digging around the plate down, it was discovered to be the lid to a pipe of sorts.  What a pipe was doing in the middle of the jungle no one could fathom.  We all guessed of course: the most popular (but absurd) theory that it was an ancient Incan device.  Whatever it was it was too intriguing to pass up.

I wanted to see inside.  The crew tried everything to get the lid off.  Brute force, explosives, saws, pry bars, all yielding the same results: nothing.  One of the larger men in my crew took a sledge hammer and hit the thing as hard as he could.  The first time did nothing, so he tried again.  The wood splintered on his fifth try, with not even a dent on the lid or the pipe.  i scratched my week old beard and shrugged.  the sun went down that evening and the sky was the most beautiful i'd seen since we left the city.  That night was very cold.

The next morning i woke up earlier then usual, earlier then everyone else.  I walked out to look at the pipe.  It was truly a marvel of craftsmanship, and im sure if i reported it back to the government they would send crews out to do tests.

We discovered it.  I didn't want to give up authority over it.  if i told them i'd be cut out, and i've been cut out of too many things to let this one go.