Part : 1The Beginning

A slender man walks into a large office and sits before a large desk. He slowly removes his glasses and hat and sets them down in front of him. He leans back in his chair and closes his eyes in an attempt to relax. But the memories flood into his mind. As he sits, he tries to forget these things that haunt him so. But to no avail, and a deep brooding horror overcomes his very waking state and his hands begin to shake uncontrollably. He begins to recall the nature of this darkness and the world seems to dim and then fades to black.


Several months ago...

The vessel (\^/)Thanatos was undergoing some minor modifications to its jump drive system in the Omicron Zeta star system. During a preliminary test, a massive power surge caused the jump system to activate and jump the vessel into an unknown region of space. The vessel was under the command of Captain Necroth Shade. As he began to asses the situation with his officers, it was apparent the situation was a grim one indeed. Initial scans indicated that they were several months away from any inhabited system in Sirius via conventional drive systems. Communications and also the jump dive systems were damaged in the power surge. The only thing left operational in the communications array were the low-band systems. Any messages sent would still take weeks to be received.

Captain Shade set course back to inhabited space by conventional means, while work crews began working on the communications systems. The captain an engineer by trade, worked diligently night and day with his esteemed colleague Doctor Esquinton Quail on the jump system. Doctor Quail's background included several area's of expertise that qualified him to act as chief science officer aboard the Thanatos. Several weeks had passed in the cold darkness en route to their destination when a great discovery halted the journey home.

Long range sensors detected a large and dark object moving through space and the Captain ordered an investigation. The object was a rouge planet hurtling through the void and great speed. The planet was massive in size, and had several key features not to be expected by a planet void of a star system. The planet had both flora and fauna on its surface. Most of these life forms were basic in nature but several more complex species did exist near its equator as this was the warmest area on the surface. The planet also had active volcanism, which indicated an active system of tectonic plates. A full atmosphere existed as well, and it did not different to greatly from "Earth" norm. The planet had a strong electromagnetic field, and the initial accounts indicated the rouge planet could possibly support human life. Due to the crisis at hand, Captain Shade ordered only low orbit scans of the surface. Getting the Thanatos repaired was the top priority at hand. The scans continued periodically during this time but most of the crew were busy working on the ship to pay close attention to the planet below.

Two weeks passed...

The Thanatos was ready and Captain Shade thanks his crew for their hard work promising free drinks at Phoenix Spaceport upon their return home. The captain gave the order and the jump drive powered up...Several moments later the vessel appeared in the Omicron Zeta star system. The efforts of the people had payed off and joy filled all of the crew accept for one. Doctor Quail had seemed distant during the time before the jump, and even while working with the Captain a dear friend he had seem to be drifting away. He had ordered that all planetary scans to be sent directly to his personal quarters for examination. This was not odd for the Chief Science Officer but his attitude had seemed to change after every day of being in orbit of the rouge planet.

Captain Shade had become concerned about these changes on several occasions and tried to provide support to his friend. But this growing aloof nature seemed to be pushing the good doctor further and further away. Captain Shade figured it was simply due to the stress of the situation and thought things would be much better once they had returned to inhabited space. Once the Thanatos was back in Omicron Zeta the good doctor seemed to be returning to normal and the Captains apprehensions faded away at the same time as his friends distant nature. Things began to return to normal and several more months passed. Life seemed to be returned to normal, well as normal as Sirius can be.

Doctor Quail could not forget this rouge planet, and he began to study the scans on daily basis. He conferred with several associates about the planet and began to plan a full survey mission. This had become a secret obsession that he dared not share with anyone. He began to have dreams of walking the landscape on this dark world. He felt safe in these dreams, he felt as if he was meant to be here. The dreams seemed to grow every night until at length they seemed to be happening even in his waking state as well. Day by day he fantasized about walking upon the surface of the planet and worked diligently on a way to return to the planet so his secret obsession could be fulfilled. He took his completed plan for a "survey" mission before Captain Shade, this would be the best way for him to gain access to the planet. The plan consisted of three survey teams launched from the Thanatos, these teams would be established on the planet using several survey vessels. It was to be a long term stay and Doctor Quail insisted to Captain Shade that he be the one to lead the survey personally. As his general attitude seemed much more stable, Captain Shade agreed that this mission could be a valuable asset both for planetary research but also the potential for the world for the Phoenix could not be denied. And the good doctors background could be of great usefulness to the mission, Captain Shade granted Doctor Quail permission to hand pick the survey teams and make his preparations.

