When they reached the bottom, Javier let Susan go first. What greeted her was a small tunnel network, lit up by artificial lighting fixed to the walls. At the tunnel’s end there was an opening.
“Be careful as we walk into the antechamber,” Javier advised.
Steps had been cut into the rock beneath her feet. She moved down them slowly and entered the vast antechamber.
It was lit brightly, and at its heart was what she’d come to see. The photos and the data that Javier had sent back to the Institute didn’t do it justice.
The Sphere. All twenty meters in diameter of it, protruding from the ground beneath it as if it had grown from the rock. It was silver in color and shimmered in the light. It was almost reflective.
“It’s like something out of a dream.”
Susan walked toward it, doing her best to avoid all the equipment Javier had scattered around. She put her hand on its surface. It was metallic, but there was a softness about it. She pulled her hand away, turning to Javier, who’d been no doubt waiting to see her reaction for a very long time.
He put his hand on the sphere. “Just think, Susan, this artifact has been down here for six million years.”
It was almost too much to comprehend for Susan. “Orrorin tugenensis would have been taking its first footsteps on Earth.”
Javier nodded. “And Homo sapiens were still millions of years away. Yet there was an advanced civilization in the galaxy that buried this object beneath Orion V all those eons ago.”
Susan looked closer at what was the most peculiar part of the sphere. The markings scrawled all over it. They were pictographic. Almost like ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. But not. “The language of extraterrestrials…”
Javier walked over to the container the Marines had placed down before them. He put his hand atop it. “Let’s hope with some help we can translate it.”
Susan smiled. The excitement had been building inside her ever since she’d left Earth. Now she’d get to finally see if the journey had been worth it. She turned to Major Ripken, who stood in front of the container.
“Open it.”
The Frontier’s Reach series continues with Book 2 - Beyond Nightfall
Author’s Notes
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this book. This is my first published piece of work and never in my wildest dreams would I have thought my creation would see the light of day.
For as long as I’ve been able to hold a pencil in my hand I’ve loved to write. While there were years when it was difficult to take time away from real life, there was always one constant - I invariably returned to my love of creating new worlds and characters.
I grew up during the Golden Age of Science Fiction television. With the premiere of Star Trek: The Next Generation in 1987, its eventual sequels, and the likes of Babylon 5, Battlestar Galactica, Firefly, Stargate, and Farscape, there was no better time to be a sci-fi fan. Unfortunately, as we learned from a particular omnipotent being from one of these shows, all good things must come to an end. With that said, there are a few mdoern productions such as The Expanse, which give me hope we may one day see a reawakening.
I’ve wanted to tell the tales of Frontier’s Reach for many years. It’s premise, stories, and characters have percolated in my mind for far too long. It’s time to let the genie out of the bottle.
For whatever reason I’ve found the shorter form of book, or novella, to be the perfect size for my writing style. My intention is for the series to play out episodically like a serialized TV drama. Some will end in cliffhangers, while in others will be contained to a single installment.
As it stands, the first three books will be published weekly. One can expect to see a new release no later than every four weeks thereafter.
Once again, I’m really thankful you read Orion’s Dawn and hope you stay on board for the second book–Beyond Nightfall. If you enjoyed it and can find the time, please head over to Amazon and write a review. Any kind words you could give would be much appreciated.
Until next time…
Robert C. James
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Table of Contents
Welcome
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Author’s Notes
Connect with the Author
Orion's Dawn: A Gritty Space Opera Adventure (Frontier's Reach Book 1) Page 9
