The Story

 

Plot:

The exodus from Earth over 4,000 years ago has lead the Nomadic Earth Empire to the far corners of the universe in search of resources and new worlds to feed its ever growing population and hunger for power.  Countless worlds have been swallowed in its wake, more than a few alien species joining its cause to rule existence and therefore, their future.  The military has expanded into the private sector and now recruits starship captains who command contingents of armed forces on their expeditions into uncharted territories.  The Empire has grown so great in size with it's massive cities built upon traveling space stations, that it can no longer blaze trails through the universe in its conquest.  Now it relies upon these privately owned forward scout ships to discover new worlds. One such ship, "The Clairvoyant" has just made a discovery that could forever change their existence.  What they have found could be the key to understanding the origins of the universe.

How can you be a part of it?

I began creating the Quantum: Origins universe a few years ago and have been writing the story of an epic science fiction tale which takes place over 4,000 years into the future.  I have always been more of an artist than a writer but I can't partake in one without the other.  Writing inspires me to create art and vice versa.  This month marks a huge change in the Quantum: Origins universe.  I have opened up the project as a collaborative effort to accept the creative input of other artists and writers.  The scope of the project is huge.  Imagining how many systems, galaxies, and planets that are out there in the vast universe, it's easy to see that there's loads of room for creation.  As an artist/writer, I have certain talents and strengths that I do really well and then there are other creative abilities I fall short on.  I believe this is the case with many artists but when you have a community that spans a large variety of talents, it can all come together in a perfect meld and produce award winning material.  In it's current stage, the project is looking for artists to do character art, create alien races, invent space craft and vehicles, and design new worlds, planets, and systems.  We need artists who are can submit landscape scenery to our universe.  A collaborative example: Someone may design a planet, I would write up the story behind it, and someone else would use that information to paint scenery of the world while yet another artist may feel inspired to create a race indigenous to that planet.  
Another way of contributing which has already helped support the project:  Some artists have the creative spark to just paint.  These artists create because it's fun or because it's therapeutic:  whatever their reasons, they paint incredible things that don't belong to any current project.  Quantum: Origins is proud to give these works of art a home and a story, helping them to become part of an epic collaborative work of science fiction.
If we, as a collaborative effort, pour our creativity into this project, it is a very real opportunity to see it come to life in comics, books, games, or even TV or Movies.  I look forward to working with you all.

-Jason Dement, Creator of Quantum: Origins

I've prepared a brief synopsis of some important background to help acquaint you with the universe we are building.

The story follows the conquest of a space faring civilization known as the Nomad Earth Empire.  This empire was created out of necessity when natural events took the earth back from humans.  The inevitable eruption of Yellowstone and the subsequent chain reactions of devastating chaos had forced the human race to leave their home world and search for another place amongst the stars.

Earth by Gabriel Gajdoš

The emperor, originally a scientist and the CEO of a mega space exploration corporation founded in Iceland, has lived through all of the thousands of years that have passed since the Exodus from Earth via cloning and memory transplants.  While most of the people of Earth had seen him as a madman and lunatic in his younger years, he'd foreseen the impending doom that would befall the human race if they did not colonize the universe.  He was responsible for the colonization of Mars and the construction of multiple research facilities on the moons of Jupiter, which lead to discoveries that vastly improved upon the technology at his disposal.  He developed hyper drives for space craft that allowed them to travel vast distances in short time, perfected the art of cloning and even developed a youth gene which was capable of giving years of youth back to the recipient.  It was due to his tremendous advances in the field of science that he became widely accepted as the savior of mankind.  When the fateful day came that the Exodus was required in 2992 AD, most of the people of Earth gladly swore fealty to him as their emperor.  The ones who didn't either perished in the chaos or set off into space on their own, ultimately doomed, expeditions.

Current day: 4050 EA (etter avgang - Icelandic for Post Exodus)
The Nomad Earth Empire stretches across the vast expanses of the universe.  Countless systems have been colonized or stripped of resources.  Many worlds have been conquered, their people dissolved into the ever growing empire.  Those unwilling to submit to the rule of the empire were enslaved or put to death.

