Initiation Series: Series One Compilation (Terran Chronicles)

by James Jackson

  Initiation Series

  By James Jackson

  This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. All rights reserved.

  Copyright © 2017 James Jackson

  Terran Chronicles Universe

  Initiation Series

  My Amazon author page

  eBook Novels

  First Contact

  Discovery

  Colony

  Alliance

  Voknor Diaries

  eBook Short Stories

  Johnny’s Jaunt

  Pythos

  Jie’s World

  End of Times

  Sharz Affect

  Joe’s Notes - Gamin Technology

  Emma’s Legacy

  Other Works by James Jackson

  Mamluk

  www.TerranChronicles.com

  Dedication

  To Jason, Jeff, and Shannon, who have been a part of this series since its inception. Without your support, this series would still be a dream.

  Acknowledgements

  To Amy, Brandon, Darren, Jairis, Leonard, Michael, and the many others who have followed the development of this series, I thank you all for your constant support.

  Contributor of Gamin names; Chris Hagerman.

  A special thank you goes to Shannon and Jeff, who reviewed, then edited this story. I greatly appreciate the vast amount of time, energy, and effort, they contribute.

  Another person I must thank is my longtime friend, Jason. His website design work and dedication is greatly appreciated.

  To Kayla, who has drafted various pieces of artwork, I offer my deepest gratitude.

  Gratitude and thanks to fellow writers, great and small;

  Annie Acorn, Lydia Aswolf, Jaime Conrad, Robbie Cox, Vanessa Finaughty, Melissa Foster, Alex James, Andrea King, Stephanie Neighbor, T.S. O’Neil, Charity Parkerson, Kevin Swarbrick, Clara Grace Walker, and Gae-Lynn Woods.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  In memory of Isaac Asimov, Arthur C Clarke, Robert Heinlein, and Gene Roddenberry, visionaries all.

  Table of Contents

  Preface

  Series Overview

  Section One: First Contact – Novel

  Section Two: Johnny’s Jaunt – Short Story

  Section Three: Discovery – Novel

  Section Four: Pythos – Short Story

  Section Five: Joe’s Notes Gamin Technology – Journal

  Section Six: Colony – Novel

  Section Seven: Jie’s World – Short Story

  Section Eight: Emma’s Legacy – Journal

  Section Nine: Alliance – Novel

  Section Ten: End of Times – Short Story

  Section Eleven: Voknor Diaries – Novel

  Section Twelve: Sharz Affect – Short Story

  Epilogue

  Conversion Chart

  Glossary

  Terran Chronicles Universe

  Initiation Series

  Preface

  The Terran Chronicles Universe is a science fiction adventure series which begins in Earth's near future and spans far beyond.

  The 'Initiation Series' encompasses the first five full size novels, five short stories, along with two journals.

  Humanity discovers they are not alone in the Universe, and that space is perilous. However, things are not all they seem to be. Enemies become friends, while others prove to be dangerous beyond all measures of comprehension.

  Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: Nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not: unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent – Calvin Coolidge

  Welcome to the ‘Initiation Series’, the first series of the ‘Terran Chronicles Universe’.

  This is a work of fiction, or is this our ultimate destiny?

  I hope you, the reader, enjoy this as much as I have enjoyed writing it.

  James Jackson

  Terran Chronicles Universe

  Initiations Series

  Overview

  In book one, ‘First Contact’, humanity meets an alien race called Gamin, when their fleet of damaged space craft arrives in orbit. Their leader, Regent Voknor, quickly makes his demands known, forcing Earth’s leaders to capitulate. The Gamin unexpectedly leave, and once gone a partially built space craft is discovered in the Australian Outback.

  Book two, ‘Discovery’, follows a multinational team who complete Earth’s first spacecraft. While the Terran explores the stars, the technology discovered on the alien craft filters into society, forever changing Earth’s political and technological landscapes.

  Humanity’s desire to reach for the stars leads to book three, ‘Colony’, which follows the many trials and tribulations of establishing a presence on another world.

  The fourth book, ‘Alliance’, starts with a refitted Terran exploring distant worlds, in particular a derelict spacecraft from which they strip weapons and other technology. Cindy answers a call for help from Regent Voknor, and in doing so earns the wrath of the Atlan’s, the Gamin’s mortal enemy.

  Book five, ‘Voknor Diaries’, reveals the start of the Atlan-Gamin war, thousands of years ago, and then follows Voknor’s life, from a hatchling to challenging the rule of the Empire.