After a week everything for the mission was a go. Doctor Quail had mapped a possible trajectory for the rouge planet based on the data they had collected while in orbit. With this information the jump drive was powered up and Thanatos jumped back into the darkness. When the Thanatos came back into normal space it seemed the calculations were perfect. The rouge planet was only 50 km from the jump point, Captain Shade congratulated Doctor Quail on his calculations. This was an almost unheard of event, even after this time the chances of finding it this easily seemed almost impossible. Captain Shade could not believe the luck of the matter but Doctor Quail seemed to have a strange little smile and exuded a confidence that seemed abnormal in the eyes of the Captain. Even with this, the mission was given the green light and Doctor quail and his research teams departed to the looming planet below. The Thanatos would then return after a three month period of time to extract the teams and bring them back to inhabited space. Each survey craft had been equipped with a back up communications array in the event of the emergency, and would transmit in real time an accurate jump point for the Thanatos if it were needed. The teams made planet fall with out issues and Captain Shade wished the researches the best of luck. With everything in place, Captain Shade ordered the jump back to inhabited space.

Current time...

Three months have passed and Captain Shade is eager to reunite with his dear friend Doctor Quail, and to examine the findings of the research teams. The Thanatos receives the automated rendezvous message from survey craft #1 providing the up to date jump coordinates for the rouge planet. Captain Shade orders the jump and the Thanatos jumps back into orbit of the rouge planet.

Captain Shade opens the communications channels to the world below. After several minutes of silence a message is finally received.

Dr, Quail in a shaky voice "Captain Shade, so good of you to join us. It has been far to long my friend" Captain Shade "Esquinton, my friend! How has your mission been going? Dr. Quail again in a shaky voice "Well, things here have been rather complicated...it would seem...There have been problems you see. For We are the only one left" Captain Shade "What the hell are you talking about? Where are your teams doctor? What happened down there? Why didn't you contact us? Dr. Quail "Well you see, after they all started to well...<a moment of silence> disappear We disabled the communications systems of the other two research craft. Their "efforts" it would seem only inhibited my Our research and all they wanted to do was to look for the others...We could not waste Our time on such pointless affairs...as they never were able to find anyone. After a week of being here We were the only one left so We didn't bother to look for them...for they will never be found you see?" Captain Shade "Doctor, you need to come back to the Thanatos now! I order you to report to me directly a.s.a.p.!" Dr. Quail his voice now echos with irritation "Our work is not done here Necroth! We will only leave once it is done and not a moment before!" The transmission terminates, and rage overcomes Captain Shade. "Mr. Cross get your security team down to the planet now! Get Doctor Quail aboard and start looking for our people immediately!" Mr Cross gathers his security team and makes planet fall onto the dark world. After an hour, survey craft #1 docks on the Thanatos with Doctor Quail aboard. He is bound at the wrists and Mr. Cross and the security detail report that the other two survey craft cannot be located. After several hours of searching Captain Shade orders the Thanatos to return to inhabited space, so that a rescue plan can be worked on with other Phoenix vessels.

A well built man walks into the office with two armed guards, each of whom take a place at either side of the doorway. The slender man looks over and grins in a most foul kind of way. The well built man walks and sits behind the desk as the slender man's eyes follow the movement evilly. The slender man rasps out the words in a hideous fashion "Captain Shade..." and he begins to laugh

Part 2: Nightmares from Beyond the Realms of Sleep and Time

Doctor Quail sits in his chair staring blankly at Captain Shade as he looks over a data pad and then shuffles several files around on his desk. Captain Shade finally looks up and begins to speak somewhat softly to his once dear friend. "Doctor Quail, can you please explain to me in great details the events that took place on the rouge planet?" He responds in a raspy voice "Why so formal Necroth? Doctor Quail sounds so unlike you. Where should we begin then? Do you really want to know? Are you ready to know? Captain Shade takes a moment "Yes Esquintion, I do want to know what happened down there, I need to know about the researchers. I'm ready to listen to what ever you have to say my old friend. Please, tell me what happened. I will not interrupt you so that I may hear everything you have to say about what happened". Doctor Quail shifts in his chair slightly and the armed guards react swiftly and raise their rifles. Captain Shade gestures with his hand to the guards and they lower their weapons slowly. Doctor Quail finally responds after short pause. "Ask and you shall receive, but I warn you now that you will not like what I have to say, nor will you understand. But I will start with our landing..."


