Atelier and Archivist for the Settlers of Proxima
I paid for this one — not with money, but with a few cracked ribs. I had the night shift and, of course, had to take a piss. I was only 15 meters from the dig site. Thank god we didn’t set up in the northeast quadrant first.
Anyway. It’s only our second week on the planet. I’m walking — and then suddenly … nothing. Just air. I was falling down a shaft, and the only thing that broke my fall was a metal grate. At least, I think it was metal. Definitely some kind of alloy. Definitely rusted. It gave way quick and ripped a hole in my ribs.
I crashed down into a pile of moon dust at the bottom. At first, I thought it was just a cave. But when I flipped on the glow light, it was obvious: a tavern.
No — a speakeasy.
I mean, it makes sense. The Universal State didn’t allow early colonists on Proxima any alcohol. It’s in all the history books back on Earth. So of course they found a way to distill it. Prohibit something, and even 10,000 of humanity’s best will find a way to make get their grubby little hands on it.
After patching up my ribs with a stim patch, I took a look around. My vox was dead, so I had to find a way out without the crew’s help. There was a depression in the bar bench itself — lunar marble, very nice — and when I placed my hand on it, an exit tunnel opened behind me.
I mean, I’m sure the colonists didn’t just jump down here for their alcohol …
On my way out, I passed under an archway and this sign hit me in the head. It says OPEN — but in the Proximan variant of the English alphabet. Took me a second to find the reference in my notes. It seemed like the most appropriate thing to bring back to the surface. Lighter than the lunar marble bar, and less fragile than the glass bottles.
Carbon dating puts it at 110 PCE. Sample analysis says the lighter base of the sign is made of elderwood—the main species on Proxima—with an inlay of wyrnut. Technologically enahnced versions of maple and walnut, respectively.
That’s all for today. I need rest. These ribs aren’t going to repair themselves.