Wind swirled dust, silence, and the ages around the survey ship, Iliad. Field archaeologist Hannah Alvarez was the first person out of the ship. With field pack on her shoulder, she stepped onto the ramp, facemask dangling against her blue hazard suit. She hurried to the ramp's end. Scans had indicated the air was breathable. It smelled gritty and dry, but breathable. Hannah studied the horizon with its amber shades of desert and mountains--distant remnants of towers crumbling in the shadows. Gingerly, she stepped onto the sandy soil brushing the edge of the ramp. Hers were the first human footprints to have ever imprinted this alien soil and most likely, the first living soul to stand planetside in centuries. She held her breath, savoring this moment. Nakin'sii--the city of dreams.
Thin, gray shadows lay stark against scraggles of petrified trees and brush interspersed with mounds of sand. Could be burial mounds of some sort. She let out her breath in a soft huff. This world had no known records. Only shadowy references on ancient star charts and remembrances in several alien mythologies. No hint of its streets of gold and sparkling oceans. It was said that alien gods once walked this world, creating their cities and oceans by thought or touch. Ancient travelers had witnessed these moments of creation and described a beauty that the universe had never seen before or since.
"I'm here, Andy," she whispered. "Like we always dreamed. Wish you could have been, too."
She felt so small and insignificant on these vast sandy plains and amid the stillness. Beneath these tiers of sand and centuries lay the legend. Hannah's obsession was to unearth it.
In a few moments, Scott Yoder shuffled down the ramp, a field pack on his left shoulder. Like her, he was a veteran field archaeologist. Scott paused beside her, grinning as he shifted from one side of the ramp to the other, taking in the view. Every step was a bounce, every expression a wide-toothed grin.
"I've looked forward to this fieldwalk for years," he said, his words fast and intense. He motioned at the vestige of a tower that shadowed several sand mounds to the west. "Come with me, Hannah! Let the others unload the gear. This is finally our show."
Scott and Hannah were jointly in charge of this dig, funded by the Lunar Archaeological Institute. She and Scott had earned the privilege by discovering Nakin'sii's location via star charts and years of research. They made a good team. They had been friends since college and had worked together on many deep space excavations. He respected her work and her privacy, never asking questions about Andy's illness and finally his passing, never pressing for details unless she offered them. He'd let her hold onto all the painful particulars without pressure. Scott was her best friend and right now, she needed that.
From the myriad surface scans, they'd chosen this landing site because of its proximity to the ruins and sand mounds. So far, it had been a good choice.
"Fieldwalks come later, Scott," said Hannah in a matter-of-fact voice, holding in her excitement. She didn't want to lose her head. There was too much at stake here. "First, we've got terrain to map out, scan data to compare, success probabilities to run--"
"Come with me," he urged, tugging gently on her arm, a brightness in his eyes.
With his relaxed demeanor, tanned face, and wind-blown hair, he looked like a student on his first summer dig. She admired that. No, she missed it. Her load hadn't been that light in many years. Until now, she'd forgotten how that felt.
"Let go of your archaeologist's training for just a little while, Hannah. We did the work. That's why we're here." He held out his arms and turned in a circle. "Look around you--we're standing in the middle of a legend! Streets of gold ... prismatic lakes! No human being has ever stepped foot here. Ever! Think about that."
His words carried on the wind, echoing against the arched stone formations scattered across the sea of desert. A chill slipped down Hannah's spine. Machu Picchu, the Martian rock drawings, the Altisan ruins--and now Nakin'sii. She'd dreamed of this moment for nearly twelve years, but it would take a lot of imagination to see those golden streets and rainbowed lakes now. She smiled, studying Scott's intense gaze and anxious pacing. His enthusiasm was always hard to ignore, but on this lost world, it was compelling.
He pointed at the distant sand mounds to the north. Those mounds most likely concealed artifacts no one had ever seen before. But--this dig had to be done right. Procedures followed. Landmarks catalogued and artifacts carefully packed. Otherwise, they might lose things--or cause injuries. She wanted this expedition to be perfect.
"But the sites have to be chosen before nightfall," Hannah insisted, knowing how little time they really had. A little over a month.
He moved toward her, his grin unwavering, and took her by the shoulders.
"Hannah." His soft, insistent voice held her attention. "It's okay to let go a little. Where's your sense of wonder? Where's your excitement? This ancient world left no written records. Nothing! Only images carried forward in alien songs and stories. And now we're standing on their doorstep!"
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