Legends of Amacia: Mysteries of Tiamat
The Core

A few minutes later, theyarrived in the cafeteria on the golf cart and had some dinner. People slowlyfiltered in and out of the cafeteria while they ate. As they ate, Hannibalexpounded more upon the machines the governments used for weather modification,mind control, and seismic weapons, including the chem-trail geo-engineeringprograms the US and other governments used against the people of the US and theworld. Dan and Jerry walked up to the table as they finished eating and satdown.

“We’vefound something I think you should see, Hannibal,” Dan insisted.

“What isit?” Hannibal asked, finishing his drink.

“Weuncovered another chamber leading to a lower level,” Dan reported. “I think wemight have uncovered the entrance to the power plant for this facility. Youneed to come and see. It’s a level of technology that makes the portal looklike a crystal radio.”

“Allright,” Hannibal replied. “Let’s see what you’ve got. Would like to come alongand see what we have, Harry?”

“Sure,”Harry answered.

“Would youlike to see where we have fun while they check out the new level?” Jerry askedMary and Dennis.

Maryglanced at Harry, who said, “Yeah. That would be a good idea. Why don’t you gowith Jerry, honey?”

“Okay,”Mary replied. “I’m just a bit curious to see how you all have fun and unwind.”Dennis’ eyes lit up with anticipation. “Let me first put these dishes away sothey can be washed,” Mary added, seeing that everyone was done.

“Good…good,”Hannibal chimed. “Do you know the way back to your quarters?”

“Yes; Ithink so,” Mary replied pleasantly as she gathered the dishes. Selina rose andhelped her clean off the table.

“Make surethey get back to their quarters, Jerry. They’re between me and Nathanael in thebarracks,” Hannibal ordered.

“Sure,”Jerry replied as Selina and Mary returned to the table after depositing thedishes in the dirty dish rack. Then to Mary and Dennis, Jerry said, “Let’s gocheck out the game room.”

“I’ll seeyou later, honey,” Mary said to Harry as she and Dennis followed Jerry to anawaiting golf cart. Moments later, Jerry drove them away.

“Okay Dan,”Hannibal said, rising from the table. “Lead the way. You guys might want tocome too. Your expertise may be needed,” he requested of Nathanael and Selina.Everyone followed Dan to an awaiting golf cart and climbed aboard. Dan took thewheel and drove them deep into the bowels of the machine area. Nearly thirtyminutes later, they emerged from a tunnel into an enormous chamber that dwarfedthe portal chamber. Dan stopped the golf cart and they disembarked, gazing withscientific awe and curiosity at the immense chamber before them.

They stoodin the periphery of a dome-shaped space spanning three-quarters of a mile indiameter with the ceiling seven hundred feet high. The walls, floor, andceiling consisted of the same strange metal seen everywhere else in the machinearea. From the center of the chamber rose an impressive edifice of machineryfar beyond the expertise of 21st-century man or that of the KaitianEmpire before the supernova. The machinery rose in a dome nearly four hundredfeet in height, spanning three thousand feet across in the exact center of thechamber. Strange-looking conduits ran along the surface of the dome and dozensof giant crystals protruded from the dome, each crystal being thirty feet longand eight feet in diameter. The dome looked as if it consisted of a fusion ofmetal and crystal. Power surged and crackled across its surface and between thecrystals. The whole chamber emanated enough raw power that it made their hairstand up slightly and nerves tingle. Occasional massive bolts of power wouldsurge from the crystals on the dome to the ceiling and walls where more of thegreat crystals that were laid out in a pattern exactly matching that on thedome. Around the dome, huge crystals protruded from the floor. A marked pathlarge as a two-lane highway led from the entrance of the chamber through thecrystal field around the dome to the dome where what appeared to be an entrancedoor big enough to drive a semi-truck through sat. The whole chamber flashedand pulsed with the discharges between the crystals, dome, walls, and floor.Everyone stared in absolute fascination at the massive edifice.

“My God,”Hannibal breathed. “This is beyond belief. No way did humans make this. Youwere right to bring me here, Dan. Has anyone penetrated the dome?”

