Guardian Compressor Training

 

Readers of the Guardian Series will be aware that candidates attending the Guardian Academy need to submit themselves to the most gruelling, intensive, and mentally stimulating course in existence, the 5 year Compressor Training Program.

A 24 hours a day, 7 days a week marathon of personal sacrifice, study and application.

 

Only those who survive to the end have the privilege of calling themselves Guardians, and of wearing the black uniform that distinguishes them from all others.

 

But you must have wondered, what do students actually study? What courses are they required to attend and pass before they can successfully move on to the next phase of training?

 

Well, here you go...

A little indication of the syllabus each candidate must complete to ensure their physical, educational, mental and psychic limitations are stretched to the limit.

 



 

Obviously, I can't include everything the students have to deal with. There'd be far too much to include here, but, this overview will give you an idea of the scope of their commitment.

 

I hope you enjoy studying the syllabus. Through it, you'll become that little bit more appreciative of the sacrifices our heroes have to make to ensure their service is beyond reproach.



Kalliste-Type "Other Earth's" Do Exist

As fans of the Guardian Series will be aware, one of the most amazing discoveries the Guardians have made to date, is the discovery of a fictional Earth-Like planet - Kalliste - on the edge of the Pegasus (Spheroid) Galaxy.



Guardians - book 2 of the series - details quite a bit more scientific data about that world and the system in which it lies. In book 3 - Fallen Angels - due in the Fall of 2014, many more interesting snippets will be forthcoming.

With what you've read so far, I'm sure you've wondered...just how much science is there within the fiction? Could a solid, Earth-like, planet actually exist out there? You see, the more sophisticated scientific instruments become, the more places scientists are discovering that might be capable of supporting life.
But, what about an actual solid, rocky world like our own?

Well, look at this article I discovered in Sciencedaily.

*****

 

Astronomers announced recently that they have discovered a new type of planet — a rocky world weighing 17 times as much as Earth. Theorists believed such a world couldn’t form because anything so hefty would grab hydrogen gas as it grew and become a Jupiter-like gas giant. This planet, though, is all solids and much bigger than previously discovered “super-Earths,” making it a “mega-Earth.”

 

“We were very surprised when we realized what we had found,” says astronomer Xavier Dumusque of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA), who led the data analysis and made the discovery.

“This is the Godzilla of Earths!” adds CfA researcher Dimitar Sasselov, director of the Harvard Origins of Life Initiative. “But unlike the movie monster, Kepler-10c has positive implications for life.”

The team’s finding was presented today in a press conference at a meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS).

The newfound mega-Earth, Kepler-10c, circles a sunlike star once every 45 days. It is located about 560 light-years from Earth in the constellation Draco. The system also hosts a 3-Earth-mass “lava world,” Kepler-10b, in a remarkably fast, 20-hour orbit.

Kepler-10c was originally spotted by NASA’s Kepler spacecraft. Kepler finds planets using the transit method, looking for a star that dims when a planet passes in front of it. By measuring the amount of dimming, astronomers can calculate the planet’s physical size or diameter. However, Kepler can’t tell whether a planet is rocky or gassy.

Kepler-10c was known to have a diameter of about 18,000 miles, 2.3 times as large as Earth. This suggested it fell into a category of planets known as mini-Neptunes, which have thick, gaseous envelopes.

The team used the HARPS-North instrument on the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG) in the Canary Islands to measure the mass of Kepler-10c. They found that it weighed 17 times as much as Earth — far more than expected. This showed that Kepler-10c must have a dense composition of rocks and other solids.

“Kepler-10c didn’t lose its atmosphere over time. It’s massive enough to have held onto one if it ever had it,” explains Dumusque. “It must have formed the way we see it now.”

Planet formation theories have a difficult time explaining how such a large, rocky world could develop. However, a new observational study suggests that it is not alone.

Also presenting at AAS, CfA astronomer Lars A. Buchhave found a correlation between the period of a planet (how long it takes to orbit its star) and the size at which a planet transitions from rocky to gaseous. This suggests that more mega-Earths will be found as planet hunters extend their data to longer-period orbits.

