First Fleet

"...a cross between Battlestar Galactica and H. P. Lovecraft"

"..classic space opera with elements of Lovecraftian horror!"

In the captivating novel "First Fleet" by Stephen Case, humanity embarks on a thrilling odyssey of galactic exploration. As a military fleet stumbles upon the enigmatic remnants of an extinct alien civilization, the fate of humanity beyond Earth hangs in the balance. However, their awe and excitement swiftly morph into abject terror when a medical regeneration pod awakens something unimaginably destructive, plunging the fleet into chaos.

With the entire First Fleet goes silent, the Second Fleet is dispatched to assemble a team of scientists to unravel the mystery. ---

In the distant future, Earth's Military operates under the protection of the Contract, a groundbreaking agreement that promises to bring fallen soldiers back to life. Through the use of advanced technology, their minds are uploaded to the Brick, a quantum-entangled storage unit shared by every ship in the fleet. When death occurs, a res-pod carries the remains back to a medical frigate where the body is regrown, and the mind is downloaded from the Brick.

The First Fleet, on a mission to vanquish the Colonizers, a group that fled Earth space to escape humanity's genocide, engages in battle with the Colonizers and stumbles upon the ruins of an enigmatic non-human civilization. These ancient ruins possess a psychically maddening quality, causing confusion among the System soldiers who find themselves not only battling the Colonizers but also each other.

When a res-pod containing alien DNA accidentally revives an alien consciousness, the First Fleet succumbs to the alien intelligence. The ensuing investigation falls s to the Second Fleet led by Admiral Tholan. Determined to unravel the mystery, Tholan assembles a team led by scientist Davis Germaine, with Beka, whose sister vanished with the First Fleet, among their ranks. Desperate to find answers, Davis and Tholan are willing to sacrifice the minds in the Brick for the truth they seek.

Beka's and her team face the daunting task of downloading minds without corresponding bodies, resulting in horrifying consequences as the mismatched minds meet a gruesome fate. Yet, driven by a chilling determination, Thorn and Davis push the team to commit even darker deeds. But a glimmer of hope emerges when they learn of one intact body from the First Fleet that has arrived.

Donovan, a survivor of the First Fleet, met his demise in the prologue and drifted through space within a res-pod until he is discovered by Cam and her husband, Paul, settlers on a terraforming world. Cam, a former member of the System military who possessed the ability to hear the voices within the Brick, revives Donovan, unsure of the ethical implications involved. With her two daughters, who possess even greater powers, Cam embarks on a journey to uncover the secrets of the Brick and sets them on a collision course with the Second Fleet and the alien intelligence.

"First Fleet" by Stephen Case is a gripping Lovecraftian horror science fiction novel that explores the boundaries of life, death, and the terrifying unknown. With its enthralling blend of military action, mind-bending alien intelligence, and a battle against human malevolence, this captivating tale will leave readers on the edge of their seats, questioning the nature of humanity and the far-reaching consequences of our actions.