“No,” Dananswered. “We did have some injuries though when we first came in here though.We found out the hard way that you’d better not stray off the marked path here.Watch this.” Dan pulled a quarter out of his pocket and lobbed it into the areato his right among the crystals. As soon as it fell between the crystals, atremendous jolt of power surged between the crystals, pulverizing it to powder.

“Whoa!”Harry snorted. “No one better go out there.”

“Over inthere, the forces are lethal. Right here just off of the edge, the power ismuch less, but enough to do some serious injury,” Dan informed as he pulled a telescopingprobe from his pocket. It had an insulated handle that he held as he pulled itout to nearly three feet. “Watch,” he ordered as he probed just off the path.The probe reached almost three feet off the path when a surge of power pulsedout of the nearest crystal, which was almost twenty feet away, and zapped theprobe, electrifying and melting two inches off the end of it as if it were awelding rod. Dan reflexively dropped the probe as the electrical current surgedinto his hand and up his arm, making him stagger back from the power of thesurge. He stood there a minute, shaking his arm and clenching his hand tryingto dissipate the charge.

“Are youall right?” Hannibal asked with concern as everyone gathered around Dan.

“Yeah…I’llbe all right,” Dan answered, kneeling down and retrieving the probe.

“You tookquite a jolt there,” Nathanael observed. “You’re sure that you’re okay?”

“Yes,” Dansaid as he stood, showing Hannibal the probe. “I’ve been hit by worse. It’slike being hit by two-twenty volt AC current. Two of my guys were hit like thatbecause we didn’t know about the power field among the crystals. At that point,we backed off and I took them to Station Seven before coming to get you.”

“What’sStation Seven?” Harry asked as Hannibal continued to examine the end of theprobe.

“It’s theclosest of the healing chambers. It’s five levels up,” Dan informed.

Nathanaeland Selina gazed at the machinery with great curiosity as Hannibal finallyspoke. “The power of these crystals is absolutely mind-boggling. I definitelythink we’ve found the power plant. Come. Let’s take a closer look. Stay insidethe marked area,” Hannibal ordered, leading them toward the dome.

Selinawatched as enormous surges of power flashed over their heads between thecrystals either side of the path. “Could I see the probe?” she asked as theywalked.

Dan handedit to her and she examined it carefully. “Do you have an idea, princess?”Nathanael asked while they walked.

“Yes,”Selina answered. They gave her their full attention. “I think what’s here is agiant…what do you call it, power regulator. Look at the power surging over ourheads. I think this whole chamber is nothing but a control mechanism fordispersing the power to the rest of the Temple. The reason we aren’t vaporizedby the power in here is that this path is shielded magnetically to protect theaccess point here,” she speculated. As she spoke, a tremendous discharge hitnearby, shaking the floor they were standing on. “This path has to be shieldedsomehow. I remember that on Kaitia, we had similar ways of accessing highenergy environments without risking injury,” she added.

“Very gooddeduction, princess,” Nathanael congratulated as they stopped six hundred yardsfrom the dome. “That’s exactly what I suspect we have here. And to prove it,let’s try an experiment. Let me see the probe,” he ordered, taking to probefrom Selina. “If we’re really in a magnetically sealed passage, if I throw thisstraight up, when it emerges from the magnetic shield, the power will vaporizeit.” At that, he threw the probe straight up. It flew up about twenty-five feetand a surge of power between the crystals immediately vaporized it. “I thinkyour theory is proven, princess,” he crowed as the group began moving againtowards the dome.

“Yourknowledge of what your people accomplished with their technology continues tobe an asset here,” Hannibal declared to his Lynxian friends.

“Oh, it’snothing,” Nathanael admitted, “especially when compared with what we’re seeingaround us. This place puts our technology to shame.”

“But yourscientific knowledge has allowed us to comprehend what we’re looking at,” Danstated as they finally reached the dome and the huge door in its face.

“That’s true,”Hannibal agreed. “Who knows how long it would’ve taken us to realize this pathis sealed magnetically to allow access? Now let’s see if we can gain access tothis dome.” He turned toward the door and everyone gathered around to examineit. The door was wide as the marked path and twenty feet high, covered with thesame strange writing found in the Library books.