  Section One: FIRST CONTACT

  Novel

  Preface

  “With mankind inventing new technological marvels ever faster and faster, I have to wonder; what’s it like out there amongst the stars. Is it peaceful? Is it safe? Or are things the same, just with a different bag of tricks? What happens if we are found first? Will we fall the way the Aztecs and Incas did, or will we survive our first contact? Within the Terran Chronicles Universe, we get to see how our future could be, should a more advanced civilization discover us.” - James Jackson

  “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”

  - Arthur C Clark

  “I prefer a dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery.” - Thomas Jefferson

  “Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.” - Isaac Asimov

  "The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything" - Albert Einstein

  Welcome to First Contact, book one of the Terran Chronicles Universe.

  Introduction

  Humanity has looked to the stars with bewilderment since we first stepped out of our caves and gazed upwards. Cavemen watched in awe as comets and shooting stars streaked across the night skies. Soon enough, though, we made patterns out of the stars we saw, and added stories and folklore. As time moved inexorably forward, mankind was able to track these stars with greater efficiency and accuracy. Theories about our planet and its importance were generated, and then thrown out as our technology slowly improved from crude eye glasses to massive telescopes.

  As our modern era rolls on, we find that humanity is watching and listening to the stars as we search for extraterrestrial intelligence. We have sent probes far out into our solar system as we continue to look ever outward. With each galaxy containing many millions of stars, and there being bil
lions of galaxies, it is hard to imagine that we are all alone in the universe. Our solar system is way out on the edge of one spiral arm of the Milky Way galaxy, making our home, Earth, a quiet place in the suburbs. Yet here we are, making all the noise we can to attract attention as we look for signs of intelligent life.

  The adventure upon which you are about to embark, is but one possibility of what happens to humanity when all that noise gets noticed. This first contact is not exactly how we expected it to be, but then what did we really think would happen? With the intentions of our visitors not being fully known or understood, we are powerless to do more than become bystanders to our own fate. Earth's history is replete with examples of what happens when a powerful civilization meets a technologically inferior culture.

  First Contact follows the individuals who eventually form the intrepid core group that through design and luck find themselves working together. Some are military, some civilian, and others we are not so sure what their roles are, at least not just yet. Some of these people work with these alien visitors, others against, this is our way when faced with uncertainties.

  This series with its twists and turns, reveals humanity’s fate one step at a time. I do hope these words provoke your interest as you take that first step with me and explore 'First Contact'.

  Chapter One - What Lies Beyond

  Dave stares out through the space capsule’s tiny porthole once again. His large, blue eyes search the distant stars. He finds the view quite serene and beautiful. The ship’s slow roll brings new stars into view, as others disappear from his sight. He is hoping to catch a glimpse of Pythos, their home world, for today is the day they finally return. He gazes back outside and wonders once again why they are even on board. The ship has not really needed them at all. Everything has been running on automatic since they left the space dock, a little more than three years ago. He reflects on the long journey to their nearest world, Harthos, followed by the equally long, and boring, trek back. For Dave and his three colleagues, the adventure is at last coming to an end.

  Dave slowly turns at the sound of movement behind him. He watches as Larry makes his way hand over hand to a chair. The low gravity is something they all still enjoy. Dave shakes his head as he watches Larry perform his usual routine.

  It takes Larry some time to get seated. Once situated, he flicks a few select switches on his control panel. Then, after a moment’s pause, speaks clearly into a microphone. “Ground control, Artemis One here, are you receiving?”

  Brett stands nearby, leaning against a junction that separates two of the many segments that make up this compact spacecraft. He looks at Larry sympathetically, and then shakes his head as well. “They’re not gonna respond, you know. Something must have happened to the transmitter.” Brett points upward, though he really has no idea where the transmitter actually is.

  “I know!” Larry responds indignantly. “We stopped receiving transmissions over a year ago,” he continues, mimicking words that he has heard many times before.

  Dave frowns slightly as a flash of light from outside the porthole catches his eye. “You know,” he says with some concern in his voice. “We oughta be getting something back. We’re almost there.” He glances back outside again, but cannot see anything that would account for the unexpected flash.

  Brett shakes his head in disagreement. “We lost the whole assembly then!” Before anyone can refute his statement, he leaves the command capsule.

  Larry simply points to his controls in defense. They clearly show that nothing is wrong with the transmitter, or anything else for that matter. Dave nods his head in agreement, and then shrugs his shoulders as he returns to his own thoughts once more.

  The four men have gotten along quite well. Surprisingly enough there have been no real problems between any of them. The only argument was when ground control stopped responding to their hails. The last transmissions received deemed the interplanetary mission a success, and then nothing. To the crew though, the undertaking has also been a disappointing failure. There is no life on Harthos, not even microbes. The many probes launched, reported over and over that the planet’s soil and atmosphere are unable to support even the most basic of organisms, let alone the billions waiting in hope for a new planet on which to live. The tedium was broken during their orbit of Harthos by one of the few decisions the crew actually had to make. The computers had asked them how many probes to launch. The answer was obvious: All of them.

