AMARIS

Sending a message out into space can be a dangerous thing. You never know who is listening. Some wonder, even fear, that one day the signals we send out into space might be discovered by some malevolent species who might attack us. But, what if we were the ones to receive a signal, and what if we were the malevolent species?

Nate is a loner, a cynic and an environmentalist. His father originally developed tech to study the environmental decline we experience in our story. He was killed in a shuttle mission. Nate steps up to complete his work. While on an environmental expedition to the ISS Nate and the crew are visited by aliens from a rich and resourceful planet. Nations on earth soon get wind of this new planet and scramble to take it from the peaceful, humanoid residents. Afraid that humans will consume and destroy this new world, like we did with Earth, Nate is determined to protect it. Where his father failed to save Earth, maybe Nate will succeed in saving this new world.

This is my first "Science-faction" - fact-based/science-based sci-fi along the lines of "Interstellar", "Gravity" and “The Martian".

-SPOILERS-

I've added a theme under the radar. It’s not supposed to be obvious. Something for sci-fi fans to discuss on-line. James represents Jesus, returned. Nate represents mankind and the baseball represents the flame of stewardship over Earth. Nate’s father represents our ancestors (who fail to protect the earth) and his niece represents our decedents. Simon Skariota in the Bible is also known as Judas Iscariot. The ships at the end represent the rapture where the meek inherit a new Earth - Amaris (A gift from God).