Mission One by Samuel Best

Titan. Sixth moon of Saturn. A gleaming jewel of natural resources, ripe for harvesting by the first private space company to stake a claim.

Diamond Aerospace launches a ship with an experimental engine that will put a crew into orbit in four months. Shortly after launch, a critical system flaw forces the crew to make a choice: continue to Titan, or go back home. Despite the risk, they agree there’s no turning back. As the truth about their mission unravels, one thing is clear: someone on Earth knew about the danger and covered it up.

Between the failing machinery in space and the corporate politics on Earth, Humanity’s first voyage beyond Mars quickly turns into a deadly game of survival. Yet getting back home alive isn’t the crew’s only concern, because they make it to Titan. They are the first to lay eyes on that distant moon. There’s just one problem.

Something is already there.

Category: Science Fiction – First Contact