Hollow Planet

By John Coon

A barren planet holds a startling secret. Will discovery come at a deadly cost for these explorers? 

Thomas led a team of astronauts from a nascent colony orbiting Alpha Centauri B to the Proxima Centauri system after detecting an unusual radio signal. A barren wasteland greets the astronauts on an exoplanet in the star's habitable zone. 

The stripped atmosphere and bone-dry soil hide a startling truth about the planet's past. Their search for the radio signal's origin turns up a cave nestled in a mountain chain. 

But Thomas and his fellow astronauts have uncovered no ordinary cave. It shows evidence of being carefully engineered from a long-forgotten mysterious alien race.  

Could these aliens become a valuable new ally? Or will making first contact lead down a terrifying and deadly path? 

Hollow Planet is a suspenseful new science fiction story set in the Alien People Chronicles universe. If you love ominous characters and mysterious worlds, you'll enjoy John Coon's latest thrilling galactic tale.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Samak Press
• Release date: Apr 11, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215530177

John Coon

From the time he started creating stories on an old typewriter in his parents' house at age 12; John Coon has possessed a passion for writing. John graduated from the University of Utah in 2004 and has worked as a sports journalist for more than a decade. His byline has appeared in multiple publications and on multiple websites nationwide.  John resides in Sandy, Utah. Visit John's author page at johncoon.net for the latest news on his novels and short stories. Follow John on social media -  Facebook: @jcoon Twitter: @johncoonsports

Book preview

John Coon

Hollow Planet

First published by Samak Press 2023

Copyright © 2023 by John Coon

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

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Contents

Author’s Note

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

VII

About the Author

Also by John Coon

Author’s Note

One of the greatest elements of a science fiction story is exploration. Your mind takes you places you cannot go. These realms belong strictly to the imagination. That’s the best part though, isn’t it? Science fiction opens an entire universe where you as a reader can explore your hopes, dreams, and fears taking the form of everything from bizarre aliens to sentient robots.

Exploring our world through the lens of science fiction is an equally fun activity for an author. One reason I so thoroughly enjoy exploring characters and worlds forming my Alien People Chronicles universe is that it opens doors for me to examine universal questions while taking characters — and readers — on a suspenseful and emotional ride.

Hollow Planet is my latest tale occupying a small corner of that universe. This story introduces a barren exoplanet orbiting Proxima Centauri — a world holding a secret equal parts mysterious and deadly. I owe special thanks once again to Jeff Keyes and Sandra Coon for their valuable assistance in offering critical feedback on my latest story. They helped me fully shape a new batch of characters and a new world forming a key part of my growing fictional universe. — JC

I

No trace of life existed on this barren plateau. Thomas sighed. He predicted this exact scenario unfolding long before their cruiser broke orbit. Planetary mapping uncovered no evidence of surface water. A thin atmosphere rich with carbon dioxide boosted surface temperatures high enough to make any oceans and lakes boil away eons ago.

Their first contact mission threatened to turn into a mammoth waste of time and resources. No tangible evidence suggested an intelligent alien race ever called this exoplanet home.

Someone at a higher pay grade than me made a mistake, Thomas said, lowering his binoculars. Those radio signals did not come from this planet’s surface. I think the eggheads at NASA and the Earth Defense Bureau got their wires crossed.

Thomas didn’t blame them for their error. Investigating unusual radio signals originating from the Proxima Centauri system made perfect sense. If an exoplanet teeming with intelligent life orbited the star closest to Earth, making first contact with that alien race was a sound strategy.

Throwing in the towel so soon? You know better than to assume barren planets pose a barrier to alien settlements.

Thomas wheeled around and faced his fellow astronaut standing in front of their ship. Alison flashed an impish grin beneath her helmet. Her hazel eyes sparkled with amusement at his glass half-empty mentality toward the exoplanet.

I love this place already, she said. Reminds me of Southern Utah. My college roommates and I hiked through slot canyons and snapped a ton of pictures when we drove up from Vegas on weekends.

Thomas did not share her enthusiasm.

This scorching shell of a planet offered no logical reason to feel excitement. Staring at an alien desert lit by dim sunlight through binoculars dried out his mouth until it felt like sandpaper — even with his helmet’s protective environmental conditioning. Kicking back inside the ship and downing a glass of ice water sounded heavenly.

This place is a lot like Southern Utah, he said. Lifeless and barren.

Alison shot him a disapproving frown. She carried an extra bounce in her step while taking her first steps across the plateau. Neither differences in gravity between Proxima Centauri