The Artifact

A remote system, on the fringes of the Galaxy where only the great void of Wild Space lay beyond. The Corneria system. Home to nothing except a small reserach outpost, often used for conducting illegal research by coporations to lease out the labs. However, the resources of the complex were diverted away from illegal research to something else.....

It was dark. The room was small, occupied by several desks and various storage appliances. Chief Scientist Rowand Jiy'ila, a Bothan scientists who served as the highest ranking officer in charge of the facility, was approached by Chief scientist of the current project, a human named Levin Goroh.

"Sir, these are some strange readings. Like no technology currently present in our Galaxy."

He handed over a detailed report containing graphs, data, research information over to the Chief who began to read over the report.

"The thing is emitting abnormal neuro-beta waves. This is unlike anything we've ever seen. Never has any machine of any sort emit abnormal yet natural brain waves."

"Brain waves? Are you trying to say that this machine is sentient?"

"No sir, while it does emit these waves, It does think or show any thought. It's only remarkable feature is that it emits these specific waves."

"Do we have any data on why it emits these waves, or what effect these waves have?"

"I can't say sir. We've never encountered anything like this before. We have no data to form a basis on.... However, many of my researchers have complained about headaches more recently. The increase in headaches seems to coincide with the day we discovered the Artifact."

"Do you have any speculation as to who built this?"

"Our current thoery is that it was built by the Celestials. It's purpose seemingly beyond our comprehension. This data is consistent with data found at the Maw. Since it was the Celestials that created The Maw for some reason nearly five hundred thousand years ago. Then, suddenly and aruptly, they vanished. Yet, this would macth their technology."

I find it odd that such an advanced race of beings were suddenly destroyed as they were, leaving virtually nothing behind, save a few artifacts."

"It's possible that the rise of us lesser species destroyed them. That's the only possibility I could think of."

Levin, your species were living in caves and my species were wandering forests during that time. We couldn't even have comprehended them during that time. Anyway, back on subject, how long have you stayed at this outpost?"

"I've been here for three days. I've been using the equipment at this outpost because it was impossible to transport to our remote location on the asteroid. I left my assistant in charge during my absence."

"Have you heard anything from your assistant Levin?"

Levin thought to himself for a second, finally coming to the realization.

"Actually no sir! I've been so busy trying to analyze and record this data that I would even forget to eat or sleep, let alone think of what my assistant was doing. He is well qualified however. If i can trust someone to run anything without me, it's him. Yet, it is odd how he hasn't sent word since my departure."

The Bothan stood up grabbing certain belongings, including a blaster. Levin, who witnessed him grabbing the blaster.

"Levin, lack of communications in this situation means only three things: Their comms are jammed, which is unlikely because I would already have been notified by this point. They are experiencing technical failures, again, unlikely as I would have been notified. Or, they simply aren't sending any transmissions out. Which is the most likely outcome."

"But sir, why would my own assistant not send anything? Especially on a project as important as this?"

Rowand handed Levin a spare blaster who accepted with a still confused look upon his face.

"Either your assistant doesn't like you and doesn't want to talk to you or they are being forced against their will somehow. There are no local authorities Levin, we need to take care of our own. Do you know how to use one of those?"

"N-no sir! This is preposterous! I've never fired one of these things in my life!"

"Well, now's your time to learn because we are going over there; and I doubt we'll receive a warm welcome."

The small shuttle drew closer towards the outpost on the asteroid. The lights glittring on the dark side of the mammoth rock.

Levin then said, "I'm not receiving anything. All messages sent out have been met with no reply."

"We're almost there. We'll find out what happened soon enough."

The shuttle landed inside the landing bay. It was silent, and empty. There was no one else in the hangar leaving an eerie sense of a ghost town. They examined the landing bay for any signs of evidence but nothing.

Levin then walked over to a small personal console, isolated in the corner of the room.

"Sir, here's a video log.... this belonged to... Draq, Draq Benin. I'll play it, see if we can gather anything from it."

The picture of Draq Benin appeared on the screen, a human male appearing to be in his early thirties.
The headaches have been getting worse. It's really starting to get annoying. I went to the medical guys two days ago and they gave me some meds but they haven't been working. I think it's the artifact they found; ever since they brought it here, that when my headaches seemed to begin. Though, I don't find it coincidental."

The two proceeded to walk down the hallway. Searching for any clues along the way only to find that everything had been left intact. It was as if everyone just stopped what they were doing and left.

Then, in one of the barracks rooms, they spotted another video log, this time, from another person.
"I can feel... something else. I can't explain it, it just feels like, I don't know. I find myself clenching my teeth, not realizing it. It feels as if the walls are pressing against me. Hell, maybe I'm starting to hear voices in my head. I don't know, maybe this headache is really getting to me."

Levin, "That's odd, no one has complained to me about headaches."

