Page 3 of Ancient Rising

In twenty minutes, their base would be ready, and they could leave their seats.

Harwin flicked on the acknowledgement light to release the others, and then, everyone began their tasks.She got up, stretched, and looked at Sossos.“How was the flight?”

“Smooth.Why did you pilot?”

“To put it bluntly, it is the only seat that fits me properly.”

He chuckled, but his face shingles flared in embarrassment.Yes, the flutter had turned out to be embarrassment.

“It’s fine.There are taller and smaller species.Not everything fits everyone.”

Sossos nodded.“Ready to start your dream job?”

“Sure.I am wondering why the professor has been hiding details from me.”

“Not just you.None of us know the exact details of this project.It’s a secret.We just trust the professor.”

“Well, he looks at me like I am a bug but a pretty bug.Now I get to find out why he was insistent that I was with this team.”

“What?”

“He made this offer two years ago.I only became available a week before I contacted him.He was shoving a guard contract at me hours later.”She grabbed her bag and headed into the transformed passenger area.The chairs had shifted into the dining area positions, and the space was large and open now.

She went to the dispenser and got a bag of water and some tea.Flying made her thirsty.

The professor smiled and nodded.“Excellent flying.Everyone in the boardroom.I have something very exciting to show everyone.”

The ship was still expanding, but the boardroom was off the galley.

Harwin asked, “Can I bring food?”

“Of course.We want to do preliminary scans of the site and make a plan of attack before we go out there.The suns are relentless.”

She didn’t hesitate.She went to the food dispenser and got her meal pack heating before the others could.She ate more and needed to get a head start.

Two minutes later she had her meal and was heading to the boardroom to take her seat.

It took twenty minutes, but they were all seated, and the far edges of the expanded base were creaking still.When the base screwed itself to the ground for stability, they relaxed.

Professor Kliotted looked at them and grinned.“We are the first team allowed on the surface since it cleared six years ago.This site was only cleared by the wind two years ago.”

They were excited as the display of the site came up.

“We have five years to discover the secrets of the sun city and record them for future generations.Our names are going to be recorded next to some of the most amazing finds in history.”The professor looked at her.“Yours, too, Harwin.”

“Thanks,” she said absently.She stood and reached for the display, enlarging images of the city and the statues.“Oh, wow.That is familiar.”

Kliotted’s eyes glittered.“Is it?”

She turned the display to enlarge the pathway leading to the giant pyramid.“Holy...that’s the great pyramid of Giza, only bigger.”

The team looked at her.

“It was a ruin on my home world before it was destroyed.A wonder of the ancient world.This looks exactly like it.”She stared.“This is trippy.”

Kliotten grinned.“And this is why I wanted you here.Gentle beings, we are on Aten, the silent world of Ra.”

Harwin sat down with a thud.“Wow.”

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