The Tower

Posted on Wed Dec 8th, 2021 @ 9:47am by Captain Bethsabée Leroux & Major Samuel King & Lieutenant Samantha Leyton & Commander William Gerhard & Ensign Elegy Nascimento

Mission: Mission 5 - Babel
Location: Unknown Babel World
Timeline: 270 17:00
2918 words - 5.8 OF Standard Post Measure

Beth whistled as they approached the tower finally and she put down her pack that she had carried to bring supplies to the defensible location. The outer of the entire building looked to be made of metal but the hand scanners could not confirm it as that as Beth scanned what was in front of her. It looked gorgeous in what had to be the late afternoon part of the day. The sunlight reflection on the building was wonderful and made her choice of sunglasses easier.

“This building is designed and erected with such a nice design and at such a unique location that you can actually get a view of it from kilometres away,” Beth murmured to the men that had come along to look over the new location that would be base camp for them.

William looked up at the tower beside the captain as he wiped the sweat off his brow with his hand. The hike to the tower had been uneventful, and the tower had only grown in size the closer they got. The structure was truly immense as he stared up and whistled, "This looks to be the same height as the Burj Khalifa back on Earth." William had seen pictures of the large building back on Earth in Dubai. The tower before him shared some of the same general characteristics and appeared to be nearly the same height. He then made his way over to where Major King stood, "Well Major, what do you think about relocating base camp here?"

"Would save us the long walk," Sam admitted. "But I'd like to see what we find first before uprooting and trailin' through the woods with some scientists. They lack 'stamina'." he said nodding in jest to Elegy as he approached from the rear. "

A little out of breath, Ensign Elegy Nascimento trailed a few more paces behind the rest of the away team. He wasn't so out of breath he couldn't snicker at Samuel's jibe. Elegy disagreed enough he shook his head, but he couldn't disagree enough to say any different. In the past couple of months, he hadn't been keeping up with his deck-running regimen, and his body was figuratively complaining about that to him now. With even more delight than Beth, Elegy shrugged his way out of his over-stuffed equipment backpack and tossed it down in the grass. He tilted his head back to drink in the mesmerizing sight of the tower before them. But it only held his gaze for a few moments before a noise, from behind, drew his attention.

“Nice of you to join us, Lieutenant,” Beth called as the crew from the now fixed second shuttlepod landed and Leyton joined the group ready to explore the tower. “What do you think?”

"Bigger up close than from the flight down," Leyton replied, shrugging as she looked up at the tower.

"Gerhard thinks it is similar to Burj Khalife in height. Looks a lot more solid to me." Beth said brightly. She was feeling excitement over investigating something and for the feel of gravity under her feet.

Looking up in wonder again, Elegy studied the tower's mysterious construction materials. Somewhat sardonically, he shared the first thought that came to mind. "In the mythology of tarot cards," Elegy said, "the tower represents disruptive revelation. Perhaps this tower holds knowledge our Human minds aren't prepared to behold?"

William began looking around the base of the tower for an opening. It was hard to imagine the length of time it would've taken someone to build a structure like it. The fact there were no other ruins or buildings they had found on the planet was also curious. He wondered to himself why this structure was the only one left standing. When he heard Elegy mention tarot cards, he looked over at the science officer, "Is that one of the better tarot cards to draw, disruptive revelation?"

Catching William's eyes, Elegy's sapphire eyes reacted to that question as if he were a caged animal. Despite it all, Elegy maintained his sardonic smile. "You weren't supposed to ask that, Lieutenant," Elegy replied in good humour. "None of the tarot cards are good or bad; better or worse. ...The Tower, though, is often depicted as being struck by lightning. 'Disruptive revelation' is what we're out here to discover --strange new worlds-- but the Tower card does come with the potential for disruptive change. ...Perhaps some of the assumptions we've made about the elemental table or physics, are all wrong -- and the answers lay inside?"

"Disruptive change hmm?" The Captain said looking at the tower more closely. Beth turned and glanced at Elegy offering him a small smile at the phrase strange new worlds. It had felt like a very long time since that was a concept that they had followed. It had been about surviving and trying to keep things together. "Well, I guess today is about us getting back to basics and exploring if anyone has any objections I would like to have a look inside."

"I think our whole journey has been this tower then, right?" Samuel asked. "Nothing says disruptive change like being hurtled across the galaxy into the strange and dangerous unknown. Though that being said a little caution is my advice as we head inside."

