Further than Before- Pathway to the Stars Read online

  Title Page

  Author – Matthew J. Opdyke

  Title – Further than Before

  Subtitle – Pathway to the Stars

  Publisher – FTB Pathway Publications

  Copyright © Matthew J. Opdyke, 2018

  All Rights Reserved

  Kindle Edition

  Disclaimers

  This is a work of science fiction and utopian fantasy. The names, characters, businesses, places, incidents, locales, and events are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious way and with the utmost of respect toward all parties.

  Please understand: reading this text and enjoying it may increase your reading comprehension level and that is the intention. If there are any blatant errors or constructive suggestions, please advise the author through email, at [email protected].

  Please be aware: This book was written using the mind and heart of the author, and in the majority of cases, it was written completely “off the grid.” In brief moments if there is a quote, the author uses quotations and directly sites the author within the text. In many occasions, the author wrote prose and phrases that are spoken every day, or in the past, and should never be taken from any artist since a major part of any amazing story brings a sense of normalcy. Otherwise, this text is original in every sense, wherein, in this book the author also suggests we search for the well-being of those around us as well as ourselves.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page- (Click to Jump)

  Disclaimers- (Click to Jump)

  Table of Contents- (Click to Jump)

  Epigraph- (Click to Jump)

  Preface- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 01: Vesha Celeste, Section 1- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 02: Vesha Celeste, Section 2- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 03: Vesha Celeste, Section 3- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 04: Eliza Williams, Section 1- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 05: Eliza Williams, Section 2- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 06: Eliza Williams, Section 3- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 07: Eliza Williams, Section 4- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 08: Eliza Williams, Section 5- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 09: Eliza Williams, Section 6- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 10: Eliza Williams, Section 7- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 11: James Cooper, Section 1- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 12: James Cooper, Section 2- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 13: James Cooper, Section 3- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 14: James Cooper, Section 4- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 15: Building a Party- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 16: Amber Blythe, Section 1- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 17: Amber Blythe, Section 2- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 18: Amber Blythe, Section 3- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 19: Erin Carter, Section 1- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 20: Erin Carter, Section 2- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 21: Erin Carter, Section 3- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 22: Erin Carter, Section 4- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 23: Pathway Industries, Section 1- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 24: Pathway Industries, Section 2- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 25: Pathway Industries, Section 3- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 26: Pathway and the UP, Section 1- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 27: Pathway and the UP, Section 2- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 28: Pathway and the UP, Section 3- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 29: Eliza and Politics, Section 1- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 30: Eliza and Politics, Section 2- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 31: Najem Grace, Section 1- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 32: Najem Grace, Section 2- (Click to Jump)

  Epigraph (Second Half)- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 33: Joanne Gallant, Section 1- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 34: Joanne Gallant, Section 2- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 35: Joanne Gallant, Section 3- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 36: Eliza and Vesha, Section 1- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 37: Eliza and Vesha, Section 2- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 38: Solar System Operations, Section 1- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 39: Solar System Operations, Section 2- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 40: Joanne Gallant, Section 4- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 41: Pathway and the UP, Section 4- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 42: Sky Taylor, Section 4- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 43: Sky Taylor, Section 1- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 44: Sky Taylor, Section 2- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 45: Sky Taylor, Section 3- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 46: Shayeena Arezo, Section 1- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 47: Shayeena Arezo, Section 2- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 48: Shayeena Arezo, Section 3- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 49: Ariel Boshka- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 50: Laetitia Zemani- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 51: Sky Taylor, Section 5- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 52: Joanne Gallant, Section 5- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 53: Joanne Gallant, Section 6- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 54: Politics, Section 1- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 55: Politics, Section 2- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 56: Politics, Section 3- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 57: UAS Space Force, Section 1- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 58: UAS Space Force, Section 2- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 59: The IMC, Section 1- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 60: The IMC, Section 2- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 61: IMC Zone-01- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 62: IMC Zone-02- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 63: IMC Zone-03- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 64: IMC Zone-04- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 65: IMC Zone-05- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 66: IMC Zone-06- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 67: IMC Zone-07- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 68: IMC Zone-08- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 69: IMC Zone-09- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 70: IMC Zone-10- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 71: IMC Zone-11- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 72: IMC Zone-12- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 73: Work and Play, Section 1- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 74: Work and Play, Section 2- (Click to Jump)

  Chapter 75: Work and Play, Section 3- (Click to Jump)

  Appendix (Spoilers)- (Click to Jump)

  Appendix – Dr. Eliza A. Williams – Preface- (Click to Jump)

  Appendix - Character Summaries- (Click to Jump)

  Appendix – Glossary- (Click to Jump)

  Appendix – Artwork- (Click to Jump)

  Appendix: Thank you- (Click to Jump)

  Epigraph

  “Each one of you can change the world,

  For you are made of star stuff,

  And you are connected to the Universe.”