The discovery that Kepler-10c is a mega-Earth also has profound implications for the history of the universe and the possibility of life. The Kepler-10 system is about 11 billion years old, which means it formed less than 3 billion years after the Big Bang.

The early universe contained only hydrogen and helium. Heavier elements needed to make rocky planets, like silicon and iron, had to be created in the first generations of stars. When those stars exploded, they scattered these crucial ingredients through space, which then could be incorporated into later generations of stars and planets.

This process should have taken billions of years. However, Kepler-10c shows that the universe was able to form such huge rocks even during the time when heavy elements were scarce.

“Finding Kepler-10c tells us that rocky planets could form much earlier than we thought. And if you can make rocks, you can make life,” says Sasselov.

This research implies that astronomers shouldn’t rule out old stars when they search for Earth-like planets. And if old stars can host rocky Earths too, then we have a better chance of locating potentially habitable worlds in our cosmic neighborhood.

 

*****

We live in exciting times. The science fiction of today is gradually rolling forward to merge with established science fact. As an SF writer myself, I have to admit, that scares me a little. I have qualifications in astronomy and physics. Even so, I find myself having to conduct more and more research to give the fictional, futuristic technologies I write about in the Guardian Series that ring of truth. It's becoming increasingly difficult to stay one step ahead of our scientists as they continue to unravel the mysteries of the universe at an alarming rate.

 

It often makes me think...

 

Thank goodness for imagination.

 

Otherwise, what will the science fiction authors of the future have to write about?

 

Stay tuned - hopefully the Guardian Series will continue to surprise you. :)





The Guardian Fleet.

 

Now that you’ve read Guardian Angels and Guardians, you’ve no doubt come across reference to a number of starships.

Some are mentioned by name. Others by classification. Many were destroyed during the Abaddon Incident.

So, just how do the Guardians arrange their Starfleet?

Well, the accompanying diagram may help a little.

 

Basically, a Group is led by a Command Carrier. (A craft that serves a function very similar to the aircraft carriers of today). The Olympus serves as the flagship of the entire fleet, as well as the command carrier for A Group. She carries a compliment of 1400 crew.

The Olympus is supported by the following ships in A Group:

2 Dreadnoughts. 680 crew.

8 Cruisers. 450 crew.

16 Frigates. 200 crew.

Earth itself is protected by the 1^st Fleet, which is divided into A, Φ, Ψ, and Ω Groups.

Although each vessel is equipped to fulfill a specific role, certain technical, defensive and armament similarities are evident. (Quantity and placement varying according to ship classification).

Propulsion:    Tession/Keller LA-32 FTL Drives. 2 Main – 1 Auxiliary

                         Conal/Sigmund Slipstream Sub-light impellors 6 main – 2 Auxiliary

                         Shogun repulsor/XTR thrusters with atmospheric entry capability

Shields:           Lorenzal Mitigator Reactive/Targeting Emitters

Outer Hull:     Lyssium ablative/reactive armor

Armaments:  Orbital/Linear plasma generators

                        Photonic cannon pods

                        Raptor antimatter/plasmic torpedoes

                        Irrenor-Husker Antimatter/nuclear javelin silos

                        Dual kinetic weapon pods

Mobility:        Viceroy matter-transporters

                        Trident shuttle-darts

Obviously, as their story develops, you can expect to see quite an expansion in the Guardian fleet, with the addition of several brand-new armadas to cater to humanities expanding needs.

Until then, imagine you were the captain of a starship. If time and distance was no object, where would you visit first?

The Guardians - Ahead of our Time?

As you know, from time to time I like to highlight how the adventures of the Guardians keeps its collective finger on the pulse of reality.

 

 

Recently, I mentioned one of the planets that the Guardians help colonize, Kalliste.

 

However, this is just one of a number of worlds where they do such things.

