"This way, I think I see it.", a nearly indistinguishable male voice echoes. A tall broad shouldered man in an odd bright white suit searches through the inky darkness with his light, illuminating this rock and that. Two more men in white vinyl suits with lights attached to their helmets follow his lead. Their lights meander against the black, crystal strewn rock walls giving the cave the mystique of a star filled night sky. Through the hazey atmosphere of the cavern an obelisk begins to come into focus. The men quickly approach the fifteen feet tall stone tetrahedron. The object mostly resembles a hollowed out pyramid. The men's lights refract vibrant hues of blue and deep purple from the hollowed center, which seems to be almost fluid like swishing and sloshing to an inaudible cadence.
"Colonel, I think we've found it.", the lead man speaks aloud while holding a small button on his helmet.
"Roger that. We are sending down the scientist now.", a deep grumbling voice reverberates from atop the man's helmet.
"Roger.", the lead man responds. The men stand entranced staring at the monument for a full minute.
"What is it?", one man calls to the others.
"I have no idea but it looks pretty fragile so don't touch anything 'til the scientist gets here, corporal." the lead man says sternly.
"Yes sir.", the corporal responds quickly.
"So this is the cause of all the magnetic distortions on the surface, huh?", another man inquires observing numbers fluctuate on a thin illuminated device in his hand.
"I guess so. But how?", the man next to him breathes.
"That's not our problem, Jim.", the lead man says slapping his comrade on the back. "We are just here to find the damn thing.", the lead man chuckles. The unmistakable sound of shuffling and a swaying beam of light through the darkened cavern mark the approach of the scientist.
"Another couple hundred feet and a right hand turn and you should see us, professor." the lead man speaks loudly holding the button on his helmet again.
"Thanks, Tasar. I'll be with you in just a moment or two.", the professor's smokey aged voice echoes from the man's helmet.
"Colonel, we're gonna need some lights down here." Tasar radios to the surface.
"Roger. We'll have them down to you as soon as possible, Sergeant.", the colonel's dark voice calls out.
"Roger.", Tasar responds quickly before releasing the button on his helmet once more. The light from scientist's helmet finally reaches the bend in the jagged, glistening rocks. The suited men turn to greet him but the professor makes his way directly to the pyramid structure at the back of the cave, completely ignoring his warm welcome. Through the glass of his helmet, the professor's bright red eyes lock on to the obelisk as his jaw falls open exposing conical, nearly translucent teeth.
"It can't be.", he utters breathlessly. "That's not possible.", he says slightly shaking his head.
"What is it, professor?", the sergeant says staring at the mesmerized man. The professor reaches up to his helmet and unlocks it from his full body contamination suit. An artificial male voice screeches, "Danger! Contamination imminent!", from the professor's helmet.
"Do not remove your helmet, professor.", Sergeant Tasar commands loud enough for for the glass of his helmet to rattle slightly. The professor stops mid motion as gases spray from the broken seal of the contamination suit.
"Corporal, is the air breathable?", Tasar asks.
"I don't detect any toxins, Sarge.", the corporal responds staring at a small black device in his hand. "Though the oxygen content is low, it should be breathable.", he continues. The professor laughs and removes his vinyl and glass helmet revealing a blue skinned face and short, thinning grey ring of hair encircling the back of his head. The rest of the men follow suit revealing two humans among the blue skinned Galgans of Tasar and the professor.
"The air tastes fine, Tasar." the professor says with a quick sarcastic fluttering of his arms and a raspy guttural chuckle. "This is a light gate, gentlemen.", he continues making an about face toward the men.
"A what?", one human man inquires confused.
"A light gate.", the professor says. "It's from an ancient legend that purports that the old empire was not the first galactic civilization.", he continues.
"That's not possible, professor.", Tasar responds.
"My sentiments exactly, sergeant.", the professor says nodding his head. "It is exactly the proportions the legend claims.", he says turning to face the tetrahedron again. "I wonder if it actually works.", he continues setting his helmet down on the gravel covered floor of the cave. The professor moves closer to the object outstretching his gloved hand to touch it. The glowing circular center of the light gate seems to react to his close proximity and begins to ebb and flow with a greenish sheen to the liquid.
"I think it's STILL working, professor.", Tasar breathes with a concerned tone grabbing the professor's shoulder assertively. "I mean, whoever or whatever built this thing never turned it off.", Tasar said pulling the professor back a few inches by his shoulder.
"I think you may be correct, Tasar.", the professor utters mindlessly vacantly staring into the abyssal centerpiece of the monument. "But I must examine it closely to determine if it's actually a light gate or not.", he protests eyes still locked on the monument.
"Well, you know what they say professor. Curiosity killed the skulker and I can't have anyone injured on this mission if I am to be promoted.", Tasar warns. His bright white eyes piercing the confidence of the old man.
"You're right, my boy.", the professor responds finally breaking his gaze on the stone fixture. He looks Tasar directly in the eyes and speaks every syllable slowly and carefully to reassure Tasar that he is paying attention. Then his gaze slowly wanders back to the whirling colors inside the pyramid. "I need my tools and books before I can do further research.", he continued again entranced by the monument before him. The professor slunk down into a sitting position on a large rocky outcrop behind him.
"Colonel, the professor believes it is a 'light gate' from some ancient babblings.", Sergeant Tasar speaks aloud while holding the button on his suit's metal neck ring. Tasar gives a subtle look to his subordinates and walks away from the rest of the men. The human men attentively watch the seemingly crazed old Galgan man while commanding officer talks with the colonel over the radio.
"Have you boys ever seen a pebble go quantum?", the professor asks picking up a small stone from the cave floor. His gaze never swaying from the spinning viscose colors in the monument. At once and without hesitation the old man throws the stone into the dancing colors causing a giant explosion that rips through the cavern. The cave shakes around Tasar before the ceiling above collapses upon him.
"What the hell was that, Tasar?", the colonel's voice cuts through the dusty darkness but no answer is given. "The ground shook up here. Are you alright?", the colonel's musky voice echoes once more through the cavern then nothing but static is recieved over the radio.
© Macabre Entendre