Nathanaellooked closely at the door and rubbed his chin. “You know, I think this is thesame metal that the books are made of,” he reported. “This is truly unusual.This is the first time I’ve encountered it this deep in the machinery. Theother places we found it were out in the periphery.”

Hannibalexamined the glyphs on the door closely. “This is the Stone Language,” heannounced. “It’s the same as is in the books.”

While hewas speaking, Harry glanced casually at the right-hand side of the door and sawwhat appeared to be some form of control console. He looked at it closer andSelina noticed that something had captured his attention, so she went to seewhat it was.

“Hannibal,”Harry called out while he examined at the console, which was roughly two feetby three feet.

“What haveyou got there?” Selina asked.

“I think itmay be the way into this thing,” Harry answered. Then he called out moreforcefully, “Hannibal! There’s something here.” Hannibal did not hear himbecause he was in the middle of doing a rough translation of the glyphs on thedoor. “Hey!” Harry shouted. “Get your ass over here, Hannibal!”

Selinagrinned as Hannibal finally looked at Harry. “What do you want?” Hannibalasked.

“I thinkI’ve found the way to get in, but I’m not sure,” Harry informed, stepping asideto let Hannibal get a closer look at the console. Dan and Nathanael continuedto study the door itself.

Hannibaltook one look at the console and said, “Nice going, Harry.” Then he called toDan and Nathanael, “Hey guys; come take a look at this.” They walked over,seeing the console.

“Ahhh, acontrol panel,” Nathanael breathed as Hannibal examined the glyphs on thebuttons.

“It lookslike the same writing that’s on the portal console,” Hannibal murmured,following his finger across the panel and the various glyphs. “Mmmm…this shouldopen the door,” he said calmly, pressing a series of buttons. A bang echoed throughthe chamber, and then a rumble. Everyone stood on guard, ready to flee ifnecessary. The door split in the middle vertically and the two halves of thedoor rumbled open to each side. Hannibal stared intently through the doorwithout going through. Everyone stood behind him. Inside the doors, a longpassage with all manner of conduits running along the walls stretched into thebowels of the machine.

“What’reyou waiting for?” Harry asked.

Hannibalgazed intensely at the passageway, feeling ill at ease. “This is too easy,” hestated. At that he reached into his pocket and pulled out a quarter and tossedit into the passage. It clanged on the floor. “Wait here,” he ordered as hecautiously entered the passage. He walked carefully to the quarter and pickedit up, looking around warily. Suddenly he heard a noise above him and heinstinctively looked up in time to see a glowing crystal in a turret pointingdirectly at him. He bolted for the door as a beam surged from the crystal,burning a hole in the floor where he’d been standing. It shot several moretimes while he dove through the door. One beam connected with his arm, grazinghim. He clenched his arm in pain as he got up.

“Are youall right?” Selina asked with concern as everyone gathered around.

“Should’veknown there would be a security system,” Hannibal growled as he went back tothe control panel. Selina stopped him and looked him in the eye. “I’m allright,” he assured her. “It just grazed me.” Satisfied with his answer, shestepped aside so he could look at the console. This time, he noticed a small,insignificant spot pulsing. Hannibal eyed it carefully and rubbed his face ashe considered the console. Everyone stood silently as he pondered what to do.The only thing heard was the discharges from the crystals. He suddenly slappedhis forehead as he realized what he needed to do. “How did I miss that? There,that should do it,” he said as he pressed a couple of more sequences on theconsole. Going back to the center of the door, he pulled the quarter out againand tossed it into the passage again.

“You’resure this time?” Harry asked.

“Yeah…Ithink so,” Hannibal answered, cautiously entering the passage. He immediatelylooked up at the remote sentry and noticed that the crystal in the turret wasno longer glowing. He looked down the passage and saw several more turrets withtheir crystals dark as well. Boldly walking to the quarter, Hannibal picked itup. “Come on, it’s all right,” he called out. “The sentries are deactivated.”They all started into the passage cautiously, looking around. When they saw theturret not respond to their presence, they began to examine the structure asHannibal led them down the passage.

“This isincredible!” Harry said in amazement as they walked.

