Marika

Chapter 4: The Archaeologist

Chapter 4: The ArchaeologistThe man arrived in one of those new mechanical vehicles that spewed noise and smoke over the landscape. Behind the mechanical carriage were two wagons filled with equipment and four young men. The wagons were driven by two handymen from Beltran. Brother Anton greeted them at the gate trying not to show his surprise at the sight of what was called an autocarriage.

“Welcome, Mr. Manfred, we've been expecting you. I'm Brother Anton.” He heard the clatter of hooves behind him and stepped out of the lane. He and all of the men were opened mouthed as Marika went streaking by them on her horse Ginger, her red curls flowing free in the wind.

At least, she has gone, thought Brother Anton. Now when the other one leaves I can present this fellow to the Teacher. He smiled up at the new arrival. “If you will follow me, I'll show you to your quarters, explain where our kitchen and dining areas are located, and then introduce you to the Teacher. I am Brother Anton.”

“Thank you, Brother Anton, but I would like to set up some of this equipment out by the old Institute or at least have my crew start doing so.”

Brother Anton looked out towards the prairie, and the stone tower sticking out of the ground and then up at Manfred. “It might be best to put your personal items away first while someone waters the horses, and you do need to let the Teacher welcome you.”

Victor Manfred smiled. He detested the necessary polite customs of being a guest of an Institute. All he wanted to do was get at the dig with his crew and his equipment. It had been a five year fight with the Silver Academy for permission and for funding. Now there was enough for one season. If he could find another building or two, he knew there would be funding for more seasons. He smiled at Brother Anton. There was no need to make an enemy here. “Very well, show us where we water and bed our animals and where we will be sleeping.”

It took more than thirty minutes for all the necessary baggage to be transferred. He had the students take the horses for water and directed them to then take the equipment to where the stone column erupted out of the ground and dirt and debris were piled. After that, he followed Brother Anton towards the Administration building. They were met at the doorway by the Teacher in his plain black robe and skull cap. Manfred was surprised to find that the Teacher was a stocky man whose hair was receding, but not turning gray. For some reason, he had expected someone not interested in the worldly necessity of eating well.

“Welcome, Mr. Manfred. One of our younger brothers told me you had arrived. You cannot believe how delighted I am that the Silver Institute in Anoth is finally willing to farther the research on the wonderful building left from before the Burning.”

Victor swallowed. He had corresponded with this man and needed his cooperation. He prayed that was what they would have and not obstructions. “My pleasure, Teacher. We are ready to start. I realize not much will be accomplished this afternoon. I do need to check on what type of security we will need out by the dig. We will have some of our equipment out there. Would it be best for me to have one or two of my crew sleep out there as guards?”

“Guards? I really doubt if that is necessary, but if you feel better about having someone watch at night, we can have one or two of our novices out there. They can make star charts from there as part of their assignments. That would mean your crew members would not become exhausted.”

“Yes, that would be acceptable. The winch is rather a large expenditure and I would not be able to replace it. I also need to know about the water source. I know you said it was ample here and we could use a barrel to take out there for the preliminary washing. Brother Anton has shown me the room where we can finish cleaning and storing any of the shards and relics we find. Now if you will excuse me, I will return to my crew and finish setting up at the base of the old Institute. I am anxious to talk more this evening, either during or after dinner.” His hopes of escaping the Teacher were dashed.

“Excellent, Brother Anton and I will meet you out there. I suggest you take a barrel of water now. You'll need drinking water once you are out there.” The Teacher smiled and set off at a brisk pace.

Victor shrugged and walked to where his crew and one of the wagons waited for him. “Did anyone fill one of the barrels with water?” The blank look on their faces told him they had not.

“Nicholas, fill up those barrels now and drive out to the stone column sticking out of the ground. I'll go ahead and join the others now.” He followed the Teacher and Brother Anton out of the compound.

The hole in the ground with the protruding tower was less than a quarter of a mile from the Silver and Green Institute. It had been quite an ordeal getting funding and permission from the Silver Academy and Silver Institute in Anoth to proceed with this study. The Teacher knew any discoveries might diminish the importance of the Silver and Green Institute and, yet, the scholar in him wanted to know what was out here. How large had it been?

Victor smiled at the Teacher and Brother Anton as he caught up with them. He had indicated earlier to his crew where to put the tent and where they should install the tables and chairs for going over the material they found and wanted to keep. The others were busy transferring the winch and setting it to rights so it could be used tomorrow. At least, thought Victor, the beautiful young woman they had seen leaving would not be here. Why was that kind of distraction allowed near this Institute?

“Excellent, Mr. Manfred, you have a tent here to protect everyone. We've given you the room next to where we have our relics stored. Perhaps some evening or rainy day you would like to have a look at them.”

Victor felt a slight irritation. He could not tell the man that he had disturbed the items from whatever level they found them and piecing together the entire timeline made more difficult. “How far down have you dug?”

