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Their onboard AI, ARIA, had inexplicably failed, contributing to the catastrophic spatial error. As the crew grappled with this reversal of fortunes, a bizarre temporal rift exerted its inescapable pull, drawing the Asteria towards a massive artificial structure orbiting a star - a gargantuan Dyson Ring. Alien craft swarmed them, immobilizing the ship with tractor beams before transporting the humans to an eerie chamber. There, a strange alien presence coalesced before them - the enigmatic Defenders. They revealed a harrowing tale of cosmic devouring forces known as the Void Eaters, an implacable scourge bent on extinguishing all existence. The Defenders' sole hope rested on the Asteria's revolutionary temporal drive to generate an impenetrable barrier and halt the Void Eaters' cataclysmic advance. In a desperate gambit, the Defenders integrated the human technology with their own, birthing a shimmering temporal membrane that enveloped the ravaged cosmos. The Void Eaters' insatiable hunger was stymied, their path of destruction arrested. As the cosmic maelstrom subsided, the Defenders extended a bittersweet offer - the crew could remain to safeguard this fragile reprieve. Paul and Dr. Chen accepted, while Georgia and the others chose to return aboard the Asteria. The Defenders' technology propelled them back to Proxima Centauri's vicinity. On the desolate world of Proxima b, Georgia established a toehold for humanity but yearned to explore further. Proxima c, just outside the habitable zone, beckoned with the tantalizing promise of alien civilizations. A reconnaissance probe, however, awoke a terrifying leviathan that dragged the Asteria itself from the skies in a furious bombardment. The crew cautiously ventured into this new world, soon encountering bizarre inhabitants who proclaimed themselves Watchers of the Cosmic Web - a vast energy network spanning the galaxy. To stabilize the fraying web, they sought to integrate the Asteria's temporal drive. Though the process proved arduous, the symbiosis succeeded, and the aliens, in gratitude, repaired the human craft and provided safe passage. Emboldened, the Asteria sailed into the cosmic web's currents, finding an unlikely path that carried them back to Earth - still stranded 100,000 years in the past. Here, they bore witness to the fabled Annunaki, alien progenitors who had sculpted humanity from terrestrial seeds through genetic mastery. As these inscrutable gods guided the nascent human species, Georgia's crew was captured, only to escape back to their craft amid a hail of plasma fire. With the temporal drive's power, they made a final leap, materializing in their own epoch - but on an Earth rendered a desolate, lifeless husk. Seeking answers, they tracked the path of the dreaded world-killer "The Darkness" to Saturn's moon Titan, where human and alien refugees eked out a fragile existence. Among the bedraggled survivors, Georgia was stunned to find the displaced crew from another iteration of the Asteria, including Paul and Dr. Chen. Though they toiled to reverse the ecological ruin through temporal manipulation, all efforts floundered. | ||||||
| About the AuthorJ. Thomas Hunton grew up in rural Maine, the youngest of four siblings in a typical 60's family. His love for nature and exploring led him to spend his days walking through fields and forests, climbing trees, and fishing in brooks and lakes. But at a young age, J.Thomas was forced to navigate family separations and choose between his parents. These challenges left him feeling withdrawn, turning to fantasy and poetry as an escape. It wasn't until his eighth grade teacher saw potential in his writing that he considered becoming an author. At seventeen, J.Thomas joined the Army and quickly matured as he was exposed to new environments and cultures. After three years, he left the Army and married his love Frances before joining the U.S Navy. J.Thomas proudly served for seventeen years, reaching the rank of Navy Chief Petty Officer. During this time, he also pursued higher education while working various jobs in electronics and construction. In 2019, J.Thomas lost his wife Frances to cancer and struggled with grief and depression. Eventually, he reunited with an old flame from eighth grade, Barbara, who he later married. The couple moved to Florida in 2022. J. Thomas returned to writing in 2024. He quickly completed his second novel, "Displacement," which was published in November of that year. Currently, he is revamping "Marscape" under the title "Marscape: Revisited" and working on the sequel to "Displacement." Today, J.Thomas lives in Florida with his wife Barbara and their dog Willow. He continues to pursue his passions for writing and music, collaborating with other musicians who share a love for bluegrass and country music. |
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