In the very latest book currently being written - Phoenix Rising - there's a grand revelation regarding the Ceol Star system, and a rather unique symbiosis with a very special place, Armoin.

 

Ceol is an M class Red Dwarf with one planet within the habitable zone. (An area also known as the Goldilocks zone, which is the region within which a planetary-mass object with sufficient atmospheric pressure can support liquid water on its surface)

 

Obviously, the bounds of the habitable zone are calculated knowing the requirements of Earth's biosphere, its position within the solar system, and the amount of radiant energy it receives from the sun. Such factors are believed instrumental in determining the scope and distribution of extraterrestial life and intelligence.

 

The stuff of sheer fiction perhaps?

Well, please take a look at this rather interesting press release from the CETI institute regarding exactly that kind of thing with a real life Red Dwarf (Kepler 186) and an actual world called Kepler 186f.

 

 

http://www.seti.org/seti-institute/press-release/press-release-first-discovery-earth-sized-planet-habitable-zone?utm_content=bufferb0a08&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

 

It makes interesting reading, and is another example where the science fiction of today, may very well become the science fact of tomorrow.

Enjoy :)

Don't forget

Coming later this year...

 

Fallen Angels - Book 3 of the Guardian Series

 

 

Your world will never be the same

Kalliste – A Worldwide Zoo of Discovery

Last week, I introduced you to Kalliste, and told you a little bit about the conditions there. Here’s the map again, so you can get an idea of reference.

Imagine, if you can, a world of endless virgin forests, open grasslands, and mountains so high, it looks like they might attempt to puncture the atmosphere. The seas and oceans are stark and majestic, exemplifying the fact that Kalliste is a world of stark beauty and harsh and rugged terrain.

Of course, the wildlife native to this planet matches the splendor of such an impressive world. Here are some details lifted from the initial report supplied by Deputy Marshall Anatt Yasin, to Guardian Command, regarding some of the species encountered there.

Flora & Fauna:

At this stage, it has been determined that two of the continents, (Nerada and Paladin), are home to four of this planet’s five deadly predators, with those animals being common to both.

The ursine is best described as a combination of a grizzly and polar bear, but half again as big. It has been nick-named a Grylar. It appears to eat anything that moves and will have to be monitored closely. Studies appear to show it favoring deep woodland and high altitude.

There are three main families of big cats.

One is docile and appears to have some form of telepathic ability similar to that displayed by dolphins. It looks like a cross between a Jaguar and a Puma, being similar in size to the former. It is carnivorous, but loves company, and enjoys acting as a retriever of all sorts of objects.

We have affectionately dubbed it a Guappa.

It is susceptible to moods and as such, colonists will need to be strictly instructed as to how to act around them, as when aroused, this animal is capable of inflicting severe injuries.

The other two big cats are much more hazardous.

The first has been christened a Veran, a saber-toothed leonine that stands nearly six feet tall at the shoulder and which is blessed with leopard markings. It inhabits the grasslands and coastal regions and is an excellent swimmer, with many marine animals included in its diet. It appears a solitary animal, and so far has displayed an excessive wariness of humans which is to be initially encouraged.

It too seems to display a form of telepathy and would serve as an excellent future “guard dog” if we can instill in it an adversity to hunt humanoids. Thankfully, one of its favorite foods appears to be Silverstreaks, (see below), which may solve a number of problems for those eventually living in coastal areas.

The final big cat predator is similar in size to larger male tigers.

Called a Quincha, it looks like a cross between a tiger/cheetah/hyena and is twice as fast. They can cruise at seventy miles an hour and have the stamina of a marathon runner. So far, the top sprinting speed of this animal has been measured at one hundred and ten miles per hour.

As with the Grylar, they eat anything that moves, but appear to have a preference for carrion.

The final predator of concern is a reptile–a lizard we have called an Ozzaman. It looks like a small dragon, and can reach twenty feet in length. It will fly for very short distances if it has to and is an excellent swimmer. This beast can vent actual steam through its jaws that strips the flesh from its prey.

