Six of Coins (Part One)

June 20 - Zenobia

"Sometimes learning a fact is enough to make an entire series of corroborating details, previously unrecognized, fall into place." - Jorge Luis Borges, "The Aleph"

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This is a catalogue and preliminary analysis of the contents of the Colchester.

Six data disks, labeled as follows:

Antimatter
Monopoles
S-T Twist Project
Oklo Gabon Alpha
ORCH Quantum Mind
Quantum Mind


While Ardra's sealed files bore the mark of the Guild, these disks resemble an Argentinian centavo from the year 1929. They are each the size of a dinner plate. My first few attempts to open them proved fruitless. I may need to consult with experts.

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The Colchester computer also revealed that my team was not the first to visit the ship. Logs indicate three persons boarded the craft recently. The computer logged unique markers for each of them. Biometrics cross checked with Alliance databases produced three names.

There was, however, no evidence of tampering with the surveyor. Professional work.

Was it a reconnaissance mission or did a preliminary salvage take place?

Were they hired by someone or were they operating independently?

Mercedes Celestalis once offered me the location to the Colchester in exchange for the brain of the cloned Aurora, providing we did not inform Ardra of the exchange. It is possible that she funded the operation.

Why then was Wylder left undisturbed?

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Five books. Laid out in a row next to the cryostasis tube. There would be a reason, whether sentimental or rational.

The Aleph by Jorge Luis Borges
The Zahir by Jorge Luis Borges
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

I will read these books and return them to the Professor once he has been defrosted. Perhaps he would like to discuss literature.

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Two dozen sealed containment boxes.

The labels on the containment cases proved a welcome diversion. I do enjoy cryptography.

+ looks like a T. Call it a T.

( looks like a C. Call it an C.

# follows + and ( so maybe it is H.

The most frequent word ending is !+3.

And so on. A simple substitution cipher.

Bismite, tyuyamunite, uranocircite, colbaltite...

Ceasar was right. No coffee and toilet paper in these containers.

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... and Professor Wylder Aurotharius. The founder of Project Aurotharius.

He is still alive and in cryo-sleep. When he is revived he will be placed in a safe house.

Somewhere safe. Somewhere very safe.