sich vom Puzzle zu l\u00f6sen. In der Hoffnung, dass ein paar Augenblicke weiter weg ihr eine Perspektive geben w\u00fcrde, sah sie Deke an, der von seinem Schiff aus immer noch die Landschaft scannte.\n\nSquig wurde auf dem Hang versenkt, als er versuchte, seinen Scanner zu reparieren. Er zog ein ganzes Scan-Modul ab und warf es den Hang hinunter.\n\nDann traf sie die Inspiration. Sie dr\u00e4ngte ihren Impuls zum Laufen und versuchte einen lockeren Spaziergang zur\u00fcck zum Artefakt. Sie hat die Kanten des Panels neu gescannt. Senzen n\u00e4herte sich.\n\n\"Hast du etwas?\"\n\n\"Ich wei\u00df nicht. Vielleicht.\" Tonya fuhr mit den Fingern \u00fcber den Rand des Metalls. \"Aber es ist nicht so, dass ich es dir sagen w\u00fcrde, wenn ich es tue.\"\n\n\"In Ordnung\", stand er \u00fcber ihr und sah zu.\n\nTonya packte das Metall und testete das Gewicht. Sie konnte es alleine umdrehen, aber nicht mit Kontrolle oder ohne es zu besch\u00e4digen.\n\n\"Hilf mir\", sagte sie zu den Arbeitern. Sie bewegten sich nicht, sondern sahen sich nur an, dann Senzen.\n\n\"Ja, ich habe bereits Vereinbarungen mit ihnen getroffen, also helfen sie mir nur wirklich.\" Senzen zuckte unschuldig mit den Schultern.\n\nTonya starrte ihn an und drehte es dann selbst um. Die Metallfl\u00e4che schlug auf der anderen Seite nach unten. Es tat ihr geistig weh, es zu tun, aber sie wollte Senzen nicht einen Zentimeter geben.\n\nDie Innenseite der Platte war \u00e4hnlich wie die Au\u00dfenseite. Metall. Geschmolzen. Es gab eine Stelle, die weniger verzogen war als der Rest. Tonya untersuchte jeden Millimeter mit ihrer Zoom-Optik. Schlie\u00dflich fand sie einen Vorteil. Eine saubere Kante.\n\nDas war's dann. Sie musste die Welle der Freude in ihr unterdr\u00fccken, um ihre Hand nicht zu kippen. Sie sah sich um, aber Senzen war verschwunden.\n\n\n* * * *\n\n\nF\u00fcnf Minuten sp\u00e4ter stand Tonya vor Arlingtons provisorischem B\u00fcro. Die Assistentin f\u00fchrte sie hinein. Tonya widersetzte sich erneut dem Drang, die letzten Schritte zu sprinten. Arlington war an seinem Schreibtisch und durchsuchte Datafeeds von Unternehmenswerten.\n\n\"Du hast etwas gefunden?\" fragte er, ohne nach oben zu schauen.\n\n\"Ich glaube nicht, dass das eine Unfallstelle ist, Mr. Arlington.\"\n\nArlington schenkte ihr schlie\u00dflich seine Aufmerksamkeit. Tonya brachte Fotos hoch und zoomte in den Patch, bis sie sich auf die saubere Kante konzentrierte.\n\n\"Siehst du das? Diese Kante war nicht zerrissen oder gebogen. Es wurde geschnitten.\" Tonya brachte zus\u00e4tzliche Datascreens ihrer Ergebnisse hervor. \"Meine Analyse sagt, dass es mit einem Pr\u00e4zisionslaser gemacht wurde, der zwar ungeschickt im Vergleich zu den heutigen Standards ist, aber periodengenau zu der Art von Technologie, die auf dem Artemis enthalten ist.\"\n\n\" Nur zu.\"\n\n\"Ich denke, es hat sich hier niedergelassen, um Reparaturen durchzuf\u00fchren\", sagte Tonya, dieser Nervenkitzel, der wieder auftauchte. \"Es ist immer noch da drau\u00dfen.\"\n\n\"Eine Entdeckung in der Tat, Mr. Turov\", sagte Arlington zu einer Seitent\u00fcr. Tonya sah sich verwirrt um. Senzen trat heraus.\n\n\"Ich habe dir gesagt, dass wir etwas Gro\u00dfes gefunden haben.\" Senzen trat neben Tonya auf.\n\n\" Wir?\" stammelte sie. Ihre Verwirrung verwandelte sich schnell in feurige Emp\u00f6rung. \"Mr. Arlington, ich wei\u00df nicht, was er gesagt hat -\"\n\n\"Miss Oriel, bitte.\" Arlington winkte mit der Hand. \"Du hast mich verkauft.\"\n\nTonya starrte Senzen an und w\u00fcnschte sich pl\u00f6tzlich pyrokinetische Kr\u00e4fte.\n\n\"Die Angebote stehen noch\", sagte Arlington, als er zu seinen Vorschl\u00e4gen zur\u00fcckkehrte. \"Jetzt geht ihr beide und findet es.