5352
Anesha Prasad-Jackson sat in the window seat at 30,000 feet and looked down on an expanse of white, pillowy clouds that looked like a child’s version of heaven. Her watch read 0538. The rising sun bathed the scene in a pinkish hue, and she wondered how many other planets in the universe offered this kind of beauty as a matter of course.
The brief she’d been given had been matter-of-fact, but its implications were clear. Ten years as an archaeogeneticist had prepared her well for this moment.
“Non-human remains found at an archaeological dig site dated approximately 300,000 years ago,” the director had said. “Buried with an early hominid, most likely Australopithecus. Extract specimens for DNA analysis doing as little damage to the specimen as possible.”
Dr. Ndoki dozed in the adjoining seat, but for her, sleep was impossible. If this is what the military seemed to be implying, it could be a discovery with the potential to change the course of history. Slow, steady breaths, she told herself. You’ll know soon enough.