Black Star

Chapter Twenty-four

The crew had nicknamed the security drone in the vault 'Prisoner of Love' because of his forlorn facial expressions. He was certainly a prisoner, forced to spend the entire voyage patrolling this rather small barred room. He would be awake and alert 24 hours a day and able to detect any tampering whether that be organic or electronic.

Maxtor was quite relaxed about the security arrangements as he escorted the captain down to the vault. He was tired and looking forward to dropping the stones in safe hands and enjoying a well-deserved drink with the others.

They were DNA scanned and satisfied voice recognition before the 'Prisoner' would let them inside to access the cabinet. At that, the vault doors were once again closed behind them. Captain Voodoo was as curious as anyone about the stones.

"So, they're valuable to someone. Why is that?" she said once inside.

"I really can't answer that. The way it was explained to me is this. The universe is made of a whole lot of elements and combinations of elements. There are some elements that once could only be made by the universe. For example, diamonds, gold or even carbon which as you know is the stuff we are made of," he exclaimed thumping his chest.

Voodoo was amused to note a slight nod from the security drone watching them intensely. "Well, we know all these elements and particles. It don't matter where you go." He pointed outside. "It's all the same stuff, imagine that."

Maxtor opened a small case inside his suit and took out the box containing the two small smooth black stones and offered her one. He dropped it into her hand.

"Except these," he said.

She was taken back by its incredible weight for such a small piece of material. She rolled it around in her hand, feeling its texture. If it were possible to be darker than black, then it was, it was as if it sucked light in from its immediate surroundings creating shadows that should not be there. It was also noticeably cold, like a piece of ice.

Maxtor looked her in the eye. "These are unique," he whispered.

He took the element back from her and handed it to the drone who then placed it into a small hatch in his arm and closed the lid.

"Element returns no results, sir," it said.

Maxtor smiled and held out his hand, took it from the drone and placed it in slot one inside the case.

"So, as you can see Captain Bernstein, these elements are unique in the universe."

"Where did they come from?" she asked.

"The same place everything else came from, either created from some form of unique reaction or they travelled here from some unique place. Wherever they came from they are so rare as to be irreplaceable."

"And their use?" she said, staring at the case.

Maxtor handed the second sample to the drone who went through the same testing process. Calmly he placed it in its holder and slid the glass shut. He looked her in the eye for a moment shaking his head.

"This has been an expensive and retrospectively enjoyable trip, we were almost killed down there, the professor more than once," he said biting his top lip and brushing his beard with his hand he walked towards the door and turned. As if he might answer, he changed his mind and instead he walked away mumbling to himself.

"Their use?" he said once more before stopping.

"Shall we?" he said, insisting the captain left the room before he did.

"All yours," he said to the drone as he left. "See you in three months look after 'em."

"Thank you, sir, I will," said the security drone and walked him to the door. The bars slid closed and they walked up the short stairwell to the surface level.