The Crew of the Paragon

Paragon Whoosh Series Banner by Chip Malinowski

The Paragon interdimensional transport shuttle is built to, as its pilot says, "flip out" of one dimension into nearby parallel worlds. Its team of four young explorers investigate and record the unusual life forms and geology they find on parallel planet Earths to expand human knowledge when they return... if they return.
They refer to their mission as "extreme archaeology in Space!" The plan is simple. After dimension hopping automated robotic probes return with evidence of possibly inhabited parallel planets, or those that might have once harbored intelligent life, then it is time for a team of young professionals to find out for certain what is out there.
The ship appears to have a much more relaxed chain of command than any military vessels do. The Captain and leader is referred to as, "Number One", she knows a thing or two about microbiology, and she has the final say in any group plan, if any of the group is listening to her, which happens sometimes. "Number Two" is the chief and only Science Officer, specializing in geology, who (oddly) gets a better view of things without her glasses than with them. "Number Three" is the pilot, and he is the self-declared security defense officer, even though One tries to make that her job. And lastly, Number Four is a humanoid robot named Diego, who is worth a great deal to the mission; however, if you bought him for what he is worth and sold him for what he thinks he is worth, you would stand to make a great deal of money.
In their initial landing on a parallel earth, they find human-like carved stone statues, and carnivorous animals. But the small flying probes they send down this one peculiar cave do not return, a cave which is concealed behind a secret door with a mechanical opening mechanism! Certainly there was once intelligent life on this world, but what happened to them?
Only a trip down the creepy cave's corridors can find the answer.