"The Artifact had also just got here not long before you left for the main outpost. Levin, what else can you tell me about this Artifact?"

"Well, officially, it is known as Project 64. However, we would call Proteus. Aside from the usual abnormal waves it emitted, it also had a subtle yet distinctive energy burst. This was all in the report but at intervals, it would show us this subtle burst of heat energy. Nothing that can harm anyone. But one thing we noticed was that the intervals of these bursts are getting smaller, gradually."

"This, Proteus, is random. What do you think this means? And how long until this heat burst finally flatlines?"

"At our calculations, we projected it at just over one year's time."

"Well, that will give us some time to figure out what the hell this thing is. Levin, I want you to bring me to it."

"It's just ahead sir, right this way."

As the two walked down the dark corridor, they both found themselves getting more and more uneasy. Rowand, however, was better able to compose himself than Levin.

As they walked towards the chamber where the artifact was held, they noticed a body on the ground, face down over in a small office inlet.

"Over here!"

They ran over and Rowand rolled the body over, exposing a male twi'lek in his late twenties with three blaster shots across his torso. Levin nearly gagged, feeling nauseous and nearly throwing up. he looked away while Rowand examined the person mute face and the blaster shots.

"Levin, who was this man?"

"H-he was my assistant and top r-researcher." Levin swallowed and attempted to speak again, "His name was Alanko Haroutt. He was slated to replace me within a years time."

"Who could have done this?"

"I-I'm not sure. Everyone was pysch-evaluated and had a background check completed on them before they were allowed on this project. There was nothing to prevent or even doubt given them access to this Top Secret project."

Rowand stood up and spoke into his radio with a concerned tone.

"This is Rowand Jiy'ila to Alpha Base. I'm here at Base 7 and I need you to contact the authorities immediately. We have a situation."

After several moments of delay, a young man replied over the radio, "Understood Sir, call is away and they should arrive in system in about eight hours. Is everything okay?"

"Eight hours? Damn. We've got the situation under control, for now. Rowand out."

"Sir, the Proteus is just ahead, at the end of this corridor."

They moved to the end of the hallway, their uneasiness getting sharper as they approached a large vault-like door. Levin shook as he began entering the code to access the chamber. Rowand stood ready to clear the room. Once the code was entered, the slide quickly opened and Rowand quickly pointed his blaster inward, find it devoid of anyone except the artifact with several desks and monitoring stations located along the walls.

It was a completely sealed room. The walls and floor were lined with a dark-steel material but what really caught Rowand's attention was the Artifact itself standing before him. It was a shiny dark-violet color that had a base that resembled a pyramid but as it rose, it jutted off into what appeared like hundreds of spikes in the air. These spikes were lit, giving an ambience of colors across the entire spectrum. It was beautiful yet unsettling at the same.

"This thing is amazing. So beautiful." said Rowand as he gazed at the Proteus.

Then, the lights changed their display, varying between colors more rapidly than before. It travelled across the light spectrum more quickly, glowing brighter. Then a deep, cold, machine-like voice spoke to them.

Prepare for the arrival......

A terrible headache swept over them, as if something was inside their brain, tearing it apart. They yelled in agony as the pain coarsed within their skulls, cruching, unable to bear the pain.

Eventually, their migraines had retreated. They slowly gathered themselves.

Rowand slowly recovered and said in a pained toned, "Arrival? W-what are you? What are you talking about?"

The Deep, bassy voice of the machine spoke further.

We are the voices of your destruction. We are beyond all organic comprehension. You stumble in ignorance before us.

Confusion upon fear. The two weren't sure of what the ancient artifact meant. Yet, merely it's voice chilled them to the bone. Such a cold and dark voice that spoke to their souls.

"Who is 'we'? You plan to destroy all organics?"

We are eternal. We represent the end of all organic life as you know it. Our numbers will black out the sky of every world. We will burn your civilization until nothing but dust and echoes remain. We are your genetic evolution. Your time in this Galaxy shall soon end.

From doors, opposite the room, the researchers poured through. They wieled blasters, took aim and shot at Rowand and Levin. They had become indoctrinated by the machine. Mindless tools for the artifact. Rowand was quick to react but Levin was a fraction too slow. He caught a blaster shot in the chest.

"Aagh!"

"Levin!" shouted Rowand, running away from Levin's fallen body. however, his escape was in vain. The door behind them had been shut and sealed. Rowand quickly clawed at the door only to realize that he was doomed. He turned around, his back against the vaulted door. He looked over at Levin's lifeless body and then at the indoctrinated researchers. He took aim with his blaster and shot several researchers before he had taken several blasts himself. He was about to enter death's embrace.

He slowly fell to the floor, his eyes slowly transitioned to the Proteus, it's harmonizing colors slowly faded away from view. His eyes closed and he drew his last breath. Slowly falling to the ground.

No one will escape.

xzfb

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