A Novel by Admiral Neo
Chapter OneSigma Altaris VI, Code-named "Zhandria",
Earth Calendar July 25th, 2499, 0600 Hours Standard Time
Aboard Consortium Destroyer T.C.S. Zephranteyes
Space. Its big, black emptiness has called to Humanity ever since the first cavemen looked up into the sky and saw the stars. Well, Humanity has finally answered that call. Ever since the discovery of the Cornelius Drive by Doctor Simon Cornelius nearly 400 years ago, Humanity forgot all their petty conflicts of land, religion, language, the like.
Humankind banded into the Terran Consortium, and reached for the stars. Overpopulation had become a problem on Earth at this time, even with the Third World War being just a decade over. After the fiasco in Iraq by President George W. Bush of the United States of America, terrorism still became a problem, and radical Islamic organizations eventually took control over many Middle Eastern Countries and formed the United Nations of Islam.
After a massive military build up by the UNI, they declared war on the rest of Africa and the Middle East, dragging many poor nations, whose militaries unsuited for a conflict on this scale, into the fold. Many nations sought help from nations like Britain, France and the United States. A misfired missile from a French Destroyer on the British Flagship caused France and England to go to war with each other, and in anger, attacked other nations, which had been long time allies.
Soon it was every country for themselves, and the poorer nations were quickly conquered by the larger nations. Causalities were estimated at one billon, with many ethnic groups totally eradicated. Religious fanatics all over the world were calling it Armageddon, the Second Coming, and that their religious icons would soon descend from Heaven and punish Humanity for ruining the Earth.
With all the countries practically battering each other silly until they were exhausted, global leaders all agreed to a cease fire, but continued to rebuild their weakened armies and navies and air forces. Boarder skirmishes were common, and some nations declaring war against their nations. Many scholars thought this was a prelude to the Fourth World War.
Until something miraculous happened.
Doctor Simon Fitzgerald Cornelius proved that FTL travel was possible, and showed his theories to the scientific community. At first he was ridiculed for his theories, but after many scientists swallowed their pride, they checked his work and proved that he was, indeed correct.
The Cornelius Drive works by making the drive be at a low-level, which produces a small amount of anti-gravitons. The sensing equipment on the edge of the drive detects where the anti-gravitons are leading. Once a point is determined by the anti-gravitons, the ship then heads to it, using its Fusion-Ion Engines. When the ship is close enough, or at the point of anti-graviton attraction, the Cornelius Drive is activated, which produces a tear in the Space-Time Continuum, which can allow the ship to travel anywhere in a radius of ten light-years. The more power that is pumped into the Drive, the farther the range of the ship. Intense amounts of calculations are required prior to jumping, as the ship could materialize into an asteroid, another ship, a planet, or even the sun of the system.
And so the discovery was presented to all of Humanity, and it was agreed that the squabbles of Earth were meaningless compared to what was possible with this new drive. And so the global nations formed the Terran Consortium and constructed the first interstellar capable ship, the T.C.S. Prophet. The Prophet, equipped with new Ion Drives and the first ever Fusion reactor, journeyed to the nadir point of the Sol system and activated the Cornelius Drive. The ship was instantly transported from the Sol System to the nearby star system of Alpha Centauri, were the crew went quickly to work.
After a few day recharge, the ship jumped back to the Sol System, proving that the drive did indeed work. The Terran Consortium immediately began a massive colonization program, and thousands of colony ships were built. The prospect of free land and a chance to leave the devastated Earth was a good one to many of Humanity, and around 60 of the global population signed up on a colony ship. Within a century, the Consortium controlled two hundred worlds within a span of 10,000 light-years from Sol.
But on January 14th, 2290, on the eve of the celebration of the discovery of the Cornelius Drive, which made the Consortium's power possible, a Consortium ship near the edge of known space detected a strange, non-human transmission. The Consortium ship sent to investigate, the T.C.S. Durandal arrived on February 4th, 2290, and the ship they encountered was obviously alien in origin.
The Durandal attempted contact on February 6th, 2290 at 1200 hours, CST, after two days of observation. The alien ship, later to be identified as the Might of Valor opened fire at 1205 hours, instantly destroying the Durandal. After four years of complete silence and total military gear up of the Consortium, the alien fleets arrived near Delta Kataeris III, and completely annihilated the Consortium forces stationed there.
The Consortium fleet constantly engaged the alien force, which would later be known by Humans as the Shadow Confederation. The Shadow's fleets were faster, stronger, and stealthier than their Human counter parts, and for thirty-seven years, the Terran fleets were beaten time and time again, and world after world was lost.
When all hope was lost, a soldier named Zack Dumille took charge of the T.C.S. Leviathan and staged an attack on a believed minor Shadow colony. Much to the surprise of the Consortium, the Shadow's retreated after being attacked, and sent all ships to protect the colony.
