The Ortrix.

For an object that contained the essence of an entire race, it was underwhelmingly nondescript. It even lacked the ostentatious metalwork it would eventually pick up on its travels.

Rex felt the weight of it in his hand. Not just its mass - again it felt not-enough - but the weight of it’s future.

He could sense its journey from here, had seen it in reverse, and knew where it ended up.

If he concentrated, he could hear every soul that had created it.