Pink light suffused the sand as the four explorers left the research station. They rode in silence, the comms quiet this morning. Kendra tilted her head toward the sunrise, the warm glow burning across the horizon. As they passed the stone temple and dunes, the terrain changed. Rock formations filled the valleys, and the cliffs rose up until they dominated the landscape.
Antony stopped his bike in the shadow of the plateau. "We're here," he said over the comms. The sleek black drone detached itself from the back of his bike, rising into the air.
Kendra pulled up next to him, followed by Bria and Seph.
"I found something yesterday while I was surveying the cliffs with my drone," Antony said, tapping at the blue holographic interface floating above his wrist.
"Did you see anything on the plateau?" Seph asked, trying and failing to sound casual—the anxiety crept into his voice, regardless.
"Nothing of note. You are more than welcome to pick through the recordings and scans I've taken, if you feel inclined," Antony said.
"You know, I'm happy to leave that to you. We're about a half mile from where Kendra and I collected samples a few days ago, right?"
"Right. Still roughly in line with the four sites we've found so far. Anyway, the stone under the sand is riddled with holes. Some only a few inches, some a lot bigger." The light from the drone outlined a circular area. "I'd wager the cave system I detected down here is pretty big."
Bria inclined her head toward Seph. "Ready?"
The sand crunched beneath the rover's wheels as Seph drove forward, extending the excavator attachment over the highlighted area. The bucket dug down, its teeth facing slight resistance before hitting air. Clay and gravel crumbled into a deep hole in the ground. Sand drained away, leaving exposed rock in the area surrounding the hole.
Light illuminated the floor of the chamber below.
"That's a long drop," Bria said. "Antony, would you check out the cave's layout with the drone?"
He nodded, tapping the hologram that floated above his wrist and sharing it with the others. The drone descended, illuminating the cavern with soft blue light. The hologram appeared over the watch-like device on Kendra's wrist—her wearable. She zoomed in on a rectangular shape near the cave wall.
"What is that? Can you get closer?" Kendra asked.
"That's a building!" Bria said. "And look, there's light coming in from other gaps in the rock. There could be another path down there."
As the drone passed the building, the cavern split into several tunnels. Antony guided the drone into one. The passage rose higher, curling around a bend and up a steep incline. It opened to the air. "Look here," he said. "Might be a squeeze, but there's an entrance nearby.
They hiked up the natural stone columns to a small platform. Nearly hidden in the wall of the cliffs was a small gap. Kendra edged sideways through the gap, the rock scraping against her protective gear and pressing into her thighs.
"How tight is that squeeze, Kendra?" Seph called.
"Not bad; it opens up after a few feet. You might have to duck, though."
She ran her gloved hand over the stone wall as the scant light from the entrance faded into darkness before her. Kendra swiped the drone's hologram to the side and pulled up the interface for her wearable, turning on the lights woven into her suit.
The others entered the passage behind her. A bright light rounded the corner as the drone met them. After a steep climb down, the path leveled as it opened into a larger chamber with a high ceiling. To the right sat the rectangular stone building, accompanied by broke stone slabs lying on the ground.
أنت تقرأ
We Leapt Into the Sky
الخيال العلميKendra lives for exploration. Drawn to the stars, she can't turn down the opportunity to explore newly discovered ruins on a faraway planet. But the expedition stirs up old memories as four scientists work in close quarters. An undeniable romantic t...
