The Gray Desolation of Avaritia

– Milky Way Digest [MWD} vol 3 pg. 208 –

Avaritia was once a thriving world, teeming with life and activity. But that was long ago, before the events that led to its current state of gray desolation. The planet’s surface was now a rocky terrain in the foothills of a mountainous region, with overcast gray clouds casting a bleak and eerie shadow over everything. Captain Jaxson was on a mission to survey the lifeless world as part of a survey team sent out by the Inter-Planetary Alliance. He had seen many dead worlds before, but Avaritia was different. There was an aura of sadness that seemed to permeate the very air.

As Jaxson and his team explored the rocky terrain, they encountered ruins that hinted at a once-great civilization. But there was no sign of life, not even the smallest microbe. Jaxson was beginning to believe that Avaritia was indeed a dead world. However, as they approached the base of the mountains, they suddenly detected a faint energy signature. Jaxson was shocked and immediately ordered his team to investigate. They soon discovered a secret underground facility, long forgotten by whoever had built it.

Jaxson and his team cautiously made their way inside, their weapons ready. The facility was dark and silent, but they could feel an eerie presence lurking in the shadows. They soon found themselves in a large chamber filled with strange, ancient technology. Suddenly, a holographic image flickered to life in front of them. It was a message from the long-dead inhabitants of Avaritia, warning of a catastrophic event that had doomed their world. They had built this facility as a last refuge, but it seemed they had not survived whatever disaster had befallen their world.

Jaxson and his team were stunned. They had come to Avaritia expecting to find just another dead world, but they had stumbled upon a mystery that threatened to upend everything they knew about the universe. They realized that the energy signature they had detected must have been the remnants of the facility’s power source, still functioning after all these centuries. The discovery of Avaritia would have far-reaching implications, and they knew it was only the beginning of a long journey of discovery. With heavy hearts, Jaxson and his team left the facility and returned to their ship, ready to report their findings to the Inter-Planetary Alliance.

As they gazed out at the gray desolation of Avaritia, Jaxson couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe and sadness. He wondered what secrets the universe still held and how many other worlds like Avaritia were out there, waiting to be discovered. But for now, their focus was on unraveling the mystery of this lonely, lifeless world. And learn from its past mistakes before it is too late.