Tauriel and Belloq

[tawarwaith]

Who: Tauriel + Belloq
What: The finding of a shiny (IE an artifact)
When: Friday morning
Where: Out where the skeleton was found
Notes & Warnings: None, will change if needed

Although not a guide, she had been part of the group that had found the intact skeleton thing out on the trail, so it was only natural for her to lend her aide to Dr. Belloq. She was certain that she could keep him and herself relatively safe from harm. So after a quick check with the security team, she was now out in the field with the Archaeologist looking around. Earlier, her eyes had solely been on the look out for the then unidentified creepers. This time however, she was keeping an eye out for anything that might be of use to Dr. Belloq.

As luck would have it, her keen Elven eyesight was quick to notice something not too far away from where the skeleton had been found. his something had a metallic gleam to it, as it poked up through the leaf mould, almost but not quite hidden under a fallen tree. After a bit of digging and brushing off of dirt, she found herself looking at a strange circular device that seemed to be pointing towards a blue sky with a sun on it.

"Dr. Belloq, I think I have found something. I am not certain what it is." Eagerly she hefted it up to show him, hoping he might have a better idea of the device than her.

Comments

[archeologue]

Belloq was gazing at the ground, poking at clumps of grass now and then with his walking stick. If there were a settlement here once, or a burial site, he would see it in the contours of the dirt, in subtle patterns of lumps and depressions too regular and symmetrical for nature.

So far, there was nothing.

He perked up when Tauriel called; the phrase "I have found something" always made his heart beat a little faster. He strode over to look at her find.

"A mechanism of some sort. Something new, something we've never unearthed on this planet before." He examined it, wondering if the golden disk was pure gold or just gold plate. "The blue and gold surface turns within the casing."

[tawarwaith]

She had not bee one to poke and prod it too much, as she was afraid to break it, but now she took a closer look. She moved the disc then, experimenting with directions until it moved. The blue face with the gold sun began to move, transitioning from day to night.

At once, she began to understand that the pointer meant to show the time of day, but did not yet understand why it was important.

"It looks like it tells the difference between night and day. I wonder why such a thing was needed. Could it not be told just looking at the sky?"

[archeologue]

He uttered a hum of approval at her assessment of what the mechanism did, and offered speculation on why the lost civilization bothered to build one.

"Perhaps it was made for people working underground, or inside windowless rooms, somewhere where the sky wasn't visible to them. Or it could have a symbolic or religious significance." Whenever an artifact seemed a bit inexplicable, archaeologists tended to guess that it was related to religion.

[tawarwaith]

She was not a scholar among her people, nor was she particularly good at coming up with ideas as to why someone might have a timepiece such as this. It was at least a clock she could understand.

"I wonder if the creature that we found was carrying this when it died. It seems no other artifacts have been found in this area before. I wonder if we should keep looking here."

[archeologue]

"Perhaps it was. It seems odd though, one creature, alone, possibly...running from something? There are few other reasons why a lone individual would be found dead so far from a settlement. And it's without a weapon, without wealth, not carrying any of the things that someone fleeing their home might carry. Instead, all that's nearby is a clock. Interesting. It would imply that this clock, whatever it is, is very important. Yes, very important."

He looked again at the mechanism, assessing its possible value anew. Then his gaze darted back up to Tauriel as he snapped back to himself.

"Yes, this site needs a full archaeological survey conducted."

[tawarwaith]

It had just been a guess on her part, so she was happy to hear Dr. Belloq approving and elaborating on her suggestion. She did not of course catch on that his thoughts might be covetous in nature.

What with the Creepers and Props lurking about, she was not certain it would be a good idea to have more people and things out and about. There was too much potential risk in something bad happening. "What does that entail?"

[archeologue]

"A survey is smaller than a full dig. It would require a half dozen workers. a guide and a few patrol personnel to keep the local wildlife away. And a highly skilled archaeologist." He gestured to himself. "Namely me."

Not the most modest archaeologist, however.

[tawarwaith]

She could understand the tone of pride in his voice. Elves often spoke with a similar tone in regards to their work s or skill. However, she still was not certain that such an event would be something to promote currently. That at least was not her call to make.

