Chap. 74 Opening the capsule

Chap. 74  Opening the capsule

D'nis, D'mitran and K'ndar were in an inner lab of Landing. The artifact K'ndar had found lay on a table in front of what seemed to be the entire staff of Landing. People crowded in behind them. Everyone was excited to learn what was in the capsule. Being that they'd found it, the three dragonriders were given 'front row standing room' at the table, but K'ndar could feel the crowd resented their presence. Not out of dislike, but, because, well, dragonriders weren't considered to be the smartest of people. That, and they wanted to be up front.

"We've X-rayed the contents of this capsule," said Shawn, one of the technicians. "We had the computer scan it inside and out, so we have a fair idea that there are things inside, but we don't know what they are. Jansen, here, has the computer scanners ready. We'll open it, remove everything, scan everything and try to discern what the things are. But first, I'd like to point out that there appear to be remnants of markings on the outside. The computer was able to discern the words. 

They say:  " Capsule sealed by Jason Harmon, Freelance Explorer, 17/5/508."

"508?" Like Turn 508?" 

"Yes. Turn, or more correctly, year 508. Beginning of the Third Pass, two thousand five hundred and fifty eight years ago."

The crowd was stunned. It was by far the oldest thing they'd ever seen.

"The capsule itself is composed of the silicate based plastics that is, as we can see here, virtually indestructible and doesn't decompose. Amazing stuff, plastic."

"What  does freelance mean?" asked someone.

"The dictionary on the computer defines freelance as someone who acts according to his principles, uninfluenced by any group, an independent person working for himself. The other definition is: a medieval soldier who sold his services to any state or military leader, or a mercenary."

"The second one makes no sense. What is a soldier? What is medieval? Or military or  mercenary?" 

"You can look that up for yourself. It made no sense to me, either, so I'll go with the first definition, an independent person working for himself." 

"For Pern's sakes, man, open it!"

"For that, I'll need a tool. It's sealed far too well." He reached behind him, picking up a large open jawed wrench. He placed it at one end and attempted to turn it. It wouldn't budge. 

He tried, working harder. People began to wonder if it would open at all. "Here, Jansen, get another wrench." The girl produced a second one and Shawn tried using two of them.

I wish all these people weren't here, he thought. This thing is making me look foolish.

"Look, I'm going to have to take this in back to more thoroughly analyze it. Sorry."

"What do you mean, sorry? We're not leaving," D'mitran said. 

"Come on, it can't be that difficult," someone said, smirking.

"It IS. You aren't a technician, are you?"

"No, I'm a harper," said the man.

"Thought so."

Just then, another technician came out. "Here, let me take a crack at it," he said.

The tech frowned. "Raylan, you're new here, I'm certain you aren't qualified to handle artifacts." 

Raylan smiled, patiently. "I think the problem is, you're turning it the wrong way. You're merely tightening it."

"Nonsense."

"I think he's right, Shawn," Jensen said from behind the tech. 

"What do you know, you're merely a computer operator."

"Hey, mate, watch it," someone in the crowd.

K'ndar stepped forward. "Maybe I should find someone else to handle it," he said.

Shawn snapped, "K'ndar, you're just a dragonrider, what can you teach me? Eh?"

"Well, first thing is courtesy. Second thing is respect for others. Third is, that artifact is MINE. I'd like it back, please."

"YOURS?"

"Yes. Mine. I found it, it's mine."

Shawn threw the wrenches down and backed off. "Fine, if you think anyone can do better, have at it."

Raylan, still smiling, picked up the wrench. "Miss Jansen, if you would, please?" 

The girl, smirking at Shawn's comeuppance…he was always an egotistical asshole.., picked up the second wrench and placed it behind Raylan's.

"Hold it tight. Don't let it turn in your grip."

Raylan twisted. The end of the capsule said wooooooooooosh! and began to screech as he turned it.

The crowd cheered. 

Raylan put the lid aside and peered inside the capsule. "Give me some gloves, won't you, ma'am?" Jansen handed him a pair of cloth gloves.

 "It looks like there's a notebook in there, I don't know what condition it's in and don't want to get skin oil on it. Thank you."  

The first thing he removed was indeed, a notebook, its plastic cover curled up at the ends. It looked fragile. Paging through it very carefully, he said, "This will need special handling, it's very delicate, but the writing seems to be still clear. For now. If you would, please, get some gloves on and put the notebook into a vacuum again, until we figure out how to scan it without damaging it."   