"Well, we've yet to find a way inside yet...I could go and grab Warrant Officer Walker to toss another overloaded phase pistol to create another door," Samantha grinned and shrugged, recalling the report that detailed how Walker had created a door aboard the Caelistis.

William looked over when he heard the talk of overloading a phase pistol to create an opening. He gave a sharp look to whoever gave that suggestion, "Let's not." He looked back at the structure as he folded his arms across his broad chest and stroked his chin. He gazed up at the structure and thought that it would take a large number of explosives to make a hole in the side of it, that was assuming the blast wouldn't kill them all on the ground. "It would take more than an overloaded phase pistol to punch through that material anyway. I'd venture to guess that with the number of explosives I would need to blast a hole in the side would not only deplete my entire supply but there is no telling what the blast and shockwave would do to the structural integrity of the tower," he said.

"Learn to take a joke, Lieutenant," Samantha grinned, patting the man on the shoulder as she moved around past him to the tower.

Digging around in his backpack, Elegy stifled a chuckle at the exchange. He picked out his very favourite scanning device and strapped it over his shoulder in case they stumbled upon anything surprising. In the meantime, his nose swiftly ended up in his hand-scanner as he pointed the device in the direction of the tower, searching for any openings they couldn't see with their eyes.

William furrowed his brow at her response. He was beginning to think that Lexi may have been right when she said that he was too serious sometimes, but he felt that it was still too soon after the debacle with the alien ship to be talking about what transpired so casually. He chose to grunt in response while everyone else weighed in as well.

“We will not be using any more phase rifles for door creating purposes.” Beth agreed with a winced at the mention of the ship and the events before she and Szerda had been kidnapped. It might have been two months but it was still very much on her mind. “Maybe we should find an entrance and look all the way around first,” Beth suggested as she made a mark on the ground with her boot so they could tell where they started.

"Suggest that we break into two groups until we know what the hell this tower is," Samantha offered.

“Prefer to stay together. Gerhard?” She defaulted to the Armoury Officer looking at him to see if he agreed with what had been suggested. He was the only one other than Sloan and King with the tactical knowledge.

William nodded and looked back at the tower. He then glanced over at the captain, "We break into two groups, Major King and myself can take someone and circle this thing until we find an opening. Then we can see what this beauty holds." He looked back up aT the tower before continuing in a softer tone, "I just hope this thing has a lift, otherwise, we will get a good leg exercise."

”Well we all need some exercise.” Beth commented and nodded.

William followed Elegy as he set after the tower with his scanner like a hound chasing a fox. He let Elegy lead as he followed checking the structure after him. He glanced over at the science officer and asked, "So what material do you think this is made of, some composite metal?" As he said this he reached out with his hand and ran his fingers over the surface. It did appear to have a metallic feel to it.

Smirking at William, Elegy looked up from his scanner to nod at William's assumption. Elegy's eyebrows went high and his sapphire eyes were bright with wonder, when he explained, "The skin of the tower is constructed from a metallopolymer. Strands of metal and plastic weaved together into a composite material." --Drawn back by a beeping on the scanner, Elegy narrowed his eyes on the analysis presented on his screen-- "Anywhere the material is cracked from the natural elements or age, the fibres are drawing carbon from the air to self-repair the damage, without any mechanical or electronic workings."

William stopped to examine the area Elegy was focused on. He ran his hand over the surface, but he couldn't feel the cracks Elegy was referring to. He had heard of experiments with organic compounds to self-repair hull plating at Starfleet R&D, but Elegy's observation was this material was not organic in nature. "So, do you think a puncture of any size would still self-repair," he asked.

Samantha looked at Beth and it wasn't a friendly one before turning to watch Gerhard walk off. She was XO and the captain had deferred instead to Gerhard. It had seemed that ever since the incident with the Caelistis, they had been at odds. Was she now outright ignoring her suggestions? She turned towards Beth. "So, am I on my own or are you joining, captain?" she asked sternly, placing her hands on her hips.

"No one goes off alone so I am afraid Lieutenant you are stuck with me," Beth said offering a small smile.

"Very well, captain," Samantha replied before turning and beginning to walk away in the opposite direction of Gerhard's group. "Let's go then."

They hadn't walked so far away that they couldn't hear Elegy Nascimento shout in delight: "Now, if this isn't a doorway, I'll eat this tower!"

“That did not take long,” Beth said as they all joined Gerhard and his otter and the doorway they had found in the metallic walls.

