Promotional image for my short story “A Monolith in the Regolith”

As you all (hopefully) know, about a year-and-a-half ago, my novel Our Legacy The Stars: A Tom Corbett Adventure became a reality thanks to the fine folks at Starry Eyed Press. It had started out life as a serialized story (something I’d always wanted to do) on Amazon’s now defunct Vella platform. From there, it went into book form, a full-length tale based on the 1950s television show with the science and locations updated for our current understanding of our solar system and space.

More recently, I had the opportunity to continue Tom’s adventures in the short story A Monolith in the Regolith (the original title was The Monolith of Mars but another story in the anthology had Mars in the title so mine was changed).

The anthology, Tom Corbett, Space Cadet: An Original Short Story Anthology is now available on Amazon in both Kindle and paperback formats and my story is pretty much a sequel to Legacy including characters I introduced in my novel.

Here’s a sample of what you can expect (Note: I’m also promoting this on my substack but with a different excerpt featured):

“So how did the monolith makers do it? Take them to other worlds?” asked T.J.

“You said Earth’s oceans,” said Tom. “T.J. those readings you got. Could they have been from Earth?”

“Not really,” said T.J. “I mean I only got to scan for less than a minute, but there was a lot more CO2 in the atmosphere and it was hotter and more humid than most places on Earth.”

“Not the Earth of today,” said Tom staring at Nancy.

“Pretty good guess,” said Nancy. “We haven’t had a huge amount of time to study the portals and other technology, but we think the monolith builders created this place, well one reason anyway, was to save these Martians from their dying oceans.”

“By transporting them to an Earth of the past,” said Tom.

“Our past but 3.5 billion years ago, it was their future. I doubt anything but microscopic organisms could have survived in Earth’s oceans that far back in time, although there is a portal setting for that era.”

“You’re abandoning Mars?” Tom sounded incredulous.

“Not exactly,” said Nancy. “We’re going to use the monolith technology to make Mars self-sufficient.”

“By raiding the Earth of the past for resources,” said Tom.

“That’s nuts,” said T.J. “Aren’t you like changing the past when you do that? What about the killing your grandfather paradox?”

“The closest to the present we can set the portals is one million years ago but there are also options for fifty million, one hundred million, five hundred million, going all the way back to 3.5 billion. That’s quite a variety, but we can’t really live anywhere further back than say four-hundred-and-forty million years and even that’s hardly ideal.”

While they had been talking, numerous large trucks were being loaded and a few had gone through the two portals. Right before transition, Tom watched the portals flare a bright blue-white and their slow swirling became a mad churning of high-energy plasma. That lasted only a few seconds and once a truck was through, the disk resumed a more sedate state.

“We’ve got to rush.” Carter was suddenly at Nancy’s side again. “You two,” he yelled at the remaining guards. “Report to Checkpoint Charlie and board their transport.” They saluted and dashed off. “Hold them here another five minutes,” he said to Nancy. “Then we’ll take off together.”

“What about them?” Nancy asked.

“They’re of no use to us where we’re going so they’re staying behind permanently,” said Carter. “You can handle that, can’t you?”

“You’ve got it, love.” She didn’t take her eyes off Tom as Carter left again.

“By now you’ve lost communications with your security forces at N45 and other access points,” said Tom.

“Arkwright’s plan,” said T.J. to Tom. “You had this arranged all along.” He turned to Nancy. “Looks like your goose is cooked, Nan. If you all bug out to Earth’s past, no one will be here to run your machines and bring you back.”

“Originally, other compatriots from nearby bases would have taken over but now that’s not an option,” said Nancy, her aim wavering between the two of them.

“Why not give yourselves up?” asked T.J. “Beats running around on Earth millions of years ago playing tag with the dinosaurs.”

“We don’t understand the power source that runs the monolith,” said Nancy, “but we do know how to overload the portals. If Guard troopers crash the main entrance to this or another portal chamber, they’ll be triggered in sequence. When this place goes up, Mars will get a very new, very massive crater.”

“You’ll be trapped in the past,” said Tom.

“I’m sorry it had to happen this way.” Nancy walked closer to Tom and put her lips close to one ear. “Under other circumstances we could have had something together.”

She stepped back as Tom realized that something had changed on his suit.

“You couldn’t have like jumped her and disarmed her just then?” T.J. sounded incredulous.

“This isn’t an adventure novel, T.J.,” said Tom. “Besides…”

What looked like a jury-rigged alarm system near the main double-doors to the chamber began an intermittent blaring and the lights flickered between white and red.

“The raiders!” exclaimed Tom. They’ve bypassed the booby trap at the main entrance.”

As an extra feature, here’s a bit of a quiz for you all to consider (you may have to consult your Tom Corbett lore). Post the answers in the comments below.

Also, please buy, read, and leave a review for the anthology. It will help if you also read and review the novel that precedes it.

Indie science fiction adventure needs lots of love.