Sea of Stars Most Holy Human Empire, Core Sector.
Invisible beams of energy shot from the underside of the enormous landing pod. Its descent abruptly slowed, and it finally touched down smoothly on the hard, rocky ground of the barren world.
Eight sturdy drills bored through the rock, driving anchors into the solidified lava and securing the landing pod firmly to the ground.
Then the hatch opened from top to bottom, becoming a ramp that reached the ground. This barren world, with its thin atmosphere and complete lack of water, finally received its first visitors in centuries.
A group of humans in clean uniforms poked their heads out of the landing pod, pale blue Psionics Shields surrounding them.
"Why did we have to come to such a miserable planet?" someone complained, using psionics to haul out a heavy mass of equipment and set it on the black, solidified lava.
"An asteroid struck this planet, and our Mining Station's sensors detected ancient structures."
The archaeological team leader strode up a small hill and surveyed the barren planet.
On the planet's surface, ancient buildings lay concealed beneath some kind of cloaking energy field.
Only a few days earlier, an asteroid had happened to veer off course in that area during its impact, and the deviation had been recorded. Only then had the Empire's mineral Mining Station above the planet discovered their existence.
Carrying detection and excavation equipment, the archaeological team trekked across the desolate surface and climbed the rim of the impact crater. The culprit lay right in its center, its top still exposed.
On one side of the crater, light warped around an energy field invisible to the naked eye.
The archaeologists cautiously approached the ancient energy field. The Space Marine accompanying them activated a device and shut the field down.