We Leapt Into the Sky

Chapter 6

"I'm not against the idea," Bria said.

The four explorers stood inside a round structure made of lightweight metal and canvas. Crates of dehydrated food were stacked on a table beside large drums of water. Bria busied herself with organizing a box of samples they had collected yesterday.

"Yeah, I'm not keen on it," Kendra said.

"Really? Camping out here?" Antony asked. "Listen Seph, if you want to do that, be my guest. But I refuse to camp anywhere with the slightest chance of the ground opening up and swallowing me in my sleep."

Seph's eyes widened and he drew back. "You know what? Forget I mentioned it. You make a compelling argument."

Antony shook his head and left, his bag slung over his shoulder.

"I'll be along soon," Bria said.

Kendra grabbed her pack. "Sure thing."

She caught up to Seph as he strode across the sand with his long legs, his shoulders hunched. He nodded to her, mouth pursed.

Seph sighed as they neared the cavern entrance. "I shouldn't have suggested camping out here. I didn't think it through."

"No worries, my friend. For what it's worth, I like the ride—good time for some morning contemplation."

"I could do without the constant bruises from the rover, though."

"Is that the issue? Why do you have to bring it every day?" Kendra asked.

"Bria wants it here. Didn't like the idea of leaving it out here."

"Then she should drive it."

"She can't. She's too short. Anyway, I don't mind driving it. But I have little in the way of cushioning on my backside right now," Seph said.

"You could repurpose something from the research station," Kendra said. "There may be complaints if you pilfered a couch cushion, but a pillow might work."

He hummed. "A sound suggestion."

Kendra's chest fluttered as she entered the cavern. The sand covering the floor sparkled in the sunlight that streamed in through the hole in the ceiling far above. The golden buildings spread out across the round cave. There were about two dozen buildings, depending on how they judged the end of one structure and the beginning of the next. Many were piled atop each other, built high into the air.

A temple marked the center of the cavern. Stairs led up to the main platform, which featured a long, curved stone roof supported by columns. Two sets of stairs on opposite ends of the pavilion led to more columns, which held up another level of the temple. It was beautiful, and yet odd. The effect reminded Kendra of the buildings she created as a child, stacking blocks at improbable angles until the whole mess came falling down.

She passed the temple, heading for the columns on the opposite wall.

Colonnades circled the ruins. These were carved into the grayish brown stone of the cavern walls, creating three levels of tunnels. The columns stood several feet apart and were decorated with the same intricate floral carvings that adorned the other ruins.

Kendra ran her hand over a column. Tiny blue markings dotted the stone, like those they noticed in the antechamber. Whether they were decorative or served some other purpose, she didn't know. As she gathered scans of the wall, the voices of the two men carried over.

Antony was scanning a building. The drone's blue light washed over the walls, lighting up the intricate floral patterns carved into the side. Seph hovered nearby.