Case Number: ACF-236-204

Catalog Number: 11.7B28

Risk Assessnent: 5 - Catastrophic

Date Collected: 236/12/17

Storage: The object is to be encased in a 24 cm cube of ballistics gel, suspended centrally in a 3x3x3 m chamber, and held in place on six sides by steel supports with seismic shock absorbers. The walls, floor, and ceiling of the chamber are to be lined with sound- and shock-absorbing anechoic foam 10 cm thick.

Handling: No entry to the chamber is permitted without prior approval for experimentation and maintenance. When transporting the object, it is not to be carried by hand for any period of time. Transport carts carrying the object are to be weighted to a minimum 100 kg at the base of the device to establish a low center of gravity and minimize risk of tipping. Personnel and transport carts must not exceed a speed of 2 km/h while transporting the object.

Experimentation: No experiments on 236-204 are permitted at this time. This decision has been made by the Torchlight Council due to the dangerous nature of the object when handled in proximity to other Base 11 items, the catastrophic potential in the event of an accident, and the risk and difficulty associated with transporting the item off-site.

Description: Object 236-204 is a glossy black stone sphere measured at 18.4 cm in diameter and weighing 3.76 kg. Any significant kinetic force or vibration imparted on it causes a disturbance in spacetime, which briefly disrupts the normal properties of gravity in a manner proportional to the magnitude and direction of the force. The size of the disturbance has been measured at approximately 1 meter in radius for every kilogram of force applied; that is, a shock equivalent to an average human punch (160-200 kg) is sufficient to cause a gravitational wave reaching a distance of up to 200 m in all directions from the object, briefly altering the direction of gravity in the direction the force was imparted. Such disturbances impart similar forces or shockwaves on all solid matter in the affected area, capable of causing massive personal injury and structural damage to buildings. A shock similar to the one described above is estimated to produce similar effects to a magnitude 3.3 earthquake, as the disruption in the affected area can create seismic waves that travel considerable distances. A shock caused by dropping the object from a height of three meters is estimated to be capable of generating a large enough gravitational wave to cause catastrophic damage to an entire city. Even slight vibrations are capable of producing noticeable disturbances in the immediate vicinity of the artifact.

Origin: Obtained by Blacklight operatives carrying out a recovery operation in Espyan-occupied Iniond during the Third Transantarctic War. It is believed to have been created by Espyan military research teams as a possible weapon of mass destruction.