Hannibalstayed in the lead, ever watchful for more security devices and booby traps.“It seems they didn’t put much security here. Maybe they thought because of itslocation that it wasn’t necessary,” Hannibal mused. They walked five hundredyards and the passage opened into a chamber fifty foot square by twenty feethigh. There appeared to be no exit other than the way they came in. The wallopposite of the entrance appeared to be made of a transparent material backedby another wall. As they came in, a door sealed the chamber before they couldturn around and the room began to feel like an elevator going down.

“I hate itwhen it does that!” Dan said with some irritation.

“We’re inanother elevator,” Hannibal said as he probed the periphery of the room. Suddenly,the opaque backing of the wall opposite of the entrance disappeared, openinginto a great chasm lined with machinery and crystals. Everyone went to thestrange window and looked out into the void.

“Holy God!”Dan exclaimed as he looked out the window. Before them loomed a tremendousshaft that they were descending. The shaft spanned at least a thousand yardswide with the bottom shrouded in darkness. The walls of the shaft were linedwith the same mix of machinery and crystal that the dome consisted of. Immensebolts of energy raced up the shaft, arcing from side to side as they moved.

Aftergetting over the shock of what he saw, Nathanael said, “This is incredible.This technology is far beyond even what we had and we had tamed a black holefor our own purposes. The vastness of the power being generated here is beyondcomprehension.” Harry stood there in silent stupefaction at the vastness ofwhat he was seeing. Dan gazed silently into the abyss they were plunging.

“Looks likewe’re going to see the power plant, isn’t it?” Selina said after getting overthe shock of the sight.

“Looks likeit,” Hannibal agreed. The elevator sank for forty minutes, taking them downalmost three miles below the dome. As they approached the bottom, the darknessof the shaft slowly dissipated, revealing a colossal spire made of a fusion ofmetal and crystal four thousand feet tall sitting in a lake of molten lava. Thespire connected to the sides of the shaft with several bridges that allowedaccess to it. Giant power discharges shot from the spire to the walls of theshaft. The elevator dropped past the spire and came to a rest some two hundredfeet above the magma lake, just at the level where the spire connected to itsbase, which covered a third of the lake.

Nathanaelgazed in awe and fascination at the spire. “The spire is made of that metal thebooks are made of,” he declared upon recognizing the metal.

“Are yousure?” Hannibal asked as they scrutinized the spire.

“Absolutely,”Nathanael answered. “I’ve studied the material enough now to recognize it.” Ashe answered, the left wall opened, revealing another passage. Hannibal checkedfor turrets and sensors. Upon replaceing none, he led them down the passage thatstretched for fifty yards and turned right, terminating in a domed chamberconsisting entirely of the strange metal the books were made of. The chamberstretched a hundred feet across by seventy feet high. The far side of the domewas transparent, showing the magma lake and the spire. In the center of the roomstood a tremendous control panel that was itself a dome seventeen feet high andtwenty feet across. Strange buttons, displays, and switches covered it. Glyphslabeled everything and above the console floated a hologram of the spire andthe lake. The hologram revealed a complex of machinery and conduits inside thespire that channeled the energy being generated. In the center of the spire,down in the very base almost in the magma, the hologram showed the core of thegenerator. The core spanned two-thirds the diameter of the spire with eightrings that rotated independently around it. In the very center of the spinningrings sat a device that consisted of a strange fusion of the metal and crystalnearly thirty feet in diameter. It rotated fluidly on three axes, shining witha blinding radiance that reached out to the rings, which reached a goodsixty-foot radius from the center crystal. Everyone gathered around the consoleand observed the hologram of the spire and the core. They watched intently asthe core generated power on a scale unseen or heard of in the history of man.Hannibal looked at Harry with a growing smile on his face.

“This isit. We’ve found the core of the Temple!” Hannibal exclaimed in triumph. “Beforeus is a source of power that is far beyond anything modern man has everconceived or dreamed of.” As he spoke, the hologram showed a tremendous pulseof power emerging from the core and racing up the spire. Giant bolts of rawpower erupted from the spire, striking the walls of the shaft, racing up atunimaginable speed. Hannibal, Nathanael, and Selina began to examine theconsole with some care. Strange-looking displays and gauges were scattered overit. “I think we had better not mess with the controls here,” Hannibal saidafter considering the console for a few moments. “This machine has generatedpower for God knows how long and not failed. I fear that if we go monkeyingwith the controls, we may unleash something no one can control.”