  ~ Vera Cooper Rubin, Astronomer

  ~ * ~

  “There may be obstacles, but there are no limits.”

  ~ Mark Dean, Computer Engineer

  Preface by Author

  During my spare time, I decided to take on an exciting project. As I think back, this project took many years of study through life’s sometimes crazy and sometimes hum-drum journeys. The act of writing is my way to manifest my concern for the well-being of others. Research, experience, inspiration, and several challenges along the way tempered my personal character and as a consequence, the characters, journeys, and plots which are woven together throughout my story. I would like to actually believe that
I am a complexed yet straightforward individual with a lot of love in my heart for the people of this world, no matter our station or background because that is how I think and feel. I believe that we have extraordinary potential, especially when it comes to helping those around us. I trust that doing so will bring joy to our lives, chiefly as we reach out to others in the spirit of love, kindness, and wisdom. I believe that as difficult as it may seem at times, we can find joy when we allow others to inspire the greatness within us. This story is meant for everyone to enjoy. I have written every aspect of this with my heart, my soul, and the creativity of my mind. I spent many hours, days, weeks, months, and more, breathing life into quite a few delightful characters and forcing myself to listen.

  As you pore over this, please remember that each of us has untold potential. It is up to us to ensure we as a civilization can build a legacy that is worthy of preserving for the long-haul. Our potential is ours, so let’s be amazing. There may be some slow parts, but I assure you they are necessary to the story for consideration by society as a whole. Each moment is worth the journey taken. I believe that political science fiction is a tool for ideas to be shared in a way that will inspire greatness. Utopian fantasy can create the pleasant environment that entertains and takes us away into a reality that further encourages our great minds. Letting go and writing this preparation for a grand space odyssey has filled my days with wonder and hope. Using my own rules, considering ideas for an enriching and a healthy state of mind with a penchant for innovation, and quite simply going for it has invigorated my resolve to move forward no matter the obstacles before me.

  The characters we will meet will journey within a Universe quite similar to our own in so many ways, yet we will get to witness a fantastical idea of what could happen if we were to work together. Given our present issues, dilemmas, concerns, and phenomena, while delving mostly into the lighter material, I dared to resolve smaller issues and move onto even greater ones. I allowed my characters to invent and use the coolest technologies that are only in our dreams. The characters needed specific tools and environmental aspects to overcome some of the most difficult challenges we can conceive of at this time in our history. Amuse yourself reading this story as our heroes face the obstacles ahead fearlessly and still find plenty more to make life exciting.

  The words in this volume cover a variety of genres, including science-fiction that delves into politics and so much more with the joys of fantasy and utopian savor. Preceding a grand space opera, we will have the opportunity to experience the imagined undertakings of preserving ourselves, our humanity, our world, our Universe, and life itself. These goals revolve around a future where each of us, accepting the choice to be the noble everyday heroes we are or may become, can be there too! Current technologies, high-tech, and far-out creative realities await those who climb aboard this adventure. Sciences and arts, numerous industries including medicine and health, educational and correctional systems, our solar system, intergalactic travel, and stepping back from time to time to ask why and how are all necessary components of a promising future.

  The subtitle for the first book in the “Further Than Before” multi-story series is Pathway to the Stars, Part 1. Please enjoy!

  Very Respectfully,

  Matthew J. Opdyke, Science-Fiction and Fantasy Author

  Chapter 01: Vesha Celeste, Section 1

  Database Moon Archive, Celestial-Sol Entry Date: 2018 December 25. The following is an excerpt from a private speech and presentation about Vesha Celeste preceding implementation of a new advancement within the Pathway Covert Campus. Database Moon Archive input made by Yesha Alevtina, President of Pathway Industries, from 2015-2022.

  “Notwithstanding her dedication to her craft, Vesha Celeste loved, taught, mentored, and raised her children in an enriching environment. She nurtured them until they, just as she, expressed their own genius and doctoral interests. Throughout her life there seemed to be beautiful dreams filled with amazing journeys, dreams that Vesha had hoped would eventually spring into reality. In the real world, she maintained firm footing in topics she found intriguing and honorable. She raised her children to demonstrate their beauty of expertise so that they could leave behind them a history replete with their own legacies. She wrote books for the masses about galaxies, our Universe, and dark matter. She wrote to her grandchildren about how their grandmother was an astronomer and a dreamer. What hadn’t dawned on her was the fact that she had so much more potential than she had ever realized in the almost nine decades that she lived. Whether she had untold potential or had reached that state of self-actualization, her contributions were more than could be asked of anyone. Vesha shared her love of the Universe with many. She wrote to edify not only those closest to her but people all over the world. She wrote to enlighten and help us to understand and gain an interest in the many wonders yet to be found and understood throughout our grand Universe. She inspired many to pursue their dreams and to do so with a purpose in their lives while living with confidence. She taught people to never shy away from the truth as evidenced in science, or from faith as this too had tempered her passions in life. No matter her journeys, her compassion for others continuously grew.”

