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    Cascade
    Cascade
    Cascade
    Ebook96 pages1 hour

    Cascade

    By Adrian Holland

    ()

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    About this ebook

    An epic space opera, adventure...
    This thrilling twelve part series combines aspects of mythology with new technology, as the human race evolves into its true Galactic Human form.
    Following the advent of NASA’s $10 million ‘X’ prize for the first re-usable spacecraft, many would-be spacemen emerged from the proverbial ‘woodwork’. Most stood very little chance of success, but amongst their number there was one who did...
    John Appleby, an amateur scientist, embarks on his mission with two very unusual passengers. Initially everything seems to be going well, before a sudden explosion sends a shower of burning metal junk into the satellite network. Fallout from their nuclear drives threatens to contaminate the Earth, and the only hope is to call for help, but who will hear his cries from the deepness of space?
    revised edition.
    The purchase entitles you to a Free Book!
    A Way of Being - The Journey to Spiritual Enlightenment
    A semi-autobiography which details how the author became an angel artist...

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAdrian Holland
    Release dateDec 10, 2012
    ISBN9781909466012
    Cascade
    Author

    Adrian Holland

    Adrian is primarily known for his artwork and book cover designs, although he is also an author. Originally, from Solihull, West Midlands, England, he now lives in Rural Cheshire.Adrian has now written over 40 books mostly Science Fiction, although he has also written in other genres including Spiritually Influenced, Mystery, and Fantasy.All of his work can be viewed on his website: www.amazola.co.uk

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      Book preview

      Cascade - Adrian Holland

      INTERSTELLAR

      A Series of Science Fiction Adventure Stories

      2: Cascade

      Adrian Holland

      Published by AMAZOLA

      The right of Adrian Holland to be identified as the Author of the work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988.

      This Book is a Work of Fiction. Names, Characters, Places and Incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

      Copyright © Adrian Holland 2011

      ISBN 978-1-909466-01-2

      All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior per-mission of the publishers.

      For further information please contact the official website at

      www.amazolapublishing.com

      Cover design by Adrian Holland

      I was very close to both of my parents who were my best friends, and I have lost count of the number of happy times we shared, and all of the creativity and laughter. Like my beloved father Joe, my mother Margaret was so special, and my total inspiration. I would therefore like to dedicate this book to their memory.

      Contents

      Introduction

      One

      Two

      Three

      Four

      Five

      Six

      Seven

      Eight

      Nine

      Free Book

      Introduction

      The cold war was the impetus for the Sputnik and Apollo missions, which were loosely based on the German V Rocket technology. Then the Space Shuttle programme expanded upon this, but the basic principle remained the same, and that was that a large rocket had to lift itself and its fuel, together with the appropriate module, supplies and crew, into orbit.

      That proved inefficient and expensive, with launches costing over $1 million a time. The net result was the termination of the shuttle programme, with the Americans relying on Russian rocket capabilities. The European Space Agency, along with the Chinese and various other nations were able to launch satellites and probes, but the whole process was still grossly inefficient.

      After five decades of X Craft development NASA’s unveiled its new X33, which was hoped would be the first re-usable space craft, but that was still some years away from being fully operational. So, in their wisdom, NASA decided to hedge their bets by offering a $10 million X prize for anyone who could get their craft into orbit twice in two weeks, with three new astronauts.

      The prize was eventually won, although many continued with their efforts as the lucrative opportunity to gain substantial revenue from both paying passengers and satellite launches continued.

      Projects sprang up all over the world as a result, although most depended upon large investments by corporate entities. Those of an independent nature stood very little chance of success, although somewhere amongst their number, there was one who did…

      One

      How long have we got to stay here for, Sarge?

      The young constable stared at his watch, eager for his meal break. He was getting hot, as the midday sun shone down from the late August sky.

      Until this crackpot’s finished!

      He was not the only one to feel the pangs of hunger starting to rumble around his stomach.

      They had been asked to put in an appearance on the local playing fields, and the sergeant had just turned off the engine of the patrol car, after negotiating the small lane, which led down from the local pub. They had both seen a man sitting outside eating a ploughman’s lunch, which had not helped the situation.

      Do you think it’ll take long?

      The sergeant nodded his head disappointedly as he looked longingly back towards the Red Lion. He would have given a whole week’s wages for a cool pint of beer, and a sandwich.

      I’d expect so!

      A sense of disappointment filled the car, as they sat in silence for a moment.

      They had parked by a small crowd of onlookers, who had gathered around a woman from the local TV news programme. She was busy signing autographs as the cameraman adjusted his tripod. A sound engineer made up the trio, although he had disappeared for a moment, to rummage about in the back of their four-wheel drive.

      The shrill of a siren distracted everybody, making them all turn round towards a small boy, who had sneaked into the front seat of the ambulance positioned behind them. He was really enjoying himself, pretending that he was racing through the streets of the local town. But, now that he had been discovered, he slipped out of the door, fearful of a reprimand from his mother. The poor woman was now faced with having to apologise to the ambulance crew, who were fortunately very understanding.

      So what’s all this about then?

      The young constable popped his cap on, as he opened the patrol car door.

      His sergeant shook his head, as he reached for his own cap.

      Some idiot space man!

      He pointed to the centre of the field, to where a small team of people was busily unfurling a large balloon, which stretched out across the grass.

      Sarge?

      Realising that he was requesting an explanation, the sergeant put his cap down.

      It must be nearly two years ago when it all started. I met one of the firemen down the local, and he started telling me about this chap who’d come into the station. Apparently he was planning to test his rocket and thought that he ought to inform somebody. Very reluctantly they’d arranged to accompany him down here - more out of curiosity than anything else!

      So what happened then?

      The sergeant began to smile.

      Well, he set his rocket up over there, and at the count of ten he pressed a button on his control pad. The thing shot up into the air, before suddenly returning back to earth. They all dived for cover as it came down in the middle of the allotments, setting fire to one of the sheds!

      They were both laughing.

      It was the most serious fire that they’d had to deal with all week!

      Was that the last he saw of him, then?

      The sergeant wiped the tears from his eyes.

      No, about two months later the chap came back with a much larger rocket, and this time I had to go with them!

      There was an air of expectation in the patrol car, as the sergeant reached the climax of his story.

      "He set the thing up just as he’d done the first time, before launching it into the sky. It shot through the clouds at great speed, before suddenly cutting out. The chap was overjoyed as it returned to earth on the end of a parachute - that was until it crashed through a vicar’s greenhouse. He was feeding his roses at the time, and we watched him fling himself to the ground, only to emerge all covered in horse manure - I’ve never laughed so much in all

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