The Vanguard Protocol
Copyright© 2024 by Sci-FiTy1972
Chapter 1: The Relic Beneath the Sand
Act 1: The Discovery
Thomas’s life takes a dramatic turn when he uncovers the orb, and Solace begins to communicate with him telepathically. Solace guides him to the Erebus, buried deep beneath the desert. The ship awakens under Thomas’s touch, recognizing him as its Chosen Pilot. However, activating the Erebus sends a signal into space, alerting the Kael’dar to Earth’s existence. Thomas reluctantly realizes that the survival of his planet rests on his shoulders.
The relentless sun bore down on the Arizona desert as Thomas Morgan maneuvered his rusted ATV over a dune. His latest contract—a scavenging job at the remains of a defunct military research base—wasn’t promising, but it paid enough to keep his head above water. With his dogged persistence and military background, Thomas had carved out a niche as a freelance salvager, though the work was lonely and uneventful.
Arriving at the base, now half-swallowed by the desert sands, Thomas powered down his ATV and surveyed the desolation. Broken fences, collapsed buildings, and decades of neglect spoke of a place forgotten by history. It suited him. He preferred places no one else wanted to go.
Using a hand-held scanner, Thomas began combing through the rubble. Hours passed with little more than rusted scrap and faded equipment manuals to show for his efforts. Just as he was about to pack up, his scanner beeped, indicating a dense metallic object buried beneath the sand.
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