Page 40 of Destined For Her Alien Daddy

“This isn’t Precursor technology,” I whisper. “It isn’t derivative either. This is something entirely different.”

Brakk mutters profanity under his breath.

Ghar steps closer cautiously. “Can your scanner determine whether it is powered?”

“It’s doing something.” I adjust the scan parameters again while trying not to sound breathless. “The energy signature behaves recursively instead of linearly.”

Brakk points accusingly at me. “You people keep using that word like it’s supposed to calm anybody down.”

The scanner suddenly resolves another buried layer.

The black structure extends far deeper beneath the rubble than the exposed surface suggests. Curved edges emerge beneath the debris. Nested geometric ridges spiral inward toward a recessed circular structure at the center.

Recognition slams through me immediately.

“It’s an interface.”

Ghar’s posture hardens instantly. “Step away from it.”

“I can access it.”

“You can trigger it.”

“Yes.”

“That statement does not improve my confidence.”

The circular recess pulses faintly beneath the scanner beam while silver light drifts beneath the black surface like liquid trapped under glass.

Everything inside me sharpens into terrible focus.

This is the single most important artifact I have ever encountered.

Every survival instinct I possess screams that touching it is a catastrophic mistake.

Unfortunately, curiosity has always outweighed fear.

Ghar sees the decision forming before I speak.

“Anita,” he says quietly.

I look up.

There is no anger in him now. No irritation. No authoritarian frustration.

Only concern.

Real concern.

That affects me far more than shouting ever could.

“We do not know what this is,” he says.

“I know.”

“We do not know why it was buried.”

“I know.”