"We landed on the surface without issue, and landed in the designated drop zones per the perimeters of the mission. We ran several tests on the ambient atmosphere in the drop zone. After some deliberation it was decided amongst us that we would wear our survival suites, as there were several trace elements in the atmosphere that given long enough exposure could create significant health problems. We set up the primary base camp in the drop zone per the mission guidelines I had outlined. Teams 2 and 3 were sent to the secondary and tertiary camp locations as well. It took only a few hours to get the atmosphere processors up and running and the camps were in full operation 6 hours after landing. Water reclamation and purification stations were established and the food storage modules were in place. In our initial approach to the surface it became apparent that there was a complex system of rivers across the surface of the planet. There were no visible oceans but our geological expert, Dr. Smith speculated there could be large sources of water underground that were fed by these river systems.

The flora encountered in our initial surveys, were quite similar in nature to the Pteridophyta of planet Earth. The size of these fern type planets ranged from only a few millimeters to 30 meters in height. Rainfall was a common occurrence, and with the ambient heat and humidity the equatorial region was a veritable rain forest. These plants did not undergo photosynthesis as would be expected, but after some research had a special type of cell that provided energy via a thermal reaction similar to several species of bacterium living in thermal vents on ocean floors. The majority of the plants yielded bioluminescent propitiates, in a range of huge and intensity providing a level of ambient light so the use of our primary lighting equipment was not needed.

As for the encountered fauna, the most complex species encountered were of insect and arachnid type. Though there was several key differences from the fore mentioned species. They had adapted completely to the low light levels of the planets surface. Each species of insect/arachnid had a highly adapted set of antenna. This provided complex sensory gathering for each species and provided the means for food locating and threat identification. Most species encountered seemed docile to our encroachment, but there were a few that did seem aggressive. In most instances we were able to avoid any problems as the goal was to leave things as untouched as we could. As for mammalian, reptilian and avian species no trace was yet found. It is possible that these types of species had yet to evolve on the planet or were located in geographically isolated regions of the planets surface.

This information had been gathered by the survey teams in the first few days of the survey. Everything seemed on track, and we had gathered a plethora of data in the general areas around each campsite. It was decided that team 2 would investigate the area further to the north of their campsite as there was a complex river delta there. Team 3 would investigate the forest between the three camps, and would try to identify and categorize as many species as possible. They were to collect data on the interaction of these different insect/arachnid species and try to establish a basic food chain of the area.

Our entry scans had indicated that there were many geological areas of possible significance. My team was heading to the closest site a cave opening 2.3 Km NW from base camp. We entered the area on foot and brought basic survival items including high powered portable lights, climbing rigs/rope and grav-ascenders/decenders. The climbing rigs and rope were to act as a back up in an emergency situation. The grav system would allow us to move both people and equipment in great haste through the cave. The mouth of the cave was 6 meters in diameter and was shrouded in native species of differing flora. Our scanning systems showed that the cave itself was a rather large and complex network of tunnels and chambers. The range of the scanners limited the mapping process and could not show the entirety of the cave system.

The entry was without incident, and we worked the grav systems safely through this portion of the caves. We located the first chamber of the network and established a small base camp to act as a hub for our expiration as several tunnels branched into different directions. The caves dripped constantly and harbored several species of fungus and moss that did not have the luminescent qualities thus encountered in other flora species. The high powered lights were deployed and provided an acceptable and safe level of lighting for our work. This light however did have a negative effect on the local species and caused great and irreparable damage. It would seem as these species had evolved in near total darkness, the increased light levels damaged them at a cellular level. With this set location established the research team would be split into three groups of two. Each team would explore a separate cave and report the findings and mapping information back to the base location on a daily basis.

