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Red Sun
By Michael J. Foy, Author of The Kennedy EffectThe galaxy is composed mostly of suns referred to as main sequence stars. These are starsthat still use hydrogen as their primary fuel source. Once a star has exhausted its hydrogen it thenmoves on to the next stage of its life which depending on its mass can be a White Dwarf, RedGiant, Supernova or Black Hole. In the formation of a Red Giant, a main sequence star willexpand, typically encompassing its inner planets and destroying any civilization on those worlds.The following is well known story of a civilization bred to life under a red sun and an escapeewho comes to enjoy god like gifts of a yellow sun.Irsa observed Colonel Jod make his landing just outside her window as the Red Giant sunshown wanly on her sharp yet not wholly unattractive facial features. Her priorities, however, layin the sciences as opposed to the cultivation of beauty. She was most gratified that her generationtwo combat chassis performed so well for the officer. The first generation was one of the mostdurable and popular enhancements that the military had ever enjoyed. It was hard to imagine animprovement. Gen One, as it was called, was known throughout the galaxy as the star troopersultimate weapon. With it a soldier was practically invulnerable. Any destructive energy thatthreatened the wearer triggered the device to warp space time around the man. It virtuallycompressed the surrounding field between the advancing force and its target into a twodimensional singularity that no physical weapon could penetrate. Anyone watching a Gen Onesoldier under fire would swear that the man’s skin was made of steel as it deflected projectiles.The system also enhanced all the wearer’s senses. For offense it provided for energy projectionweapons that can be directed wherever the soldier looked, the beams seemingly coming from his
Red Sun
By Michael J. Foy, Author of The Kennedy Effecteyes. Also by marshaling and channeling the space time continuum a wearer could achieve flightat speeds only limited by his imagination.How can one improve on such a device? You could make it more portable. Instead of the bulky back pack that was now required a clever science lab could miniaturize even the nanoboticcomponents. That’s exactly what Irsa did for her second generation device. Now instead of a backpack it could now fit into the palm of one’s hand. A great leap forward. Another improvement was for the device to be able to recharge with solar power, although her world’sgiant red sun proved a little inadequate for that task. It would’ve been far better had they orbiteda main sequence star that was still burning hydrogen as its fuel source. A smaller yellow sunwould be far more effective at powering her generation two combat system. Still, most of theworlds that they policed had the smaller yellow suns. Those that didn’t could still be handledwith troops on the first generation system. Now, however, even the second generation was old news to Irsa. The latest tests revealedthe third generation to be a smashing success. With it a soldier didn’t need mechanicalcomplements. The system was entirely incorporated in the soldiers biological make up. Onecould even be born with it if introduced to the mother during gestation. With that thought Irsalooked around to see her assistant Lara taking some readings in the lab. Earlier in the day theyhad just celebrated her engagement to an important member of the planetary council. A greatcatch as he was also part of an influential family.At that moment Colonel Jod entered the lab with his Gen Two combat chassis in hishand.
Red Sun
By Michael J. Foy, Author of The Kennedy Effect“A stunning success, doctor. I couldn’t have imagined improving the old model but thislives up to your billing.”“Thank you, Colonel. Although I hope you don’t become too attached. We might bereplacing it soon too.”“I’ll believe it if you say so. I can’t wait to see what you have in mind.”She accepted the compliment with a smile.“So what can I do for you Colonel?”“You’re the most informed person I know, doctor. So I wanted to get your opinion of thisyoung system theory that I’ve been hearing so much about.”“You mean that our sun used to be smaller and with more planets in orbits now engulfed by our larger red one?”“Yes, that. But also that there was a civilization on one of those inner planets.”“Oh, that was for sure. Our archaeologists have been picking up artifacts from that worldfor centuries now. They had a relatively advanced civilization. Space faring too. They may haveeven been capable of leaving this system. We think they had the technology.”“What did they look like?”“Quite a lot like us, actually. They would be able to walk among us and we wouldn’teven know it.”“That’s disquieting doctor.”“I wouldn’t worry too much about it, Colonel. After all their world was swallowed up byour sun billions of years ago.”“And they couldn’t have survived?”
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