Jansen took the notebook in gloved hands, almost reverently.

Next, he removed a flat, rectangular screen that looked like something from a computer monitor. Then, out came another rectangular item, a white box with what appeared to be a glass lens on one side. A small solar panel was next, then what appeared to be binoculars, folded up to fit inside the capsule. The last item was a glass jar holding at least a dozen round black disks. 

Jansen came back out in time to put the flat screened  item on a computer scanner. 

Unexpectedly, the computer wheeped and its screen said, 'Downloading'.

"It's downloading. The computer is downloading," she said. "I didn't tell it to." 

"Let it continue. It can't hurt." Raylan said. "Download complete." the computer screen said. 

"Opening files."

Type appeared on the screen. 

Entry 1. Today, Day 1, Month 12, year 507, I, Jason Harmon, of Fort Hold, have begun my exploration of the Southern Continent. Earlier this year, I purchased three horses and had them and myself transported by ship to Landing.  I intend to explore the southern continent .  I intend to reach the southernmost coast by crossing the continent on horseback. I have a tent, two water bottles, enough food to last me several weeks as long as I hunt on the way, a change of clothes, a second pair of boots, wet weather and cold weather gear, a solar panel to charge my electronics, a solar still, a data link to the starships, a scope, and a molecular camera. I will collect and transmit data on this data link, the camera and my notebooks. My Aivas account is named Jasonharmonexplorer.

The computer screen showed several hundred pages of downloaded pages. 

"What's that thing with the black circle on it?"

"I'm not sure. I'll put it on the scanner."

He did. Again, the computer said wheep and "files downloading." Within seconds, it wheeped again with "Downloads complete."

Jansen typed in, 'what is this?"

The computer said, "Molecular memory camera." She read it aloud for the crowd.

Only 'memory' meant anything to them. Intrigued, Jansen spoke the words she typed: "What is a camera?"

It came back with: a device used to capture images, sounds and other data and storing them in a memory or database. 

She continued, typing and asking, "What is molecular memory?"

Molecular memory: a method of storing images, sounds, data, and other electronic media on a carbon molecule.

Most everyone knew what molecules were. "Hmmmm, " she said, and typed in, "What is the memory capacity of a carbon molecule?"

The computer said, "1 mole."

"One mole? Um……."  Jansen asked, not remembering what a mole was, "How much memory in a  mole?"

"6.32 x 10 to the 23^rd power."

Those who could do math dropped their jaws in astonishment.  

 "That's…a lot of storage," one finally said, drily. 

"Um. This Jason Harmon, it appears that he was only out for what, six months? What happened to him?" asked another. 

Jansen skimmed through the files til she found the last date. "The last date I see here is 17 5 508."

She clicked on it. Instead of data, the computer opened a video screen. 

A man was laying with his back against what was obviously a dead and very bloated horse. Insects were everywhere. The man held the camera out with extended arms, pointing it at himself. He began to speak. He had a strange accent, so odd it was unintelligible. The language had shifted quite a bit in two millennium.

 "Ah. I have to do the lingual shift," she said. 

She paused the video and backed it up to the beginning. She asked the computer to shift the language to something more modern. Then she hit play again.

"Hello, Aivas, Jason Harmon, explorer,  here. This will be my last data entry. After I record this, I will place as much equipment as I can into the vacuum capsule, purge it, and stuff it under the horse. Hopefully, the body will protect it from being disturbed by animals or weather.  

Three days ago, my horse reared.  I think it got stung by something. She fell backwards and broke her neck. When I fell off my pelvis and legs broke. I can't feel my legs. I haven't had any food or water since the accident. I hurt so much, I can hardly breathe. It took me hours to get my pack off and this camera out. The insects are eating me alive.  The pack horses ran off the day afterwards.   

I tried calling for help but never got a response. I am assuming I am too far out for anyone to hear my signal. I will leave the transponder in the data link going. Please, if anyone hears this, please send help.

I wish I'd never attempted to cross this prairie. There is nothing here. No water. No trees. Just 2500 square kilometers of grass. It is only suitable for the animals. The wherries have been hanging around me. They are waiting for me to die. I hope it's soon."

There was a ghastly silence. Then, save for the three dragonriders, the crowd filed out without a word.