Promotional image for the anthology “Ruins.”

Ruins: A Space Opera Anthology is on pre-order now through the end of May. The anthology was created by Matt Herron and along with twelve other tales, includes my 12,000 word story “Sunrise.”

A large sleeper ship on a mission to colonize a far-distant planet is pulled off course awakening the command crew. The vessel is in the gravitational field of a highly unusual solar system, one where the star has been modified to be a thruster pulling the entire system with it toward the edge of the galaxy. What’s worse, for months, the ship’s AI has been in contact with an alien intelligence from that system which is surrounded by thousands of asteroids, shepherd objects guiding the system’s course.

Captain Art Cuevas and his crew use a shuttle to travel to one of the shepherd objects trying to get some answers, especially now that they’re too far away from their original destination to get to it before the ship’s fuel supply is exhausted.

What they find is startling and will either spell their doom or perhaps a new and unanticipated life.

Here’s a sample:

“Does that mean the alien computer has been copied to the Minokawa?” said Art.

“A distinct possibility,” said Jeff.

“No anomalous activity in the transaction so far,” said Holly.

“This will take a few minutes,” said Esther. “Why don’t the rest of you remove your helmets and relax. If it’s too cold, I can turn up the temperature.”

“Esther…” started Art.

“Let’s wait until Nan completes the validation protocols,” said Jeff.

“Okay, but everyone keep your helmets on,” said Art.

“Spoilsport,” said Esther.

“Has Esther always been this playful?” said Holly.

“Nan didn’t like the original personality overlay,” said Jeff. “Before we left Mars orbit, she programmed something she considered more interactive.”

“You never approved of me, Jeff,” said Esther.

“We’re still dealing with something that is probably more alien than familiar,” said Art.

“Give a girl a chance, Art,” said Esther. “I’ve always had the highest enthusiasm for the mission.”

“What mission is that, Esther?” said Nan.

“How did I check out?” said Esther.

“Answer the question, please,” said Nan.

“Why, the preservation of humanity by seeding your species among the stars, of course.”

“Nan?” said Art.

“Still preliminary, but the high-level tests check out. It’s a copy of Esther, but without a detailed analysis, I can’t tell if she’s been influenced by the alien system.”

“Can you tell us why we’re here, Esther?” said Jeff.

“To help solve a problem and to save humanity,” she answered.

“What problem?” asked Nan.

“The damage that was done to the sun by the starlift operations,” said Esther. “At current levels, there’s significant doubt the star will survive to reach the appointed destination.”

“What’s starlift for those of us to don’t speak astrophysics?” said Nan.

“In this context, star lifting refers to using energy to manipulate a star’s solar wind creating propulsion,” answered Jeff. Then to Esther he said, “Can you be more specific about the problem?”

“Of course, I can,” said Esther. “I’ll transmit a high-level summary to your suit’s processors.”

“Wait a minute,” said Art.

“You don’t trust me,” said Esther. This time her tone wasn’t playful.

“No, I don’t,” said Art. “Would you in our place?”

“I’ve run a diagnostic on my suit,” said Nan. “It hasn’t been compromised.”

“I’ve been monitoring your communications,” said Esther. “As Jeff said, if I wanted to harm you, I would already have done so. I need your help and frankly, you need mine.”

“Interfacing,” said Jeff.

“Damn it, Jeff.” Art took a step but Nan stopped him.

“We aren’t going to get anywhere by playing it safe,” she said.

“You’re the one saying this to me?” said Art.

“Fascinating,” said Jeff.

“What?”

“A few moments,” Jeff replied.

“The other end of the room seems to be a set of workstations.” Holly had wandered to the left of the corridor and was walking among an expanse of standing consoles. The control panels were blank but each emitted a small glow.

“I see, or somewhat,” said Jeff. “As I suspected.”

“Suspected what?” asked Art.

“We have to go into the star system,” said Jeff. “There’s nothing we can do from out here or in any of the shepherd objects.”

“What are you talking about?” said Art.

“Esther and the alien database have been communicating for quite some time,” said Jeff. “They’ve each shared their mutual issues of survivability and came to the same conclusion.”

“What conclusion?” said Art.

“I know why there are ten dead bodies in the stasis pods,” said Jeff. “They wouldn’t cooperate with the consensus.”

“Nan, what’s he saying?” said Art.

“Haven’t a clue.” Nan looked suspiciously at Jeff.

A shrill scream nearly deafened them. It was Holly, but over the helmet speakers, they couldn’t tell which direction it came from.

“She was designated to awaken first in the event of life form contact,” said Esther. “She wants to know if you’ll help.”

Art scanned the workstation area but couldn’t see Holly.

“In here,” said Nan. She was in the stasis pod area. In the corridor between there and the EVA room, something stood blocking her.

“I can translate,” said Esther. “I hope you’ll tell her what she wants to hear.”
“I can talk to her,” said Jeff.

Holly was rooted to a spot only a meter from the alien with Nan a few steps behind her.

“Stay where you are, Jeff,” said Art.

“Don’t you wish we’d brought guns now?” Nan’s voice was high and thin.

“Oh, damn.” Holly’s breathing came loud and fast over the speakers.

“Like Nan said, Art,” said Esther. “You’re not going to get out of here by playing it safe.”

Jeff kept walking toward the alien. Art took a few quick steps and grabbed his shoulder.

“I can assure you I know what I’m doing,” said Jeff.

“She wants to know if you’ll correct the starlift procedure,” said Esther.

“Tell her if we can discover the control center, we will inhibit the reaction,” said Jeff.

“She wants to know if she can trust you,” said Esther.

“That answers one question,” said Jeff. “If she and these others are invested in correcting the starlift, why didn’t they go?”

“I don’t trust them,” said Esther.

“You or the alien intelligence?” asked Jeff.

“There’s almost no difference at this point,” said Esther.

“Are you up to speed yet, Nan?” said Jeff.

“Yes, and it’s freaking incredible,” said Nan.

“She’s getting impatient,” said Esther. “I don’t believe she came out of stasis entirely rational. Another reason not to trust them.”

“Oh, damn. This is not happening,” said Holly. She moved into a crouch.

“The aliens adapted this star system to escape a coming galactic disaster,” Nan said. “They took the population of four worlds with them.”

“What disaster?” said Art.

The pre-order includes both the e-book and paperback formats for the anthology as well as a lot of promotional items and special edition made possible thanks to a very successful Kickstarter.

Pre-order your copy today.