Lokians 1: Beyond the End of the World Read Online Free PDF

Phoenix . If there was a way to do so safely, it was Swain’s
and Levine’s job to figure it out. I mean, no way it’s alien
tech, right? He fell asleep shortly after.
    O’Hara awoke to some sort of ruckus.
Nicholson wasn’t able to contain himself. He and Chadwick, the two
chemists, had found something, and the goofy man was in a knot.
Mickelson was laughing, but was equally distraught.
    “ Captain,” they exclaimed in unison.
“We have results, Captain.”
    O’Hara rubbed his eyes. He had to pee.
    “ What do we have?” he
grumbled.
    Nicholson hopped in place, saying, “We have
Element-115.”
    He said it like it meant something. “What is
Element-115,” O’Hara asked.
    “ Element-115 is the most stable element
in the universe. We’ve tried extensively to create it synthetically
since before we traveled from Earth and formed the colonies,”
Nicholson explained.
    “ Why create it,” O’Hara probed
further.
    “ It doesn’t occur naturally on Earth,
or the Sol system for that matter, and we’ve never found any
deposits. Whatever this beacon thing is...well...what it isn’t, is
anything Human,” Nicholson choked.
    Holy crap. Swain was right then. Some other
race came and left a beacon?
    “ Let’s not make conjectures yet, let’s
see what the others found and go from there,” O’Hara said while
attempting to maintain his composure.
    He went off to do his business. By the time
he returned, the entire camp was in an uproar. Apparently, feeling
that a celebration was in order, Martinez produced the alcohol he
had smuggled in his pack. The captain wanted to stop the party, but
decided to let it go. He just wished his man had had better
judgment.
    “ Holy friggin’ crap! We came, we saw,
we conquered! Fuckin’ Swain was right, man! We got genew-ine alien
tech... Sir,” Martinez realized where he was and in whose company,
quickly snapping to attention.
    His Puerto Rican heritage had caused him to
have a full blown beard by then. O’Hara returned the salute and
looked at Swain, who was also well on his way to having a
beard.
    “ Swain, what exactly do we know,”
O’Hara demanded.
    “ Well, Sir,” Swain began. “What we have
is in fact a beacon. I was able to open it and disrupt its magnetic
output. We’ve been waiting for your permission to begin testing
internal components in order to learn what kind of signal it can
broadcast. Also, if we can utilize our gear in the presence of the
beacon then we should be able to get it aboard the Phoenix, and then get it to Presh for real tests.”
    “ So, why is Martinez celebrating if we
haven’t found anything yet,” O’Hara grumbled.
    “ Nandesrikahl noticed some markings on
the inside of the beacon, and he doesn’t recognize the language.
Also, Nicholson’s findings prove it. There is no Element-115
anywhere we’ve ever been. Someone else made this, and put it here,
and what appears to be a long time ago,” Swain
responded.
    Nicholson interjected, “The soil samples
begin showing ionization about four thousand years ago. This beacon
has been here a long time, Sir.”
    “ Acknowledged,” O’Hara whispered. The
immensity of the findings seemed unreal. “Run all the tests you can
from here. Once it’s determined that this thing is safe, we’ll pack
up and get back to the Phoenix .”
    Tests resumed immediately. Swain and Levine
dismantled the beacon while Royce took pictures as each piece was
removed in order to reassemble it later. Royce was barely an adult
with the mind of an ancient and well learned mathematician. He
pulled the camera from one of the many pockets on his khaki vest
and fired away.
    Everything was wrapped up by 13:00 hours, and
the crew was ready to break down camp, and hike back to the ship.
An overflowing sense of accomplishment had washed over them. Swain
was possibly gushing more than anyone else. He had been right after
all, sort of, about his aliens theory.
    They all arrived at the Phoenix in no
time. Before