The first few days were completely without incident, and everything of this time was diligently and accurately recorded by each researcher. If was on the fifth day, that our complacency was shattered. My research team had been exploring the same cave system, this time using much lower levels of light of similar luminosity to the surface conditions of the planet. This did not have the negative effect as our heavy duty lights had originally had and this allowed us to continue our work uninhibited. When we returned to our primary drop zone base camp we attempted to contact both teams 2 and 3 per our standard protocol. After several attempts there was no answer and so I sent the others to the other base camps to make contact. After an hour or so, the others returned and they all reported that both the other research teams were gone. Both of the other base camps and survey craft were intact but as for each team there was no trace.

The others began to plan a search pattern and attempted to gain my involvement. But I had been poring over data of the cave system and was wholly consumed in the process. I assured them that the others must simply be out furthering their own exploration and that they need not worry. If the other did not check in12 standard hours we would commence a greater search of the area. They agreed that waiting was not out of the question and they took to their racks for a "night" of sleep. Upon waking I found the others in a great panic and they stirred and shuffled about. It would seem the others had returned to the other base camps and found all the basic equipment missing. Apparently the surrey craft had also been damaged and were missing great amounts of their internal structure. This caused them great fear and they demanded I make contact with the Thanatos.

I explained simply some form of more complex fauna must have done some unforeseen damage to the others camps and survey craft. Also, I explained that there was no need for concern. I told them I would make contact with the Thanatos while they commenced the search for the others. They formed into their search party, departed base camp and walked to the previous location of base camp 2. After several hours I returned to the cave network and began to further my exploration. As for the other researchers, I was to never see them again. This however did not inhibit my own work as their overwhelming need to find their missing colleagues was not something that I shared.

In the cave network I had been following a tunnel that had a slight declination and lead in an easterly direction. The automated mapping system was only capable of providing accurate scans of approximately 65 meters at a given time. Normally it provided much greater ranges, but the nature of the native stone of the cave network diminished it range and provided false information. My work was slow and steady in this portion of the network as the amount of water flowing had created very traitorous conditions. I did not use the grav-ascender as the general height and width of this tunnel section was far to narrow. I carried basic provisions in my back pack and proceeded deeper. The tunnel itself did not change course greatly, and after any major deviation it seemed to correct itself back into an eastern direction.

After hours of walking I came to a second chamber in the cave. Its size was much greater then the previous one holding our equipment. My depth at this point was approximately 100 meters, due to limited scanning this cannot be verified but is based on the slight angle and the total distance traveled. I encountered very little flora in this chamber and fauna seemed totally void. There was another tunnel branching from this chamber that followed the same easterly direction as before. I decided I would bring more supplies to this chamber and would use it as another staging point in my explorations. After three days chamber 2 has been loaded with a two week supply of food and water. I would also take care of my personal needs here as well. Sleep during this time was limited as my overall excitement seemed to grow hour by hour in these depths and in the darkness.

As I proceeded in my new exploration down the new length of tunnel, the general angle of declination grew sharply. I was forced to anchor the rope to aid in my progress as the slippery surfaces make it near impossible to safely descend. The 150 meter rope was wholly deployed and did not reach the bottom of decline. I was forced to slide down the remaining 5 meters as the tunnel leveled out at this depth. At this point the tunnel seemed to open up and merge into another chamber. Several other tunnels converged in this location. I had progress had been in a much smaller tunnel it would seem from those at this hub. All of the others measured at least 50 meters in circumference, while the tunnel I had emerged from was a mere 10 meters in circumference. It had deposited me into a shallow a pool of water and I made my way to the slightly elevated floor of this gaping chamber.

This general area was much dryer then the previous areas encountered thus far. There was the sound of moving water, it echoed off the chamber walls constantly. I proceeded forward, following this new chamber as it continued in its growth. It also had a slight decline, but with this dryer surface I was able to transverse this distance in a much more rapid pace. I followed it for some time perhaps an hour. More tunnels merged in periodically, and they seemed to be at almost regular intervals. Time seemed to be meaningless during my progress. I would take short rests from time to time to keep my strength up. This chamber finally merged into an even more massive chamber. Its size was immense. The scanner could not provide any accurate reading so I turned up the power on the lighting equipment. This cavern was so large that even on full power my lights could not show any full surface of the carven. I threw a small stone down into the gapping darkness below and after three or four seconds heard a splash. Our initial speculation of underground water sources seemed to be verified by this. On the right hand side of the opening here, it seemed there was several landings leading downward into the cavern. It was rather odd as each landing had an almost 90 degree edge following its rather smooth surface. .