"I am in favor of discovering more of this area. My only concerns are for the Props and the harm they might create to this land, and of the Creepers of which are very dangerous still. I'll speak to Kay at east. And inform the security team of what it is you wish to accomplish. I'll leave contacting the research department to you."

[archeologue]

"I'll make my case before the research department then. But these ruins are the most important thing on this planet. The resort and the town are mere toys. Learning about this lost civilization is surely worth a little risk?"

Learning...and profiting. Right now Belloq couldn't say which drive was greater, the need to discover or the need to acquire.

[tawarwaith]

Actually, for her the preservation of this plant was a greater priority. The mystery of it's previous occupants was more a game than a puzzle to be solved. It probably was why she wasn't an archaeologist.

"I think that depends on who you speak to. Narvin might agree more with you, Ben might not. Braska and the other healer Visscher might be happy for the money, but not the work should there be injury." She didn't know if he knew these people, But she knew most at least in passing.

[archeologue]

"I'll have to make sure I speak to the right people, then."

And work out how to get permission from the management. With the Creepers in the area, they were more likely to be cautious. Dead excavation teams were bad for publicity. Not that Belloq had any intention of dying.

[tawarwaith]

"Maybe they will see the same importance of this area as you do? Only do not take it to heart if they decide to wait. After all that device has remained out here largely undamaged. We can assume that the same could be said for the rest of the things that might be discovered."

The more e talked about finding things, the more she was warming to the idea, even with her own valid concerns. If they were careful waht would the harm be in hunting out artifacts?

[archeologue]

"Hmph. This planet was dedicated as a preserve largely because of the ruins. It would be a waste to preserve them but not study them, to remain ignorant about what exactly they are preserving. A whole race vanished here and we still don't know why, or who they were."

He sighed. "But I'll abide by whatever security decides. You're right. The artifacts are hardly going to walk off on their own, and if they've survived a thousand years they'll survive a few weeks more."

[tawarwaith]

At least he was seeing some reason to not be too hasty, which made her smile as she relaxed. "I'm glad you're willing to wait-- should they insist upon it. I need not worry of you sneaking off then and us finding your remains a week later either exploded or spider bitten!" I shouldn't hurt to mention just two of the outcomes that might happen to him.

"If you do get your approval, I would be glad to come here again and serve as security for your team. I might even spot something else of note!"

[archeologue]

"Dying is not my agenda, my dear." Sneaking off might be, but he was careful. He wouldn't go alone.

"If I get approval, I will have you first on my list for patrol. You have keen eyes, a very useful thing in archaeology."

[tawarwaith]

"I doubt it ever is for most people." If she knew she would try to prevent it to keep him safe or even possibly join him out of curiosity.

"Keen eyes are not the only thing I have!" She may not be a scholar, but she certainly had other traits that made her a god choice for the team. Like not needing sleep for one.

[archeologue]

"I'm sure it is not. Your other assets are equally remarkable." He gave her a brief and subtle once-over with his gaze. It wasn't her fighting skills and vigilance he was currently thinking of. But then he returned to professionalism.

"And I've seen your skill in keeping spiders away from the fence."

[tawarwaith]

Be glad Dr. Belloq that she did not catch him looking at her. She might be awkward in many ways, but ass kicking still comes easy.

"Spiders I am used to. We have ones like that in Mirkwood. It is the creepers I am wary of. That they explode is something I am not familiar with. Do you wish to keep looking around a little longer or have you surveyed the are enough for now?"

[archeologue]

Belloq took a final glance around the site, half-hoping that some other object would make itself known. But there was nothing else. Just ordinary forest, nothing special about this spot as far as he could tell, except that something died here and left an alien clock by its grave.

"No. No I think I've finished here for now."

[tawarwaith]

"We should head back then and turn the artifact over to the museum for them to look at." She trusted Dr. Belloq with the clock, since she wanted her hands free to keep her weapons close by. Plus he was the archaeologist and knew better how to transport their discovery than her.