X-268: Origins

On the dunes on the outskirts of B'Haddu, harsh wind whipping through a parched wasteland surrounding a desert oasis, sits a forgotten supplies crate among the sand. The crate doesn't seem to have much other than a peeling hazard sticker...

If you open it, the general sweep of items is rather unremarkable. Was this crate discarded on purpose? Perhaps a crate meant for a move to a different planet knocked loose?

A few things catch your eye, however:

A small clear acrylic box, housing a few vials. They look to be unharmed in the crash, and one of them is... moving, twisting back and forth in the ampoule. As you turn the box over in your hands, your eyes come upon another object. A smooth orb, opaque on one side and semi-transluscent on the other. The glass is too dirty with sand and dust to get a good look inside, but putting your ear to the orb you can hear machinery whirring.

You believe there is something inside, as to what it is, you're unsure. But you gather the items quickly, and head for the ARC Lab.