An Introduction to the Crucible Universe
-- Novelette --
Time travel. Impossible? No, but you must also ask why? A science fiction novelette set in 2061 CE, where the crew of the ISA Warship Mercon, led by Captain Arlonious Tafton, encounters an unidentified vessel near Jupiter. During a pursuit into Jupiter's Great Red Spot, a mysterious event involving a cosmic string transports a shuttle carrying Lieutenant Nichols Alsoi, Engineer Jack Arlow, Spacer Jerimiah Johnson, and journalist Sara Prakset back in time by 64 million years to the end of the Cretaceous period.
Rescued by the crew of the starship Athos, the survivors learn about Cretaceous Station, a human colony on Earth tasked with ensuring the extinction of dinosaurs to secure humanity's future. The colony uses advanced technologies like NullBots (nanobots manipulating gravitons) and wavedrive propulsion. The story introduces intelligent dinosaurs called Hypsilophodon, or "Hypes," who are native to this era.
The plot thickens when Alsoi is drafted into a military operation against interda interdimensional aliens from another "brane" (dimension) who aim to prevent the dinosaur extinction, allowing the Hypes to evolve and preventing the evolution of humans. During a space battle, Alsoi destroys the alien vessel, but his actions lead to a court-martial. Despite being exonerated, he and his crew face a choice: join the colony's mission and live in a remote colony with dinosaurs or explore the prehistoric Earth.
The novelette explores themes of time travel, humanity's role in the universe, survival versus preservation, and the impact of advanced technology on evolution. It blends action, scientific speculation, and ethical dilemmas, leaving readers with a philosophical question about the cost of ensuring human survival.
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