SILHOUETTES AND SHADOWS

Moving beyond rocket propulsion while defying world powers, a private corporation secretly builds ships to explore Mars and the Solar System. To survive they must defend their discoveries and goals against a right-wing government, corporate competitors, and foreign countries. Silhouettes and Shadows begins today moving quickly into a dangerous future. An imaginative story arising from the present reality of living on Earth amidst wars, pandemics, and threats to democracy. The team moves humanity toward a future in space. A newly released novel written by award-winning documentary filmmaker and author James R Martin. The novel blurs the line between nonfiction and fiction its documentary-style storytelling.

Silhouettes and Shadows is part one of the new series. Wars and pestilence on the planet Earth continue to dominate history. Totalitarian regimes threaten nuclear war as they invade democratic countries undermining world peace. Propaganda and misinformation are spread on the internet. World Wars seems inevitable. Ignored and abused the environment of planet Earth is becoming less hospitable to Homo sapiens.

“We have a recent invention we want to introduce. We’ve been working on this concept for some time. This is a very special type of device. It may be as significant one day as the creation of the wheel is to human technology. A discovery with far reaching possibilities. This invention allows us to use gravity, magnetic fields, and even the sun itself as a source of power. We employ gravitational fields and use gravity waves to push or pull us in any direction in which we care to move. We have discovered a means to leave this planet and explore, at the very least, this solar system if not the entire galaxy.” —Raoul Sr. Arroyo Aerospace

Family-owned Arroyo Aerospace discovers a revolutionary means of propulsion, replacing rockets, that allows humans to explore the solar system. Is humanity ready to use this invention in a peaceful and universally cooperative fashion? Historical evidence suggests Homo sapiens may be on a death march to extinction.

Marcella sips her glass of Chablis before she speaks. “The question facing us, as usual, is what we do with our discovery? Do we give it to the world, or our government? What will they do with it? Can you imagine adapting this discovery for military purposes? Will our government or another country use this resource to try to dominate the world? Perhaps our government will create laws limiting the drive’s use or calling for tests to prove it’s not dangerous. Will Earth carry worldly politics into outer space? Maybe another ten years will pass before our congress and senate decide who’s going to make money out of whatever happens.” —Marcella Arroyo, Arroyo Aerospace

Raoul Sr. continues, “Imagine the reaction of the fossil fuel industry if they learn of this technology. Oil, gas, and coal resources are owned by the same one percent that control the country and with others, the world. The power we are harnessing is like the wind, ocean waves or the sun, no one owns it. As the inventors we must consider being caretakers.”

“Once we independently establish our capability, launch our ships, and possibly setup a base in space things may get difficult for us here on earth. We will have the advantage of our momentum as a private company with no government funding. There may be an effort to appropriate our propulsion system and technology. We will be prepared to deal with that and with whom we share it. We do have friends and sources that we’ve known for decades that we trust. I believe they will support us, if we need it. They may invest in our efforts financially. However, before we look for outside investment we believe it’s important that we establish our efforts.” Marcella Arroyo – Arroyo Aerospace

“There are privately owned companies building rockets and preparing to travel in space, like Ramurt, Musk, Bezos the Amazon guy, Branson of Virgin Airlines, and others. And yes, we must be able to resist government interference,” Raoul Jr. said. “Governments can’t compete with private enterprise moving into space. It’s already happening.”

“The thing is, this so revolutionary that if we come out publicly with the gravity drive propulsion system before we establish ourselves, we will be attacked by corporations and the government in this country and internationally. Hackers will try to overwhelm our business to steal secrets.” –Raoul Jr.

Adrienne and Josh sit close together, feet up, drinking wine on the balcony of the beach condo. They watch the stars and the very big, silver color moon looming in the distance over the ocean. The moon seems to always appears larger and brighter over the ocean reflecting light on the moving water.

“Beautiful night,” Josh said, “The moon is so bright.”

“Did you ever think you will fly to the moon one day,” Adrienne asks softly as if someone might hear her?

“It never entered my mind,” Josh replies. “I do remember that my father said he once told his mother that humans will go to the moon one day. She laughed and said to my father, “Nate, that’s not possible. The moon is made of green cheese.”

“Well, humans have been going to the moon since 1968, actually landing on all that cheese and walking around,” Adrienne said laughing.

“We’re not landing this time. Just testing the ship and drive. Anyway, we only have one space suit,” Josh said.

“Silhouettes and Shadows arises from the daily nonfiction reality of living on planet Earth. In 2029, as part one of the series ends, the “International Space Exploration Group’s Mars base is well established and on the verge of self sufficiency. Conflicts on earth between nations like China, Russia and the Western Democracies threaten world peace. Silhouettes and Shadows combines a nonfiction environment where science fiction story grows creating new actualities. I wanted to combine the harsh reality of present and possible future life on Earth with a science fiction actuality that might change the direction of humanity”. J R Martin