  Yesha Alevtina, President of Pathway, was sharing her thoughts regarding her dear friend, Vesha. In so doing, she stood proudly deliberating before those in attendance at the Pathway Convention Center, two years after her passing. Yesha continued.

  “It was the evening of December 25th, 2016, when Vesha’s spirit left this world, but many visions stood before her, yet to be realized. Some of those dreams will begin today, and some will not be recognized for many years to come. Soon we will watch as a miracle of genius occurs and moves the blessings of the sands of time to a reality allowing us to connect to and save even more lives.

  “Much has been said, and much may yet be told regarding her work and her journey. I, Yesha, am merely a young friend who loves her dearly. As I relay her story, I am doing so with the advantages of neuroscience and the ability to see what many may not. Vesha’s never-ending struggle for education, her clarity about understanding our Universe, and her tenacity to thrive in a professional field despite being turned away in her youth are examples of her resilience. Even in her later years, due to our shared and unfortunate mortality, she was denied the opportunity of becoming a Nobel Laureate. Her vast impact on science and each one of us will not go unnoticed by any of us here today. She was inspiring to so many, including to myself. She is a testament that we should never betray humanity by silencing more than half of our human potential. We should never dare to silence anyone for that matter. We reveal our purpose and our character with the love emanating from our words and resultant actions. We should never find ourselves dismissing the staggering breadth of our shared mental capacity, nor should we alienate so many great individuals who would otherwise be extraordinary, if given the opportunity to fully blossom. This will be our opportunity to grant a fuller potential that will bless each of our lives in remarkable ways.

  “Vesha was dedicated to her craft while respecting her personal beliefs. She balanced her respect for the truths found in science and her love of her children and grandchildren. Her virtues drew me in to honor her within the story I will share with each of you. I will share with you how a series of dynamic events has brought us all to where we are now. Perhaps one day this story will be shared with many generations on many planets throughout the Universe and beyond. This journey and how it began may take us on an enjoyable and a promising pathway to the stars. With enough hope, vision, and action we will enjoy many potentially amazing voyages throughout the Cosmos. Today, I will, in the most respectful way, cast Vesha in the favorable light she deserves. This hard-to-believe perspective was recorded from her mind during the last hour before she passed.

  “Filled with fantasy and speculation to some who come upon this story in a different reality, you know now that without her we would not be where we are today. Today we are on the precipice of human hist
ory, longevity sciences, and readying to span the Cosmos.

  “Please journey with me on this presentation of her life, beginning just two years prior.”

  ~ * ~

  It was late in the evening of December 25, 2016. After keying up music from Gabriel Yared’s score for the movie, “Message in a Bottle,” Vesha fluffed her pillow. She yearned to meet the angel who had accompanied her during her dreams throughout life. As she healed hearts and minds, she forged the bond of understanding between many, no matter where she went. Vesha turned the covers to lay propped up on her bed and drifted to thoughts of the beautiful day spent with her family. Having gazed upon photos of her daughter, Jillian Yenn, and her husband, Ralston Rayna, she thought of each of her family members while placing her smartphone on her dresser.

  She contemplated on her own life and how, from her perspective, the time had actually been pretty good to her. As she did, Vesha felt overwhelmed by the beauty and wonder of it all. Her final moments would pass soon, she knew that. Soon, she would embrace a sweet new reality. Perhaps this time she would journey with her life’s fanciful dream angel, but first, she felt the need to think of her past and present. She would consider her real-life experiences and her visions before she would submit to the future. It had been a couple of prolonged and somewhat challenging years since her lovely daughter, Jillian, had passed away. Several years before Jillian’s passing, her honorable, knowledgeable, supporting, and loving husband, Ralston, had gone on his journey to the afterlife as well.

  “Oh, how I miss them both.” She paused.

  “I wish they were here now,” she thought as she felt her emotions loom and swell.

  “Perhaps there will be plenty of time for exploration and discovery with those I love in the next part of my reality. Perhaps there is more to all that we know than we understand now. Yes, we’re only beginning to comprehend the complexity of it all. There is certainly room for a fuller understanding of our Universe. It would be nice to hold on to this reality and find a day when we can share a heartwarming existence with other civilizations throughout the Cosmos. We’ll see…” Vesha certainly had a hope of something more significant.