Shaun F. Messick

Beyond Mars Shaun F. Messick

Twenty-three years after the disappearance of the Mars I space shuttle, NASA receives a mysterious transmission from Adrian Palmer, the commander of the mission. Adrian's brother, Kevin, wastes no time funding the Mars II rescue mission that will be commanded by Jake Palmer, Adrian's son. Jake and Dr. Steven 'Skip" Hendricks, a NASA physicist and guru of religious history, travel through a wormhole that Skip believes was the reason the Mars I crew disappeared. They eventually crash-land on the planet Terrest and are thrust into a dangerous conflict. The native Terrestrians are at war against a superrace of humans called the Gnols, led by Koroan Chast. The Terrestrian's struggle is futile because the Gnols have superior intelligence, strength, and telekinetic and telepathic abilities. It's only when Koroan's own daughter, Celeste, rebels from her father's tyrannical rule and joins Adrian and Jake that the rebels stand a chance. In addition, Skip discovers a prophecy given by Jesus Christ in an ancient temple on Terrest detailing how the Gnols can possibly be defeated. But before the prophecy can come to pass, Adrian and Jake must first stop the Gnols from attacking Earth and enslaving the human race.