“I believethat’s the proper thing to do here,” Nathanael agreed. “We know nothing aboutthe capabilities of this machine. Our only hope in understanding this thing isthat we replace some kind of manual that shows us how it runs.”

Dan stoodby the window, looking out into the magma, observing the spire and its discharges.The magma bubbled and popped viscously. Fountains of molten magma rose from thesurface of the lake rising nearly two hundred feet as bolts of poweroccasionally struck the magma lake. Dan then noticed something odd about themagma lake. “Hey guys. Come take a look at this,” he said and everyone walkedto the window, looking out. “Look at the lava. It looks like it’s being drawnto the spire,” he said. They watched for a minute, seeing the magma seemed tospiral in toward the spire.

“It sureis,” Harry agreed. “It’s being pulled to it.”

“That sureis strange,” Hannibal mused. “But everything about this place is unusual.”

“That’s thetruth,” Selina agreed. “What do you think is making the lava act that way,Dad?”

Nathanaelgazed at the strange phenomena and rubbed his jaw and chin with his hand as hepondered it. He then glanced at the hologram of the core, and then back to themagma, saying, “I don’t rightly know but I suspect that the core is doing it.”He then went back to the console and looked intensely at the hologram. Everyonefollowed and gathered around.

Hannibalgazed at the controls and tried to decipher some of the glyphs without muchsuccess. “Does anyone have a camera?” he asked. No one had a camera at hand.“We need to take pictures of the entire console so the writing can bedeciphered,” he said, gazing at the controls. He continued to examine theglyphs in one spot on the panel.

“What doyou think?” Selina asked Hannibal.

“I don’tknow. I’ve a strange sensation about this place and it’s not a good one,”Hannibal said softly as he did a rough translation of the glyphs on the panel.He then abruptly looked around and said, “I’ve been here before.”

“You have?”Harry asked. “How? No one has been in here for eons.”

“It’s déjàvu, Harry,” Hannibal said. “And it’s really strong. All of you were here aswell.” As he spoke, a tremendous discharge struck just outside the control roomcausing the room to rumble. It attracted everyone’s attention. “This is a verydangerous place,” Hannibal said sternly. “We have to keep everyone out ofhere.”

“I thinkthat’s a good idea,” Nathanael suddenly said. “The power here is beyond all ofus. I suspect the core is tapping a source of power that is capable ofdestroying this planet if it’s not controlled properly.”

“Nathanael,come look at this,” Hannibal said with some insistence in his voice. Nathanaelwalked over to Hannibal and he pointed out a strange-looking display thatresembled some form of meter. “If I’m deciphering this correctly, this displayis a measurement of the magnetic field in the core,” Hannibal stated.

Nathanaellooked at the display with that in mind and raised an eyebrow. “If I’m readingthis right,” he said, “the magnetic field in there is half a trillion timesgreater than what the Earth itself can generate. Your species in this day inage has no way to generate that kind of field.”

“Half atrillion times that of the Earth?” Dan asked in a stunned tone. “Holy shit;what’s that capable of?”

“Well,”Selina answered. “It’s capable of shredding the fabric of space and timeitself.”

“Yes,”Nathanael agreed. “A magnetic field of that magnitude I’ve seen generatednaturally in only one place: a rotating black hole like the one in our homesystem.”

“You don’tsuppose this machine is twisting the fabric of the universe into a knot togenerate its power, do you?” Hannibal queried.

“I don’tknow,” Nathanael answered. “But I suspect it is. It may even be tapping intothe gravitational energy of the planet in the process. That may be why themagma is flowing to it like it is.”

“I don’tmean to be a kill-joy here, but what kind of destructive power potential are welooking at here?” Harry asked.