The latest in Consortium technology at the time, the Death Smasher, a recovered piece of ancient technology, was onboard the Leviathan and for the first, and only time, it was used again the Shadows. The entire Shadow fleet simply disappeared, and the world which had the colony, erupted. The Leviathan, and her crew, however, were unharmed.
Now, nearly 150 years ago since the war, the Shadows have never been seen or heard of again. The worlds lost were recolonized, and the Consortium navy was stronger than ever, patrolling the boarders. Sigma Altaris VI became a hub of the Consortium, where the primary shipyards and training facilities were located.
The might Death Smasher, however, was disassembled and examined, and even today, that mighty piece of technology is still unknown to the Consortium.
Now, in the year 2499, Captain Jack Archer has been assigned to Sigma Altaris VI, to oversee the excavation of alien ruins with Dr. Michael Halsey.
"This flight has been way to long," complained Dr. Halsey. "Every second we waste on this flying rustbuck takes our time away that we could examine these ruins!"
Captain Archer just wanted to shot the man. Dr. Halsey might be the most renowned Doctor of the Study of Alien and Foreign Technology, but he was still a pain in the ass.
"We'll be arriving in a matter of hours, Doctor. We still need clearance from Reach Shipyards, and then we'll have to take a shuttlecraft down to the surface, and a metro to the site. Consortium Command wants this mission to remain hush-hush," said Archer.
"Yes, yes, yes. But can't they find a faster way to do this military bullshit?"
Archer sighed, and keyed a button on the intercom, and said something in Tari, the language of the Terran Consortium. "We'll be in orbit of Sigma Altaris VI in ten minutes, Doctor. Why don't you head down the shuttle bay, and get the Viking prepared for our journey?"
"Right, whatever." And with that Doctor Halsey unbuckled himself from his chair, and floated to the door, swung himself around, and drifted along. The door closed itself automatically behind him.
"That man is such a pain in the ass,…" muttered Archer. "Control, this is T.C.S. Zephranteyes, requesting permission to send down shuttle to planet, to transport VIP to the alien ruin site Alpha 998A, over."
A woman's voice crackled over the radio. "Acknowledged, Zephranteyes, you have permission to send a shuttle to the planet. Please proceed to the following coordinates, launch your shuttle, and await further instructions. Control out."
Archer turned off the radio, and took of his headset, and clicked on the intercom, spoke something in Tari again, and set the ship on autopilot, and unbuckled himself from his chair, and floated to the door, which opened automatically, and he drifted along to the turbolift.
"B Deck," Archer said, holding onto the railings, and the turbolift's computer acknowledged, and the lift moved upward. After a few minute ascension, the lift stopped, and he arrived onto the Destroyer's massive launch bay. The shuttle Viking was already prepared, and the hatch was open.
"My, you sure took your sweet time. Get your ass in here, we don't have all day," said Doctor Halsey.
Archer grumbled a complaint, and walked into the shuttle, and cycled the hatch.
"Bridge, this is Captain Archer, on shuttle Viking. Requesting clearance to launch."
"Roger, Viking. Your clear to launch." And with that, the ion engines of the shuttle flared to life, and the craft exited the Zephranteyes. In the starboard window, the gray-silver world of Sigma Altaris VI loomed on the horizon. Massive gray rings, and spider-like docks, as well as massive orbiting battle cannons orbited the mighty planet. The Viking entered the planet's atmosphere, and the bottom of the craft flared a brilliant bright red.
After a short descent into the atmosphere, the craft arrived at one of the metro bases on planet, to help ferry passengers quickly from one place to another. The shuttle's thrusters activated, slowing the craft down, and landing gear opened up. The craft gently landed on the docking pad. The hatch opened up, and Captain Archer and Doctor Halsey walked off the shuttle.
The two men passed an attendant, who smiled cheerfully at them, and they boarded a small transit.
"State your Identification and destination," said the train's computer.
"Halsey, Doctor Michael. Destination: Terran Consortium Archeological Site Alpha 998A."
"Identity confirmed. Welcome aboard Doctor. This train will be departing in ten seconds. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One." The doors closed, and the transit sped off on the railings. A quiet half an hour later, the transit arrived at the site. Archer and Halsey said little on the journey. Archer disliked Halsey, and Halsey disliked Archer.
The transit came to a gear-grinding stop, and the door opened. Two black-armored Terran Marines, with their C-98 rifles at ready, stood at the base of the transit. They saluted Doctor Halsey and Captain Archer, who saluted them in return. The two walked into the query, were they were greeted by Doctor Halsey's assist, Doctor Robert Malkine.
"About time you showed up, Doctor, we were wondering when you would arrive," Malkine said.
"What have you found, Doctor?" asked Halsey.
"Come and see." And with that, the three men walked deeper into the query, where a large hole, about a three kilometers wide and long, and three deep, was an object, spherical in shape a kilometer at all ends.
"Oh my God," muttered Doctor Halsey.
End of Chapter 1.