“Oh, we are well over the halfway mark, I should assume. The fire seems to have been more intense in the lower levels we have reached. Everything is blackened, fused together, or turned into ash. We would have liked to have continued digging downward every day, but so many around here needed counseling and, of course, we had our Star Pathway studies to pursue.” The Teacher seemed to look off into the distance on the last statement, but then shook his head and continued to speak. “Brother Philip wanted me to tell you that he believes this was but one of the structures in the entire complex. He cannot be certain, but he has read enough from the old Star Chart book and another that we found to believe that there must have been a medical facility, kitchens, and study rooms.”

“Where did you find books?” Victor tried to keep the alarm out of his voice.

The Teacher smiled. “I found the original book and charts that we use in a cave just as the old legends said. I thought all knew that. The other book was found on one of the upper levels. Like the first, the pages are metallic. That is why it had not burned.”

Victor could have shook the man, but this was the Teacher. He took a breath before asking, “Do you have any idea where the other buildings were located?”

“No, but Brother Philip believes they would have been to the West or South of here.”

“Why is that?”

“It seems that this was either the Administration Building for the Teacher or a structure for students studying the Stars. It would have looked out over the rest of the buildings and the site.” The Teacher's voice was quite confident.

“Is that how you have laid out your buildings?” Victor wanted to know.

“No, Mr. Manfred, we seem to have placed the Administration Building in the middle of everything. Our Way Meeting House is off to the West about half a mile. I do expect to see you and your crew at our dinner table this evening as honored guests. I would also like to see a progress report at least every two weeks.” He nodded at them all, and he and Brother Anton turned and walked back to the Institute grounds.

Victor took a deep breath and muttered to himself. “You may or may not receive a copy of anything that I send back to the Silver Academy. They are the ones paying for this.” He turned to his crew.

“This is how we start today. We are just doing preliminaries, but tomorrow, I want everyone out here immediately after breakfast. Right now, Frank and I are going to descend into the pit to have a look at what has been done and then direct the rest where to start the digging.”

One of the crew slung a rope ladder down the shaft and Victor and Frank headed down. The Teacher's report was correct. Some of the upper stones were intact. They rested on a slumped and widening pyramid shape that had suffered intense heat. At the bottom of the current dig, Victor looked upward. It was a good ten feet, yet this structure must have been much higher before the burning and how far down did it extend? His thesis that there had been a real scientific edifice and reporting system was in the process of being proven true. He would need to find something similar to the modern day telegraph or telephone system to end all speculation forever.

“All right, Frank, let's go back up and make sure the tents are secure. The Teacher warned in his letters that the prairie winds could be severe. Then we'll have to get them settled in their quarters. Which means it will probably be the good Brother's dinner hour.”

Talbert's teeth flashed. “Maybe that means we can get some preliminary work done this evening, if we can keep their young minds on the dig.”

As if to prove his point at dinner that evening, young Putman asked the Brother next to him, “Who was that lovely wild-riding woman on the horse this afternoon? Does she live around here?”

The Teacher looked up and smiled. “That was our Marika. She will be going into the last grade at the second level school in Beltran come fall. We're all quite fond of her as she was like an omen of new life the year we started here and were besieged by Bentz's Vigils and the Green Marauders.”

A look of hope spread over Putman's face. “Does she live around here? This Institute seems different as we never see a woman inside the grounds at the one in Anoth.”

Victor was ready to throttle the young man. He shouldn't be pestering the Teacher with questions about females. Internally, he did not wish to admit that the sight of Marika riding so gracefully with her hair streaming behind her had been one of the most captivating sights he had seen since leaving Anoth. It was a question that he would have preferred to ask privately.

“Why, yes, she lives at The Haven with her mother and the other older ladies. I'm sure you've heard how our Silver and Green Institute has helped to end the suffering of so many elderly women in Mecham. I'm told the concept is gaining ground in Greenland, Partha, and Landings.”

Victor studied the Teacher. The man was sincere. He believed the changes in the law were for the good of all. Most of the older instructors at the Academy, the Silver Institute, and the outlying universities had disagreed if the papers were printing the news correctly. He had felt it gave women too much power, but then again, his own mother had been delighted. To prevent a breakup of the family business, his father had opted to remain married. To Victor, it was a strange world. He had thought there would be a certain curtailment of the modern thinking out here on the prairie, but it seemed these men were as radical as the Albertson legislature in Anoth. Then again, the sight of one young, wild riding woman had made him catch his breath.

“How soon will you know if you return next season?” This question came from Brother Philip.

“The minute we find something significant. If we can locate the foundation for another building or two, our funding would be assured.”

“Really, Mr. Manfred? Just one or two foundations. You don't expect to find a partially intact building?”

“No, Brother Philip, I do not. The heat from the Burning would have been too severe. Foundations, however, remain. We can usually determine the usage from the size and rooms. Sometimes artifacts are there too, buried in the ground or covered with ash.”