The God Protocol: Dragon

Author

D. L. Wilburn Jr.

Author Bio

Don Wilburn Jr. is the author of the near-term Science Fiction Thriller, The God Protocol: Dragon. He has twenty-seven years of government service as a Naval Officer and with TSA, allowing him to collect story ideas from around the world. Don enjoys researching and following “what-if” rabbit holes surrounding the future of Artificial Intelligence and its impact on Humanity. His short story Contact won an honorable mention from the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future. He is a graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, NY, with a BS in Marine Transportation, an MS in National Resource Strategy, and a Doctorate in Business Administration with a specialization in Strategy and Innovation. He lives in Fort Worth, Texas, with his wife and two younger children.

Description

A science fiction thriller set in the near future. Humanity is on the brink of achieving AI Singularity as the potential for alien first contact rises. George Isaacson has dreams of being a global social media influencer, pushing fringe conspiracy theories and government coverups. Not a true believer himself, he knows that plenty of people are. He only needs to hook them. In the Summer of 2023, scientists at NASA discover five objects racing toward a point outside our solar system. Disregarding the official storyline of a naturally occurring event, George spins a tale of extraterrestrials, government coverups, and the end of life as we know it. When the objects start slowing, he realizes the alien conspiracy theories he’s promoting might be true. China and the United States publicly partner to lead the world into a new era in space while their rivalry for global dominance simmers in the shadows. Friction between the two countries is intense, with each seeking to dominate the technological world and solidify its position as the sole superpower. The new cold war heats up with discoveries of espionage that lead to breakthroughs in quantum computing and artificial intelligence. When tragedy strikes, George finds that his drive to become famous could have dire consequences for those who follow him. The response to the crisis may be worse than the perceived threat, and he must decide whether to use his newfound fame to bring the world community together or let it all go hoping everything they know about the threat is wrong. A story pulled from the headlines. Gripping characters intertwine in a story that spans the globe and makes us question whether we understand our place in the universe.

Book excerpt

June 2023 Center for Near Earth Object Studies, JPL, Pasadena, California “Good morning, Tim. Anything new hurling through space at us?” Sharon asked. Tim sat forward, taking the pen out of his mouth. “Not too much, a lot of little ones, just the way I like it. There are about thirty-four new objects we didn’t get to last night.” “Great,” she replied, leaning forward to look at the screen, brushing a lock of brown hair away from her glasses. “Nothing like a long Saturday at work to make you miss the beach.” She looked at her hand sticking out of the white lab coat, not as pale as it was coming out of winter but not as tanned as in previous years. “Have fun with the kiddo, Tim. I’ll see you on Monday.” Tim ran his hand through his shoulder-length blond hair before waving over his shoulder. “I don’t know. Midweek days off seems to be working for you. I’m outta here. See ya.” Sharon grabbed a wet paper towel and wiped down the white desktop around the workstation, clearing several coffee rings. She adjusted the black mesh ergonomic chair to her height and rolled it forward. She reviewed the size, speed, and approach vectors of the objects on the list Tim had left, assigning each a threat recommendation. “Make sure we get the equipment set for our area scans. I would prefer we start on time today.” A general acknowledgment from her team answered her request. The day passed without incident, as most did. She was finishing the last calculations for the list of objects from her team’s list when she noticed similarities between a few of the objects. She tabbed back through the list she had sent for validation and secondary source confirmation and noted two other objects with the same mass and velocity but slight differences in their approach vectors. She opened the 3D model, entered the search area, then allowed for an accelerated approach, filtering out bodies outside the designated approach vector. She watched the simulation play forward in quickened time. The objects would collide with each other in almost two years. Depending on the mass and velocity calculations of the debris, there could be a threat to Earth. Working scenarios through her mind as she manipulated the model, she zoomed in on the sector where the collision was to occur, set the radius for the distance the objects would travel in two years, and centered on the collision coordinates. Three more objects appeared at the edge of the area, following similar paths toward a single point in space. She played the model again on a loop, watching the objects enter the area on different vectors, all moving toward one end. Sharon opened her contact list, scrolling down to the Planetary Defense Coordination Office at NASA. “This is Dr. Sharon Berzing at CNEOS. I have a Potentially Hazardous Object report.” She waited for an acknowledgment before continuing.

Genre Fiction
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