Frydai, Merd, Hearl, Clar, and I headed to take a look at that bridge I noted on the way back from the camping trip Merd and I took. Only to find another bridge, even closer, crossing a deep, swift stream that feeds into the river I saw the other one crossing.
There is no question that it is an artificial construction, as it is a keystone arch, and while I wouldn't trust it yet, it has clearly survived many tides. The stairs that lead up to it are smaller than would need to be cut for the Lou'orth. This leaves the question of who built it. It is only two days travel from the village, but until I arrived, the only time they left sight of it was during a tide, so them not finding it is not a surprise.
We found the remains of several structures nearby as well, and have spend the week examining and uncovering things there. We have found tools, some pottery, and other things. Whoever lived here had fired clay pottery, something a few of the tribe are now working to perfect after learning about it in the classes. They also had steel, as we found what looks like a steel hammer, with a polymer shaft. Now that screams much higher tech, and it was in some of the deepest parts that we dug out. Next time we come out, I'm going to bring the ground radar, so we can get a better view of things.
Merd was fascinated by it, and took to the archaeology concepts like a fish to water. Not sure where I picked up that phrase, but it works. She wanted to keep working, and I had to promise to come back in a few weeks with better equipment and extra supplies. Reminding her also that there is the larger bridge.
Once the Shuttle is fully completed. We're going to add some additional sensor suites to it, as well as print some fresh drones. Bigger ones, with more advanced sensor packages. We're going to start doing ever expanding survey's of the area. With Merd's sudden obsession with what we found at the bridge, I have opened up all the archaeology stuff in the data banks to her. She has generated a very long list of tools and equipment she is going to want to take with us on the next trip. This makes her happy, which makes me happy.
The clearing of the third main engine is completed, and the fourth has been started. The younglings are very good at it. My testing of the crystal is confusing, to say the least. It isn't a substance in the normal sense of the word, the way a stone, a normal crystal, a metal hammer, or even my hand is. It doesn't appear to have an atomic structure, and if you put energy into it, say... a laser, it absorbs that energy and grows. If I do that while it is in contact with something, like a piece of steel, it also takes on some of the properties of steel. It turns gray, and takes on a malleable nature when heated enough, though far more than steel could take.
I have managed to make a knife out of a crystal. So long as my unprotected hand is in contact with it, I can heat it with a laser to the needed temperature to work it, yet somehow I am protected from that heat. I let go of it once and suffered intense burns that warranted a full two days in the Adoc. If I keep my hand on it, I can work it, pound it, shape it, and result in a knife that is harder, sharper, and stronger, than any steel blade. Because it is not in fact steel, but a mixture of steel and the crystal. Works best as 75% crystal, 25% steel. Going to try it with copper next.
The data streaming back from the probes and satellites as they head to their destinations is voluminous. So much so that both Hearl and Clar have decided to get some additional implants. Frydai and I had a long sit down with them, Merd sitting in to listen and I think understand a bit more about me. She said she was very proud of how Frydai and I handled it, just making sure that they were making informed decisions. She also asked me about herself and if I would allow her to undertake more.
I admit, I was taken aback by the question. We talked about it, and I made sure that she wasn't asking because of the fact that I am upgraded. I don't want her to think she needs to upgrade to be closer to me, and that seems to have been part of why she asked. She was also genuinely curious, because it clearly informs some of the way I see the world. She didn't want anything right then, was just something on her mind, and resulted in a very good conversation between us about it.