Nathanael,Hannibal, and Selina looked at each other with very concerned looks on theirfaces, and then looked at Harry. “Just from what we understand now, thismachine has the potential capability to vaporize the entire planet. It verywell may be able to alter our perceptions of reality as well,” Nathanaeldeclared. “Who actually knows in what manner this control panel manipulates theawesome power being generated here. There very well may be weapons that arecontrolled from here.”

“One morereason for us to limit the access in here,” Hannibal said sternly.

Harrychewed on the idea of the machine actually being capable of destroying thewhole planet. “This is unbelievable,” he said. “What do we do about it?”

“We keep amassive lid on it,” Hannibal answered as another discharge hit near the controlroom. “Whoever controls this technology will become the undisputed master ofthe world. We can’t let any of this fall into the hands of the governments ofthe world...none of them. We can’t trust them with power of this magnitude. Noone comes down here under any circumstances without my permission. This placeis officially off limits to everyone except us.” He looked out of the window atthe magma lake and the spire. “We need to replace something about this generatorin the Library. Come, let’s leave this machinery to do its job without ourinterference,” he said, heading for the passageway to the elevator. Everyonefollowed without question. “We need some pictures to document this replace. We’llcome back down later with the proper equipment to document it,” Hannibalinformed as they reached the elevator room. When they entered, the wall slidshut and they started back up the shaft toward the dome.

Harryshowed up at his quarters three hours after he left Mary and Dennis in thecafeteria. He walked in and plopping down in his recliner with a groan. Marysat on the sofa listening to some soft classical music when he walked in.Fatigue and concern showed on his face. Mary saw it and asked, “Are you okay?”

“I thinkso,” Harry answered. “I just saw something that I still can’t yet comprehend.”

“Would youlike something to drink?” she asked.

“Yes,that’ll be good,” Harry answered.

Mary wentto the kitchen and got him a glass of cold water. “What was it?” she askedinnocently as she handed him the drink.

Harry tooka large swallow from it and sighed deeply. “I saw the generator that apparentlyruns this place,” he replied, after which he proceeded to explain to her whathe saw and what Hannibal had ordered about the entire area. She listenedintently as he explained what he saw.

“No wonderyou look so tired. That would drain even the strongest person,” Mary saidsympathetically. “How far down was it?”

“I don’trightly know,” Harry answered. “The dome is down almost a mile vertically fromhere and the control room in the shaft is at least three more miles fartherdown. That’s my estimate but I may be wrong about that. The point is it’s thedeepest point Hannibal has ever been in here.” Mary sat on the edge of the sofaand held his hand. “I feel like I’m in some kind of weird sci-fi nightmare,even though I know it’s for real,” he murmured after finishing his glass ofwater.

“It’s beena long day. We’ve seen things today that most people only dream of,” Mary saidsoftly. “What you need is a good hot bath and a nice soft bed.”

“Thatsounds good.” Harry replied. “How was the game room?”

“Verynice,” Mary returned. “He has pool tables, pinball machines, video games,workout machines, free weights, a basketball court, and even a swimming pool.There’s even an area where martial arts can be practiced…complete with weaponsto practice with. He has a very nice set up. Dennis loved it. He actually madefriends with some of the other children Hannibal brought here.”

“That’svery good,” Harry chimed. “It’s good that he’s been able to make some friends;how about you?”

“Oh, I gotto know some of the mothers who brought their children to the game room,” Maryanswered. “They’re very nice and Hannibal had helped out all of them in one wayor another. Everyone that’s here are apparently very close. It’s like he has asort of Christian community going on here.”

“That’s aninteresting notion,” Harry returned as he rubbed the side of his face. “Iwonder if he had that in mind when he first brought these people together.”

“I don’tknow,” Mary replied. “But it’s apparent to me that these people have a tremendousamount of love for each other. I’ve never seen anything like it and franklyspeaking, I think it’s quite refreshing.”

“Yes, I expect it is,” Harry agreed. “Not having todeal with the people of the world does indeed sound like a very good thing.”Harry sat there in silence for a few moments, and then got up, saying, “Thatbath sounds like a good idea. I think I’ll take it now.” Mary took the glassback to the kitchen and put it in the sink as Harry went to take his bath. Shethen disappeared into their bedroom and went to bed. Harry joined her after ahalf hour in the bath and they both slept soundly throughout the night.