Sentinel of the Watch by Jason Dement

Countless centuries of cloned rebirth have begun to dull the mind of the genius emperor.  He no longer has a firm grasp on his plans for the empire and is unaware of the manipulations and the machinations that have contributed to the growing power that resides in the Watch.  Having served the empire for millennia as keepers of the peace, sentries to guard against any threat, the Watch is highly revered and feared amongst all citizens.  The high council possesses some incredible secret and plots to dethrone the emperor.  Those who are aware of the treachery are wise enough to hold their tongues.

All throughout the uncharted regions of the universe, the forward scout division of the military is being pushed farther than ever before.  No longer are they given specific coordinates from Command, they are escorted by a Sentinel of the Watch and the Sentinels are driving them like cattle. 

Exploring the “Further”, all alone out here, these explorers are the first to chart their destinations.  Some of these ships have stayed their current course for years now and the distance from the main fleet continues to grow each day.

One such ship, the Clairvoyant has just made a discovery.  This discovery will change everything.  Captain Carter cannot fathom how, but looking out upon this world, she knows it to be true.  The view from the bridge fills her with an immense sense of awe but it is tainted by dread for what their trespassing here may bring to pass.

 

 

Some story excerpts...

They’d been on a severed leash for months now.  The captain had mentioned something about “drifting” being a new fascination among those choosing The Empire’s path of conquest throughout the universe.  She didn’t quiet understand what that was supposed to mean.  For as far back as she could remember the Nomad Earth Empire had adhered to a strict code of space travel.  Systematically eliminating the other cultures who posed a threat to The Empire’s safety, they would confiscate all the resources of their worlds before taking back to space to continue what seemed to be a never ending quest for universal domination.  This new “drifting” strategy the Captain had not cared to elaborate on struck Sergent Winters as a disturbing change of protocol.  She hated changes.  Things should stay the way they’ve always been with thorough, well thought out rules and procedures to ensure that a soldier like herself always knew what her mission was and exactly how to complete it.  Questions were dangerous.  Well these kinds were.  And she found herself asking questions in abundance.  She kept her questions to herself of course.  It wouldn’t do for her soldiers to make note of her uncertainty.  What was it about this new destination looming before her in the porthole window that made her skin crawl so?  Just yesterday she would have traded an entire quarter’s pay for a fight.  Anything to rid herself of the lethargy that had settled like a fog over the crew during the past month.  The not knowing made her feel like a child again.  An unfamiliar feeling indeed… insecure?  She was rotting on this ship.  Sergent Winters had never been insecure.
“Let’s get this damned heap on the ground already!”
The others turned at her outburst but she didn’t notice.  She was lost in her thoughts again.

 

 She could hear them "closing the net" down below.  Above the sound of the crashing tide and the raucous call of the seabirds, the constant hum of their hoverlight engines found crevices in the face of the rock.  These smallest of echos told her that they had not given up their search for her.  She was lucky to have noticed their arrival in the distance before they'd come upon her.  On the Vastsea, it was unusual for anything to shadow the sparkle of the waters.  Here on Dolsia Main, the floating continent that is home to the Vastsea, light is omnidirectional, provided by the composition of the Godplanet's unique atmosphere.  A shadow at sea meant someone was out there.

The invading army of the Nomadic Earth Empire had captured a few of the lower barren continents, and until now, they had made no move to venture upwards into the rest of the realm.  Holding no disillusions as to their purpose, Nahlia had left her Zessnir bike on the shore below and took to the cliffs.  The only way out by vehicle would have carried her straight into captivity.  They had certainly come upon her bike by now, engine still warm from her last ride, and would be searching relentlessly for her.
 
She hardly noticed the pain in her fingers, the muscles cramped from a day of riding now forced into the deadly climb.  She was no stranger to the exertion, fierce warrior of the Luscent.  And so it was, today the humans had finally made their move.

"The Starsword must hear of this.  After millennia in wait, we now see the threat that brought our people here to the Godplanet.  We must protect the Dreamers."

Her conscience reminding her of the significance of her situation, Nahlia redoubled her efforts.  She would not be captured.  Their nets would close empty until they gave off chase for she would not fail her people.  No, she would not fail to protect the very existence of the universe.