  A bright and colorful streak of light flashes past Dave’s view port. It catches his attention and interrupts his thoughts. “What the heck was that?” He calls out in surprise. With wide eyes, he tries to locate the source of the unusual light.

  “What was what?” Brett, their commander, replies pensively as he returns to the bridge.

  “I saw a streak of light; it had all kinds of colors in it. I've never seen anything like it.” Dave responds while still staring out into space.

  Brett nods knowingly, yet also dismissively at the same time, as though he does not believe Dave for one second. Ignoring the comment completely, he issues his instructions. “We’re almost home. Everyone buckle up so the ship can put us into orbit.”

  Dave sighs as he gazes around the space capsule in wonder. The resources of many nations went in to making this technological marvel. Its quarters, though cramped have sustained the four of them very well. He looks down at his diminutive body and smiles wryly. As a child, he, like the others, was often teased and tormented for being small. Who would have thought that in the first manned mission, that the size of the crew members would play a vital part and make all the difference? While getting into his chair, he realizes that their search for life, no matter how insignificant, has been a dismal failure. He feels pangs of sadness at the thought. No one had really been expecting aliens to be there, but they did not expect the planet to be completely lifeless either.

  Silently, the four men buckle up and wait. Even their journey home had been preplanned to the finest detail. There is however, one more decision to be made and Brett smiles as he makes it for them.

  While flicking a switch on his control panel Brett states with authority, “Now opening the main view port.” He grins as he does so. The quiet serenity is suddenly broken by the blaring of a proximity alarm. Brett’s grin turns to horror as the scene outside reveals itself.

  “Great Harthos!” Exclaims Dave at the sight before them.

  A spacecraft of unimaginable size dominates their view; it is so large it partially obscures Pythos. A beam of light appears out of nowhere, and strikes the monstrous alien craft. The intense light melts, and then peels away a slice of the ship. The ruined section drifts off into space as if it were a thin strip of tin foil. The beam of light stays with the damaged spacecraft as it twists and turns, trying to elude its attacker. These maneuvers leave deep furrows along the monstrous craft’s sides and upper structure. As soon as the laser beam ceases, another begins, soon to be joined by another, and then another. Each beam of light is being fired by a new attacker. They seem to be working together, trying to wear down the target’s defenses.

  Dave cannot contain himself. “Laser beams?” He asks as he glances briefly at his colleagues.

  The others do not even acknowledge the question. They can barely tear their eyes away from the mind-boggling sight before them. With Artemis One having little to no fuel reserves, and running fully on autopilot, all the men can do is watch in stunned amazement at the space battle before them. The free-floating chunk tumbles over and over as it gets ever closer to them. Brett’s eyes are huge, there is nothing they can do except hope that the ship’s computers react. He is so overwhelmed he fails to even consider switching to manual control.

  Larry stares at his controls, then with grim determination flicks some more switches. The last of their crew, Tom, finds his voice before anyone else.

  Tom, with fear almost overwhelming him, is practically hyperventilating as he stutters. “Don’t, don’t Larry. Do, do we... do we r
eally want...” Struggling he blurts out, “...them knowing we’re even here?” He points out toward the terrifying space battle raging before them.

  Brett gulps as a second massive vessel seems to appear out of nowhere, and approaches their home world. Laser beams dance out from a fresh wave of smaller spacecraft. Having been in orbit on the far side of Pythos, these smaller, more agile craft, were well hidden. Like gnats, they swarm at the pair of larger incoming vessels.

  Tom groans as a large piece of debris passes dangerously close by. The damage to the distant ship seems very slight, and yet this single piece of debris is easily much larger than their entire ship.

  Dave glances nervously at his three crew mates. “How big are those spaceships? And why are the little ones attacking? What happened while we were gone?”

  Again, his questions are left unanswered. They spot debris littering the upper atmosphere of their home world. The tiny ambushers fire their lasers, eliminating the few remaining satellites as they pass. The large damaged vessels attempt to shake off the never-ending barrage of laser fire, even as their armor melts or is peeled away.

  Brett stares at the scene in astonished silence. His eyes follow the small ships, watching as beams of light blaze toward the larger craft. As he watches, another massive craft appears before them, seemingly arriving upon a streak of colored light. It enters the thick of the space battle, adding to the chaotic scene with its own maneuvers. Now there are three immense armor-clad vessels under attack from literally hundreds of smaller, nimble ships. Sporadic return fire upon these smaller ships simply causes what appears to be powerful shields, to glow. The large, lumbering spacecraft slowly turn away from the battle, even as more of their fleet arrive.