The Vanguard Protocol
Copyright© 2024 by Sci-FiTy1972
Chapter 2: The Gateway Awakes
The coordinates led Thomas deep into a remote canyon, miles from any road or settlement. Solace guided him telepathically, its directions precise and unerring. After hours of travel, Thomas arrived at a jagged rock formation that seemed unremarkable at first glance.
“Proceed,” Solace instructed.
Thomas hesitated, wary of walking into a trap. “Why should I trust you?”
“You carry the bloodline of those chosen for this task. Without your cooperation, Earth faces annihilation.”
Thomas snorted. “You’ve got the wrong guy.” But something compelled him forward—curiosity, maybe, or the sense that he had nothing left to lose.
As he approached the formation, the orb emitted a pulse of energy that dissolved the rock face like water washing away sand, revealing a massive, alien structure buried within. It was unlike anything Thomas had ever seen: a sleek, obsidian-black craft with shimmering veins of blue light that pulsed like a heartbeat.
“This is Erebus,” Solace said. “An interstellar vessel capable of defending your world. It has awaited a pilot for centuries.”
Thomas stood frozen, awe warring with disbelief. “You’re telling me this thing’s been here the whole time, and nobody found it?”
“It is cloaked from primitive detection methods. Only those with the necessary genetic markers can access it.”
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