\"\n\n\n\n\n. ... wird fortgesetzt","zh_CN":"The Artemis.\n\nLaunched in 2232, it was a generational ship of five thousand souls in cryostasis pushing toward GJ 667Cc with Janus, an AI Core, at the helm. It was humanity\u2019s first expedition to the stars. Shortly after passing from our solar system into unknown space, we lost contact.\n\nSo much had changed since that day; jump points, First Contacts, towering achievements and tragedy in almost equal measure. Despite the hundreds of expeditions, studies and simulations conducted over the centuries, no one ever found anything. Many came to assume that it crashed, flew into a star or dropped into a jump-point. The Artemis slipped into legend.\n\nUntil now \u2026\n\n\n* * * *\n\n\nTonya stared at a piece of history. Here, surrounded by lava, was the holy grail of explorers across the galaxy. A piece of it, anyway. Her mind was barely able to keep up with the torrent of thoughts, hopes and ideas that assaulted her the second she saw it. She glanced around.\n\nEveryone else was just as stunned as she was. Senzen\u2019s face twitched like he was resetting himself to comprehend what he was looking at. The sight of the Artemis even seeped through Squig\u2019s alcohol-soaked brain.\n\n\u201cNo way,\u201d was all he could muster.\n\nGavin Arlington gave everyone a few moments to let it sink in. Finally, he cleared his throat. The CEO obviously had places to be.\n\n\u201cNow you know why I called you all here.\u201d An assistant handed him a MiniGlas which he read while he spoke. \u201cWhat we have here is a delicate situation \u2013\u201c\n\n\u201cWhat\u2019s delicate? You have to tell people,\u201d Deke Johnson interrupted. All of Arlington\u2019s assistants\u2019 eyes widened, incensed at the notion that this dreg would dare interrupt their boss.\n\n\u201cNo, Mr. Johnson, that is precisely what I\u2019m not going to do,\u201d Arlington replied, hardly missing a step. \u201cShould any of you disagree with that sentiment, allow me to remind you that based on the agreements you all signed, if you breathe a word of this to anyone without my express authorization, you, your family and your friends will be eviscerated legally, professionally, financially, socially\u201d \u2013 he glanced at his lawyer \u2013 \u201cphysically?\u201d\n\nThe lawyer nodded.\n\n\u201cPhysically,\u201d Arlington continued.\n\n\u201cTelling the UEE would shut this world down, and \u2026 eviscerate \u2026 your mining operation,\u201d Tonya chimed in.\n\nArlington glanced over and smiled. The utter lack of emotion behind the simple human gesture chilled her. \u201cThere\u2019s no sense in notifying the authorities or the scientific community until we know what we\u2019ve found. That\u2019s why you\u2019re here. I want the crash site of the Artemis found. My facility\u2019s mining scanners and personnel will be at your disposal. Whoever finds the rest will share in the credit for the discovery as well as a handsome compensation package.\u201d\n\nEveryone looked at each other, sizing up their competition. Arlington waited expectantly.\n\n\u201cYou can start now,\u201d he finally said.\n\n\n* * * *\n\n\nTonya scrambled onto the Beacon II. She raced around the hold of the Freelancer, grabbing excavation tools, scanners, VidCaptures, her MiniGlas of books \u2026 she stopped for a second to catch her breath. Every fiber of her being was on fire, charged with the possibility of being the one to unlock the fate of the Artemis. It was all so unbelievable. She gave herself a moment to bask in the thrill of it.