Each landing was approximately 10x10 meters and each descending landing was approximately 3.5 meters below the last. It was apparent that these landings were not natural formations, as the regular shape and regularity of each indicated intelligent architectural design. I followed these massive steps down deeper and deeper into the cavern. It took some time to work my way down them as several hundred lead to the floor of the cavern below. As for the scale of walls and ceiling I cannot tell as the dimensions of the chamber but it was obviously massive. When reaching the final landing I stood at a causeway. Each measured 30 meters in width and each was lined by what looked to be deep recess filled with moving water. Massive structures lined the causeway separated by the channels of water. Each looming monolithic structure resembled a tower in general shape but they all seemed to be wider at the top and tapered off as they drew closer to the pools of water that surrounded them. The towers were made from some sort of black stone, the stones were of irregular shape but all were highly polished and had a mirror like surface.

I could see that these structures lining both sides of the causeway as far as my lighting equipment could allow. The mapping device showed the general outline of each in an area of around 100 meters from my position. But it could not however map anything inside of the structures. Each of these towers had no obvious means of entry as there were neither windows, nor doors as far as I could see. Each rose several hundred meters from the water surfaces and could have descended far deeper into the blackening abyss. I followed the central causeway for an hour and these structures continued to line my path of travel. Each looked identical to the last and came in regular sets.

Finally as I walked, I could see a building in the distance and it differed in every way from the monolithic nature of the other structures encountered. It was roughly the shape of a pyramid from what my lighting could show. It seemed to have landings leading up the front similar to those I used to enter the chamber. As I drew near, I could see strange symbols etched into the reflective black stone. They seemed to be in bands, ascending to the top of the structure. I climbed the landings and drew to the top of the building. It had a large flat landing at its top rather then the typical point of a pyramid. As I reached the top and I must have fainted from the riggers of my exploration. For what happened next is without reason and must have been some frantic dream state or half waking nightmare.

I this state of delirium, I approached some edifice hewn in the stone of pillar at the center of the pyramids flattened surface. The edifice held some sort of device made from some dark metallic material. Its surfaces were incredibly smooth, and a strange green light emanated from the device from no obvious source. As I touched the device it was slightly warm to the touch and it seemed to be fixed to its pillar through some unknown means. Once my hand drew away from it, waves of images flooded through my mind as if some half forgotten memory had come into my mind.

I could half remember a time that that the chamber was still occupied. I could see shadowy figures moving about the dank and sunken city. I could not directly see what the figures where, but I had a great loathing of what the figures represented. A stream of them seemed to shamble their way down the causeway towards the pyramid. Each figure moved its way to the top and stood before the device held in the edifice. Each would touch the device in a ritualistic fashion; the emanated green light would pulse and throb like the beating of some malevolent heart and the figure would vanish. Thousands of these occurrences happened one at a time until all of the denizens of the dank city had vanished.

I do not know how long the delirium or hallucination lasted. I awoke on the top of the pyramid and decided that returning to camp was going to be my best course of action. I gathered my materials and proceeded carefully the way I had come. I had collected a vast amount of data about the caverns below, and needed to plan my next course of action. After hours I finally reached the surfaces again and worked my way to the base camp. I had spent days pouring over the data…when I received your message…”

“You must understand Necroth, I need to finish my work…this is my task and mine alone. None of you could possibly understand” Necroth had sat listening in great detail to the account and had been over viewing Dr. Quail’s personal logs and data reports about the planet. A look of concern comes over his face and he responds softly “Esquintion, this data you refer to as proof of your experiences… it does not exist you do realize that don’t you? I see your personal logs and they seem to reflect your story but the data of these caverns is not in the data core of your sensor systems. Until I have some way of corroborating your account…you will have to be held in a safe location. Guards, take this man to the brig” Necroth motions to the guards Dr. Quail stairs blankly at Necroth and he mutters “I knew you couldn’t possibly understand…”

“Esquintion, I will look into these matters myself. I hope we can help you my friend” The guard’s escort Dr. Quail from the room as Necroth sits behind his desk. He accesses the personal logs of his friend and starts his personal investigation.