William looked behind him before motioning for the science officer to follow him, as the group congregated around a subtle depression in the façade. He thought for a moment before pressing his hand within the arched opening and giving a slight push. He could feel a slight movement under his hand, before he turned and looked at the others, "It feels like this might give way if we all force it."

"Nothing ventured," Sam said as he encouraged William to push the path ahead open.

Beth took a deep breath as the door opened under the push and they could step inside if they wanted to. “Let’s go.” Beth raised her hand holding out the flashlight she held as it was so dark inside.

William pulled his own flashlight out of his side pocket and activated it. He also quickly unholstered his phase pistol and checked it was set for stun. He then re-holstered it and looked back at Major King, "Major, why don't you take point. I'll bring up the rear."

"Sounds like a plan, Lieutenant," Samuel said gesturing to some of his men to move up and form an exploratory stance. Sam turned on his the flashlight on the top of his rifle, naturally, it was on stun but it was always his mindset to be prepared for the unexpected.

As the group stepped inside the atmosphere changed from the warm air outside to something a lot warmer instantly. "Wow, it is hot in here," Beth whispered as she started to shine her light around. It was all the same material as the outside and looked to be really simple in design with a large spiral staircase that rolled around the inside of the tower leaving the middle a large empty spot that went all the way to the top where the light was just distinguishable from an opening.

William followed in behind the group and felt the heat from the interior hit him. He looked around at the space inside and thought it appeared much larger than it did outside. He looked at the staircase as he noticed he faint light coming down from above. He looked up and saw what appeared to be a skylight at the very top. He could see that the stairways ended at an apparent platform near the skylight. "It looks like there is a platform at the top," he said.

“What I thought,” Beth said with a small smile as she nodded. “Would be a fantastic view of the planet from a security point of view.”

"Agreed," William replied. He mounted the steps and began making the climb before pausing, "Major King, care to join me in a good climb?"

"Good for the legs, Lieutenant." Sam grinned. "Plenty of steps until we get the top."

Beth stopped as she took the first step up as her eyes caught symbols across from her. She quickly moved from the group to look at it.

Elegy was the first to follow her. The architecture and utility of the tower ranked lower in sense of curiosity than at the possibility of language -- the intent of the tower. He tapped a command in his hand-scanner to begin recording the symbols, but Elegy was intent to study those symbols with his own eyes. He removed his glasses too, and tucked them into a pocket on the breast of his jumpsuit. "Those aren't like any hieroglyphs I've ever seen before," Elegy said, shaking his head. There were equal parts of disappointment and delight in his timbre.

“Me either and hieroglyphs are one of my favourite things,” Beth said looking at them. Her brain was running through what they could be and comparing them to communication techniques she knew but she was coming up blank. “Scan them maybe we can work them out back on the ship or in camp Ensign.” She mused running her hand along a circle symbol that kept repeating several times.

William paused and called down below him, "The symbols continue all the way up it looks like."

“Then let’s then.” Beth looked up at Gerhard above them and put her thumbs up that she understood. “Ensign Nascimento can you keep scanning?” Beth wondered wanting to record as much as possible to try and work it out.

Samantha walked around looking at the strange hieroglyphs. She didn't understand any of it as she traced her fingers across a, particularly interesting symbol.

The spiral staircase kept going up and up until Beth was not sure she could go one more step and then plateaued. Beth breathed a sigh of relief that her leg muscles would stop burning now. They were stood on a landing with an open door of the same material as the rest of the building only lighter and movable.

William had caught his own breath and then stepped aside to let the captain through. The landing was not very big, but the view was astounding. He had to admit this planet was quite remarkable. He nodded to himself as he let the others savor the moment.


Taking up the rear of the group, Samantha couldn't keep her mind off the tower and who could have built it...and why a single tower in the middle of nowhere? It didn't make sense.

Moving out of the landing left the group on the tower's large flat room in the bright sunshine. “So will this be a good place to rest for a little bit?” Beth wondered not even taking in the view as the wind wrapped around her just like she had wanted for months.

William nodded in agreement before looking back over at Major King. "Offers a hell of a view, clear observation all around. What do you think Major," he said. He deferred to Major King since his primary tactical knowledge was ground combat.


Beth did not wait for the Marine to speak up as she declared what she thought about it all. “I think it is perfect.” Beth nodded finally moving away from the group to take in the view. It was not often perfect days happened but stood there looking across the first planet she had seen in nearly nine months. It was perfect.