\n\nShe ran back to the dig-site. When she got there, Tonya realized that she was not the only one energized by the prospective discovery.\n\nSenzen had already deputized the mining crews into excavating the Artemis fragment. They gently chipped away the black lava rock, trying to see how much more of the ancient metal lay buried.\n\nDeke Johnson\u2019s Cutlass swooped overhead, kicking up a storm of loose rock. The bottom was lit up from its scanners surveying the surrounding landscape.\n\nOn a nearby hillside, Squig drank from his flask while swinging a homemade scanner.\n\nArthur Morrow walked past carrying surveying gear and deep-rock scanners. He barely acknowledged them or the artifact.\n\n\u201cNot interested in analyzing this, Art?\u201d Tonya unpacked her camera and tools. Arthur looked at her and snorted.\n\n\u201cThe money ain\u2019t in that. The money\u2019s out there somewhere.\u201d He motioned to the sea of solidified lava that surrounded them and moved on.\n\n\u201cSome people lack vision,\u201d Senzen said to her with a smirk.\n\nTonya snapped a series of pictures of the Artemis fragment and stitched them together into a composite. Once the image was reconciled, she applied it to a database of Artemis imagery, trying to isolate which part of the ship it could have come from.\n\nTonya realized Senzen was standing behind her.\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s a good idea,\u201d he grinned mischievously and went back to directing workers.\n\n\u201cSomeone needs to tell Deke to stop scanning so close. The gravel could damage the metal.\u201d Her MiniGlas hummed. Based on the stenciling and faded markings, there was a good chance that what they were looking at was part of the starboard thruster paneling.\n\nIt was helpful but not conclusive. The panel could have come off during a crash or in space.\n\nOver the course of the next few hours, Tonya, Senzen and the workers successfully extracted the piece and placed it carefully on the ground. Tonya slowly circled the metal and captured it from every angle.\n\nIn its entirety, the piece was roughly two meters by four. The edges had been melted away by the lava bath. Fortunately, its thermal shielding managed to protect this part of it long enough for the lava to cool.\n\nWhen she was done, she sat down and looked at it.\n\n\u201cPretty unbelievable, right?\u201d Senzen slumped down in the gravel beside her. He sipped from some water.\n\n\u201cI can\u2019t stop looking at it,\u201d she replied. \u201cAfter all this time, we might actually know \u2026\u201d\n\n\u201cYeah,\u201d he nodded and held the water out to her. Tonya eyed the bottle hesitantly.\n\n\u201cCalm down, Tonya. We\u2019re competing but that doesn\u2019t mean we can\u2019t be civil.\u201d\n\nTonya took the water and drank. She hadn\u2019t realized how thirsty she\u2019d been and ended up finishing the bottle.\n\n\u201cYou\u2019re welcome,\u201d Senzen said with a chuckle.\n\n\u201cSorry.\u201d\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t worry. I got some more coming through.\u201d Senzen glanced around. One of Arlington\u2019s assistants hurried out of the corporate headquarters with more bottles.\n\n\u201cYou already have his assistants fetching you stuff?\u201d\n\n\u201cI work fast,\u201d Senzen replied with a shrug. He took the bottles. \u201cCheers. Thanks.\u201d The assistant hustled off. Senzen turned to Tonya. \u201cShall we?\u201d\n\nThey pored over every inch of the Artemis metal, front and back. Tonya cleaned it the best she could, then searched for any kind of clue to indicate what happened. There was nothing. The edges were melted to the point where it was impossible to determine whether the panel was ripped off or not. She ran tests on micro-samples of the metal. Another dead end.