"Latest report from number eight, Commander. Iridium yield is now barely a quarter of what it should be."
"That's worse than before. I take it they're still..." Selena paused, a look of distaste spreading across her features. "...hearing voices." She cringed at having to say it.
"I'm afraid so."
"Well, I guess it's true what they say - when you have a problem that can't be killed, call a Zoner. Check when the solar flares are going to next going to let us get a transmission out of Delta. I'm going to contact Prix."
"But..." Prospero trailed off.
"But what?"
"Why not just abandon the site? It doesn't seem to be worth it."
"Don't tell me the ghostly voices are getting to you too, Prospero. You know that that site contains the richest Iridium deposits surveyed on the whole planet so far. Those ruins could be extremely valuable to the right people, once broken down and packed into the back of a Correo." Selena sighed and leaned back in her seat. "And who's to say we won't run into the same problems at a new dig? We're unwanted guests out here. Delta isn't human space. Nauru isn't a human planet."
"Neither was Crete, once upon a time. I've never heard of anything like this happening back home."
"Crete is a dead world - to the aliens, at least. No trace of them but the trinkets they left behind. Nauru is different. That place is still alive."
"Still seems like we'd have an easier time focusing on other locations if you ask me."
"Maybe. We can't afford to be too productive at the moment with the equipment shortage. There's already a huge backlog of unprocessed ore." Selena grinned. "Besides, where's your sense of adventure?"
I can only assume that the Zoners of Freeport 11 are not feeling particularly amenable at the moment. Unfortunate, but not unexpected.
I have another request to make of you. Shortly before this 'crisis' broke out in the Omicrons, one of our mining teams on Nauru was having a little crisis of its own at one of the newer mines. Unexplained equipment failures and reports of disembodied voices led to some of the more weak-headed miners declaring the site haunted. Iridium production practically ground to a halt.
To cut a long story short, the apparent cause was eventually discovered when a tunneler broke through into an underground cavern. First impressions indicate the presence of an extensive system of alien ruins. We have the resources but lack the expertise to properly excavate the site. Our suspicions are that an alien artifact is somehow playing havoc with our operations, but they are just that - suspicious. This is where you come in.
In the not too distant past, it would not have been too difficult to contract some Zoner researchers to investigate. These days it is not so simple to find strangers that can be trusted. The last thing anybody wants is the Order breathing down their necks, telling them what they can and cannot sell to wealthy Manhattanites, si?
If you know of any xenoarcheologists of good character with the capability of evaluating the site and helping us get to the source of our problems, please do not hesitate to recommend them. I know you Zoners are a diverse bunch, and can only hope that you know some people along these lines.
Naturally, there will be generous financial compensation for your time and that of any xenoarcheologists you turn up.
![[Image: kingfisher2.png]](http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/7609/kingfisher2.png)