~ OFFICIAL DOCUMENT ~
Galactic Institute of Historical Preservation
Ancient Starship Record #RE-991-458 - Captain’s Log
Subject: Dark Earth
Today the starship,Endeavour Horizon, entered orbit around the planet Earth. The most recent recorded visit since the planet’s destruction during the Great Terran War.
The planet is covered in dense clouds, but what could be glimpsed through the cloud cover showed the seas are as black as space. Radiation levels are off the charts—consistent with records that experimental nuclear weapons were used in the war and have decimated the planet’s surface. Radiation levels are too high for theEndeavour Horizonto risk landing.
Scans of the surface are also hampered by the radiation, but show no human life signs. There are large and confusing biosigns, and the science team can only speculate that they belong to mutated animal lifeforms.
There have long been rumors that many valuables and pieces of Terran history remain on the planet, but it is the conclusion of my best advisors that it is far too dangerous to attempt anyrecovery. Possibly in the future, bold explorers may risk the journey.
I report that the planet that seeded much of the life in our galaxy is nothing but a dark Earth.
Captain James P. Darra
Endeavour Horizon
Out of Australia II Colony
~ END DOCUMENT ~
CHAPTER ONE
He hated the jungle.
Niklas Phoenix pushed aside a giant, green leaf the size of his body and ducked under a thick branch. Here on Mazona V, the jungle was so dense, he could only see a few meters ahead. According to his Sync communicator, he was following a path, but he sure as hell couldn’t see it. He stopped and slapped at a huge insect with a long proboscis that was buzzing around him, trying to find a spot to land.
Nik lifted his laser machete and started swinging again, cutting at the dense wall of vines in front of him.
“Can you see it yet?”
His brother Dathan’s voice came through Nik’s tiny nano-earpiece. “All I can see is jungle, jungle, and more jungle.”
A laugh came through the line. “Sounds like you aren’t having fun, big bro.”
That voice was his youngest brother, Zayn. Zayn could sound cheery while handcuffed to an explosive device and traveling toward a black hole. He’d always been the easiest-going of the three of them, and since he’d married the love of his life, his cheer had become almost unbearable.
“Nik not having fun? Never,” Dathan said.
Oh, and now Dathan with the sarcasm. Nik glowered at the vines in front of him and put some extra swing into his hacking. “You guys should give up treasure hunting and go into comedy. I hear the casinos on Cardon Prime are looking for stand-ups.”
He swung again, the orange laser making a quiet hum, and the vines fell away. A tiny clearing was visible and overhead, some unknown animal screeched.
Thankfully the sun was still up, so the animals were of the friendly, curious variety. It was after night fell that Mazona’s less-savory denizens made an appearance. Nik and his brothers really wanted to be gone by then.
“Who the hell can have fun while they’re sweltering on this godforsaken planet, surrounded by choking jungle?” Nik grumbled.
“Focus on the treasure, Nik,” Dathan said. “A beautiful golden idol said to originally be from Earth.”
Right. Legend said that a thief had stolen the Terran artifact from a private collection, not long after the Great Terran War had devastated Earth. Many people had left the planet, heading out into the galaxy to form new colonies and to populate new worlds. And they’d taken priceless old Earth treasures with them.
Supposedly, the thief who’d stolen this golden idol had crash-landed here on Mazona V. He’d convinced the less-advanced, jungle-dwelling natives that he was a god, and he lived out his life here in relative luxury. A small monkey-like creature dropped down from a tree and landed on Nik’s shoulder, making him stiffen. It tugged at his hair, sniffed, then leaped off into the vegetation.
He shook his head. Even being waited on hand-and-foot by the natives wouldn’t have made this place worth it. The jungle-dwellers were long gone now, but the legends said they’d worshipped the idol the thief had brought with him.