\n\nShe sat back and tried to disconnect from the puzzle. Hoping a few moments away would give her some perspective, she looked at Deke still scanning the landscape from his ship.\n\nSquig was slumped on the hillside trying to fix his scanner. He pulled an entire scanning module off and tossed it down the slope.\n\nThen inspiration hit her. Quelling her impulse to run, she attempted a casual stroll back to the artifact. She rescanned the edges of the panel. Senzen approached.\n\n\u201cGot something?\u201d\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t know. Maybe.\u201d Tonya ran her fingers along the edge of the metal. \u201cBut it\u2019s not like I\u2019ll tell you if I do.\u201d\n\n\u201cFair enough,\u201d he stood over her and watched.\n\nTonya grabbed the metal and tested the weight. She could flip it on her own but not with control or without damaging it.\n\n\u201cGive me a hand,\u201d she said to the workers. They didn\u2019t move, only looked at each other then Senzen.\n\n\u201cYeah, I\u2019ve already made arrangements with them so they\u2019re only really helping me out.\u201d Senzen shrugged innocently.\n\nTonya glared at him then flipped it herself. The metal face slammed down on its other side. It hurt her spiritually to do it, but she wasn\u2019t going to give Senzen an inch.\n\nThe interior side of the plate was much like the exterior. Metal. Melted. There was a patch less warped than the rest. Tonya examined every millimeter with her zoom optics. Finally, she found an edge. A clean edge.\n\nThat was it. She had to suppress the swell of elation inside her to not tip her hand. She looked around but Senzen had disappeared.\n\n\n* * * *\n\n\nFive minutes later, Tonya was outside Arlington\u2019s temporary office. The assistant ushered her inside. Tonya again resisted the urge to sprint those final steps. Arlington was at his desk, sifting through datafeeds of company assets.\n\n\u201cYou\u2019ve found something?\u201d he asked without looking up.\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t think this is a crash site, Mr. Arlington.\u201d\n\nArlington finally gave her his attention. Tonya brought up photos and zoomed in on the patch until she focused on the clean edge.\n\n\u201cSee that? That edge wasn\u2019t ripped or bent. It was cut.\u201d Tonya brought up additional datascreens of her findings. \u201cMy analysis says it was made with a precision laser that, while clumsy compared to today\u2019s standards, is period-accurate to the type of tech included on the Artemis.\u201d\n\n\u201cGo on.\u201d\n\n\u201cI think it set down here to make repairs,\u201d Tonya said, that thrill bubbling up again. \u201cIt\u2019s still out there.\u201d\n\n\u201cQuiet a discovery indeed, Mr. Turov,\u201d Arlington said to a side door. Tonya looked around, confused. Senzen stepped out.\n\n\u201cI told you we found something big.\u201d Senzen stepped up beside Tonya.\n\n\u201cWe?\u201d She stammered. Her confusion quickly turned to fiery indignation. \u201cMr. Arlington, I don\u2019t know what he told -\u201d\n\n\u201cMiss Oriel, please.\u201d Arlington waved his hand. \u201cYou\u2019ve sold me.\u201d\n\nTonya glared at Senzen, suddenly wishing for pyrokinetic powers.\n\n\u201cThe offers still stands,\u201d Arlington said as he turned back to his feeds. \u201cNow, you two go find it.\u201d\n\n. . . to be continued"},"links_count":0,"comment_count":60,"created_at":"2013-01-24T00:00:00+00:00","created_at_human":"13 years ago"},"meta":{"processed_at":"2026-05-14 18:09:21","valid_relations":["images","links"],"prev_id":12864,"next_id":12866}}