The Secret Beneath the Ice

By Andrew M. Crusoe

When a thoughtship and its pilot finally reach Avani, the shimmering gem of the western spiral arm, they barely have a chance to marvel at its sapphire forests before they are ambushed by an enemy far beyond their understanding.

In the midst of the attack, a fragment is sliced off of the ship causing them to tumble out of control, down to the planet's surface. An ice-covered continent to the south is the only viable landing site. Lucky for them, what hides beneath may give them the chance to escape before isolation drives them mad.

This short story is a prequel to the fast-paced Sci-Fi novel "The Truth Beyond the Sky." Heavily inspired by ancient mythology and Joseph Campbell's work, this first book kicks off the THE EPIC OF ARAVINDA series.

What Top Reviewers Say...

"It is a helpful setup...very solid and engaging, which is enough to get me to come back and try more." --Pop Bop, Top-500 Reviewer

"Great little book - mixes eastern mysticism with sci-fi. Awesome!" --FlyingRequin, Reviewer

"It's the perfect carrot to lure you in. The personalities of pilot and machine are firmly established and very likable." --Jeri A. Ramirez, Reviewer

"One of the best science fiction stories I have read in the last year." --Russ, Reviewer

• Language: English
• Publisher: Andrew M. Crusoe
• Release date: Nov 30, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301074044

Andrew M. Crusoe

Author. Traveller. Net-diver.As a citizen of Earth, Andrew is interested in growth & tearing down the illusion of separation. To this end, he writes fast-paced Sci-Fi adventures based on the principles of Truth, Love, and Power.His debut novel, THE TRUTH BEYOND THE SKY, is the 1st book in the Epic of Aravinda, a science fiction adventure series that draws inspiration from around the globe, including eastern mythology, sacred geometry, and the Ra Material. Since its release, the novel has been professionally produced as an Audible.com audiobook and featured on UPR radio for successfully predicting gravity waves years before they were officially proven in 2016.The series continued with THE ISLAND ON THE EDGE OF FOREVER, inspired by Andrew's adventures on the strange trails of Hawaii Island. And the out-of-body adventure THE MIRAGE ON THE BRINK OF OBLIVION is the triumphant third installment in the series.Wherever Andrew is in time and space, it's important to him to keep the lines of communication open with his readers. Reach him at: http://myth.li/contact/*** Get 2 of Andrew's books for free; but be warned, they're addictive: http://myth.li/freeDon't want to miss anything?Bookmark: http://MYTH.LI

Book preview

The Secret

Beneath the Ice

An Aravinda Short Story

Andrew M. Crusoe

First published 2012

In a spirit of openness and goodwill, this work of fiction is released under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA license. Cover designed by Andrew Crusoe, including elements originally by Shookooboo.

Version W12–20170815

Published by Aravinda Publishing

Smashwords Edition

NOTE TO THE READER

This ebook is part of a greater story that continues with THE TRUTH BEYOND THE SKY, the first book in the Epic of Aravinda series. THE SECRET BENEATH THE ICE is a prequel to that book, and a perfect jumping-off point into that greater adventure.

To get your Sci-Fi starter pack, sign up for the Aravinda Mailinglist. When you join, you’ll be the first to know about upcoming books and exclusive giveaways. Plus, you’ll instantly receive 2 free ebooks just for signing up.

— AMC

CONTENTS

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Afterword

PART 1

A STUNNING WORLD

A crisp chime echoed within the command bay, and Oonak’s eyes flashed open. He was a tall man of indeterminate age, and his light brown skin contrasted starkly against his silvery uniform as he sat in the command chair in the center of the room.

Sleep cycle complete. Vital signs and ship systems are nominal.

Memories of the last few weeks rushed back to him. Even though Oonak had only known Navika for a short time before they’d departed, the ship was now second nature to him. Of course, he wasn’t entirely surprised. He had long reveled at how effortless and natural it was to converse with a thoughtship solely through his mind. And when it came to thoughtships, Navika was a