First contact at faster-than-light
Captain Dave Murray and the crew of the Algonquin disappear from Earth’s freshly colonized solar system and reemerge light-years away in a crowded planetary system with no weapons, no supplies, and no way to return home.
They discover the Graviscape—an energy field spanning space-time. Properly modulated, it can transport data and even matter at FTL speeds—their only hope to get home and to save Earth.
About the book
Through perilous first-contact scenarios, the civilian captain and crew must forge unlikely partnerships while battling personal demons and rebuilding trust. As alliances shift, loyalty and love are pitted against hate and uncertainty in a desperate effort to get home—and to prevent a devastating attack on Earth.
For fans of adventure SF, first contact, and character-driven space opera.
Graviscape Universe
Glossary (spoiler-light)
- Graviscape — A naturally occurring energy field that threads space-time; with precise modulation it can ferry signals and eventually matter at FTL scales.
- Algonquin (“Big Al”) — A colony support ship with surgical facilities and cargo capacity; captained by Dave Murray.
- Space Tether / Hook Ship — A kilometer-scale capture tether and a tiny “seat-with-engines” hook craft used to snag cargo rising from thin atmospheres.
- Snale pox — Mars hydroponics–borne viral outbreak driving the crew’s sensitive relief mission.
- Skylark Interceptors — Fast combat craft launched from Phobos Station.
- FemtoCom & NavComp — Wrist comms and navigation AI that sync with ship orchestration systems.
- Space Colonization Agency (SCA) — The civil authority coordinating colonization logistics, medical rotations, and fleet ops.
Crew & Key Characters
- Capt. Dave Murray — Civilian skipper of the Algonquin; stubbornly resourceful.
- Zane — Executive officer (XO); calm tactical brain during crises.
- Sarah Maxwell — Chief of Navigation & Sensors (CS track); precise and unflappable.
- Huang Fei — Pilot; nerves of steel on the hook ship.
- Miguel “Mickey” Romero — Lead mechanical engineer; miracle worker with railguns and repairs.
- Dr. Roth — Senior medical; steady moral center of MedBay.
- Gina — Bio Life Sciences PhD / Med lead during crisis response.
- Abby — Contract surgeon; 77 surgeries this rotation and a quiet spark with Dave.
- Dr. Sasha Rairkov — Agency geologist at Mars; insists on urgent ore returns.
- Max Randolf — Sasha’s associate; combative, later injured during a “space pothole” event.
- Chief Gerrard — Mars Station leader; balances rules with pragmatism.
Timeline (early arc)
- Mars emergency: Snale pox outbreak triggers sensitive, urgent diversion to Big Al’s medical ops.
- Tether gambit: Improvised pusher engines + atmospheric hook to sling a hundred tons off Mars.
- Pirate encounter: Two untagged ships threaten tether/cargo; Phobos Skylarks intervene.
- Potholes in space: A baffling power cut & blue-brown light,no stars, forces battery survival procedures.
- First-contact: The crew begins to understand (and test) the Graviscape itself.
Full details unfold in the novel; the above is spoiler-light and drawn from early chapters.
About the Author
M.A. Mollenkopf is a retired U.S. Army Warrant Officer and cybersecurity specialist. He writes stories where logic meets technology and human motive—spanning tech-noir mysteries and spacefaring SF.
A lifelong SF fan ever since discovering Heinlein’s Space Cadet. Based in Georgia.
Feedback: email
