Specimen Omega-7: Black Crystal
Retrieved by Anthropology Team Omega at the Ruins, LD129. Analysis by Maya Sirke, Xenominerologist-in-Training

Foreward: I honestly thought this would be a boring trip for me. Almost all the minerals and geology of this planet are identical in structure to what we have on [homeworld]. Why wouldn’t it be? The universe is made up of the same stuff. Or at least, that’s what I thought.

After killing, or redeading, the undead things that attacked them at the ruins, the Praxis team found a strange black crystal embedded in the chest of the so-called leader of the skeletons. As I was the only member of Omega with any expertise in minerology whatsoever, I was tasked with analyzing the specimen.

Of course, I don’t have an atom decoupler or even a proper spectrometer to analyze this thing, so consider this a preliminary report.

Report on Specimen Omega-7: Black Crystal

Black Crystal is a small, black crystalline structure. It is 6.6 cm in length, biconical in shape. The thickest part of the crystal is 2.3 cm wide. Based on visual observation, I believe the crystal is a shard of a larger structure.

Surprisingly, despite its small size, the crystal is significantly heavier than it should be. It weighs 826.26 grams. A sample of tungsten, the densest metal known to us, of this size would weigh around 500-600 grams, for comparison.

Another odd thing about the crystal is that shadowy smoke is wafting from it. This smoke has no smell and does not generate heat. In fact, it feels cold to the touch. Myself and several colleagues touched the crystal and felt shivers run down our spine, though we couldn’t agree if that was a physical chill from the cold, or from the strangeness of the crystal itself.

The crystal has a Carlies Hardness Scale of 8 and does not react to the lab materials I had on hand (hydrofluoric acid, mini-kiln set to max temperature of 1000°C, and the portable freezer for our food, which I unloaded to avoid contamination). In all circumstances, the smoky wisps persisted. While I have a hammer on hand, I will defer breaking this thing apart to people better suited to it back at Survival.

Because of these observations, I am hypothesizing that the crystal is comprised of a previously unknown element, one that is apparently denser than tungsten and very stable in crystal form.

Finally, the Praxis team described feeling intense sadness and despair in both of their combat encounters during this journey. Anecdotally, it is believed that either the crystal itself, or the smoke, is generating that feeling. There was no crystal found at the bone pit, so we cannot compare. Personally, I feel no different, though I am likely working with an inert specimen.

That said, it does appear that the crystal was fueling or assisting in some type of power generation, like the Praxis atoman. It might have been generating life in previously dead humanoids of the area. Some of the team are calling it “magic” but I doubt that. I suspect the people of this world simply discovered dark energy manipulation through a different means than our people did.

END REPORT

Update, LD131

Just jotting this down in case it’s relevant, but I have been continuously studying the crystal as best I can ever since receiving it. This morning I woke up feeling homesick for the first time since we landed over three months ago. I felt a profound sense of loss, of our old homeworld and the people we left. I am unsure if the crystal is producing this feeling. Tomorrow I plan to interview others who have had contact with the crystal, to see if they feel different.

Update, LD132

I haven’t done the interview yet. Honestly, it feels like a waste. I’m the only one regularly handling this thing, and I have a family history of depression so either the crystal is affecting me, or it’s a placebo effect. But I do feel better today overall. Who knows? I’ll wait until tomorrow to talk to the others.

Update, LD133

Tamyra keeps giving me this look like I really fucked up. I don’t even know what I did. I think she thinks I’m hoarding all the glory studying this thing. Bitch I don’t even know what the fuck it is! I’m useless here. They sent a trainee because they didn’t expect to find a super dense brand-new crystal thing. I feel like I’m wasting everyone’s fucking time here. AND I’m homesick still. I miss my bed in Salunia. This place is exciting but I don’t know if it was worth the trip. I feel like we’re all going to die out here.

Update, LD134

i had a dream that a woman was calling to me, wailing to me from the darkness. i dont know what shes saying but she repeats the same word over and over and over—Eretu! Eretu! Eretu! i woke up and the crystal was in my hand. i think i have frostbite on

Update, LD136

if youre reading this im already dead. butn me before the crystal gets me & turns me into one of those htings