The oceans have massive variety of life–(precise enclosed – Appendix D). The only direct danger is represented by the aforementioned Silverstreak, a thirteen foot long eel that can cut through the water in excess of eighty miles per hour. It is highly aggressive and will attack sudden movement without provocation. Colonists are to be educated about the danger this genus represents.

However, caution must also be exercised in the presence of a species of fish christened a Shogun Emperor. It is an extremely venomous fish, the poisonous barbs being positioned along its fins. Although its diet consists of other fish and micro-organisms, it is extremely inquisitive and will brush along you if given the opportunity. This is not a sign of aggression. This species appears to say “hello” by doing just that. As such, extreme caution must be exercised in its presence, as the neurotoxin it delivers is indirectly lethal, inhibiting control of the muscles.

Fortunately we have only found this creature around the southern seas of the western continent, Viridian, where the currents appear to congregate them within a one–three thousand mile radius.

All oceans are home to a species of giant squid that measures in excess of fifty feet. Fortunately this creature is very shy, although inquisitive. If it does approach you, expect to be examined and fondled closely. (A very unnerving experience by all accounts!)

There are a number of mammalians which are plankton or fish eaters and so far we have not discovered an aggressive genus.

Apart from these examples, the only other predator of concern is isolated to Viridian. It is a bird of prey similar to an Eagle, which viciously attacks anyone or anything straying too close to its nesting sites along the western shores of that continent. We have christened them Fire-Strikes, as their claws secrete a naturally occurring acid that can paralyze its victims. Fortunately, their largest prey appears to be sheep-sized bovines plentiful across the entire landform.

 

So, there you go. I wish I was a better graphic artist. I have pictures in my minds-eye that would really bring these creatures to life. But, that’s where you come in. As you read the story, see if you can visualize what these beasts would look like if you came face to face with one, and how it would react. And then try to image what it would be like to have one as a pet!

What would your choice be? A Fire-Strike? A huge Veran, or your very own Ozzaman steam dragon?

Stay tuned. As the series progresses we’ll find out much, much more of the remarkable worlds being discovered, and what it would be like to live there for real.

A Picture Paints a Thousand Words

For those of you who have read Guardians, you will be aware that our friends have begun a colonization process, ready for the time humanity reaches out into the vastness of space. The first area they have selected centres on the planet Kalliste, in the Elpis Star system.

 

In fact, Andrew stumbled across the Elpis Star System during the events recorded in Guardian Angels. I thought you might like to find out more about Kalliste, but, instead of just talking about her, I thought I'd show you a few pictures and maps.

 

 

Elpis (an ancient Greek word for Hope) is an F(IV) blue-white sub giant star located in the Pegasus Dwarf Galaxy. This sun has 1.7 times the mass of our own Sun, and 6 times the luminosity.

In all, there are 7 planets within this system, divided into two distinct regions. The inner zone has four rocky planets: Ovid, Seneca, Apuleius, and Kalliste. The outer area encompasses 3 gas giants: Arminius, Virgil, and Arrhenius.

 

The action takes place on Kalliste, (Beauty), an Earth-like planet of dense teeming jungles and majestic mountains. Fortunately, conditions there create extensive cloud cover, reducing surface light to near acceptable levels. Callistran and Theron, the two moons orbiting this wonder, create high tidal variations. Nevertheless, with a little help from the Guardians, Kalliste has been terraformed into an absolute delight.

 

Kalliste herself has a diameter of 12,693 miles, and a 'K' standard day of 39 hours.

In Guardians, a base camp has been established on Neranda, the largest of the three continents. As you can see from the basic map, Neranda is larger than the other two continents - Viridian and Paladin - combined. Quite a bit of action will take place here in Fallen Angels, and later books too, so I thought it would be nice to familiarize you with the place.

 

Of course, there are a lot of interesting animals, native to this planet that colonists will have to contend with. What are they and what might they look like?

 

Aha! You'll have to wait until next week for that. In the meantime, say hello to Kalliste, and see if you can remember any of her basic features from the storyline...

More to come soon.