Destination Next Unearthed

A new world was the plan.

A strange new world is what they found.

Earth was running out of time. Only a few people could escape.
The Starlings were lucky. They won a ticket to NEXT, a new world with rich soil, lush forests and warm oceans. One day before boarding the migrant ship MS Uluru 402, the family dog, a husky of course, changed everything.

Now a brother and sister are stranded on a swamp world, hunted by the Grey Man and his metal pets, while people back on Earth race to rescue them.

For readers who enjoy

• fast space adventures

• kids lost in space stories

• swamp planets and strange new worlds

• metal pets and an AI with attitude

• brave but single-minded dogs

Destination Next Unearthed launches a new sci-fi adventure series packed with high-stakes survival, loyal family bonds, and mysteries among the stars.

Released 31 July 2025
isbn: 978-1922508485

“There once was a lottery prize,
promising life beyond Earth’s skies.

But in space, you’ll see,
life’s no guarantee...

For there, danger lurks in disguise.” -Nostro, 2142

The new world under two moons...

Four hundred kilometres above a planet of lush, fruitful lands and warm oceans teeming with life, the lemon-shaped surveillance pod Joe-E3 slipped through the cold vacuum of space. Overhead, the planet’s two moons cast a pale glow.

Released by the pot-bellied space station Wombat earlier that evening, along with nine other surveillance pods, the Joe-E3 had one simple task: circle the planet and search for any objects that might fall into its orbit and disrupt communication satellites, space stations, or spacecraft. Like most chores, this task was never-ending.

The “never-ending” part suited young pod pilot Jason Smith just fine. Jobs were hard to come by in 2391. Inside the Joe-E3, Jason leaned back in his well-worn pilot’s seat, holding up a small mirror and frowning at his reflection.

His hairdresser, Tessa, had cut his hair far too short this time. He could see his skull! Maybe next time he’d let a robo-barber handle it. Although he’d miss Tessa’s sweet smile. Jason wasn’t vain, not at all; he just really liked the way he looked.

As he considered the lovely curve of Tessa’s face and the shape of his own eyebrows in the mirror’s reflection, EVA, the onboard AI assistant, interrupted.

“Pod Pilot Smith.”

Jason laughed. It was the first time he’d heard EVA’s voice all shift. Just before heading out, he’d set the AI’s voice module to mimic a twentieth-century cartoon character, just for a laugh. His job was often painfully boring, and he’d stumbled upon this odd 2D animation in an Earth library archive over the weekend. He couldn’t remember the cartoon’s name now—something with “and the Chiplumps,” maybe. Anyway, EVA now sounded like it had swallowed an entire helium tank.

“Yes, EVA?”

“We are approaching….” EVA paused. “Why are you laughing, Pod Pilot Smith?”

“Sorry, EVA. Your voice is so high and funny.”

“That’s because you uploaded a sample and set my voice module to replicate Alvin from the twentieth-century cartoon Alvin and the Chipmunks.”

“That’s it! Now I remember. Alvin and the Chipmunks.” He grinned broadly. “And it’s hilarious, EVA.”

“I’m glad you’re amused, Pod Pilot Smith. As I was saying, we are approaching a large object that has fallen into the planet’s orbit. Based on our speed and its trajectory, this object will appear through your main viewport in under ten minutes.”

Jason placed the mirror on his chair’s arm and straightened in his seat. The navigation console displayed touch-sensitive screens showing his course, fuel levels, and pod status. He tapped the radar screen, and a large green blob flashed at the edge of the display.

“What is it, EVA?”

“Undetermined, Pod Pilot Smith.”

“Is it organic?”

“Undetermined.”

“Are we close enough to run a detailed scan?”

“Within eight seconds, Pod Pilot Smith.”

“Seven, six, five….”

“Don’t count down, EVA. Just run the scan once it’s in range.”

“Affirmative. Running scan in three, two, one...”