Brief

A planet that has risen from its status as a penal colony to being a promising world full of a mix of alien races, New Australia also boasts a young, ambitious human leader. She begins to recognize signs across the galaxy of a dangerous parasite that causes violence and madness, which a crew from her world accidentally brought back from an uninhabited planet a year and a half ago. She embarks on a journey to other planets to share their vaccine and antidote with other leaders, saving entire populations of various species. When she thinks their task is finished, a new risk arises with a union leader who threatens to destroy their galaxy once and for all.

What We Liked

Estrella is a stand-out protagonist. Her age makes her perfect for both a teenage and adult audience alike, casting a wide net for an interested audience. On the cusp of adulthood, she symbolizes her burgeoning planet and its challenges flawlessly. She is coming into her own, just as New Australia is, and it would be thrilling to follow her journey. She’s complex and interesting, and she’s never one-note. She’s capable of both ruthlessness and extreme empathy, and she’s determined to do what’s right and save her people above all else. She’s never afraid to risk her own life for the good of the galaxy.

Film: There are several sci-fi film series that have set the ground for this to be a successful feature
adaptation — and prove that it could work and be a fan favorite. There’s no shortage of locations to explore, and each would be more cinematic than the last. This could easily work as a stand-alone film that closely parallels the divided politics that humans face today, or it could begin a series with several sequels as we follow these characters and their adventures through space. The politics of each planet are fascinating and fun to explore, and it allows these aliens to feel like real, empathetic characters in whom we can see our own reflections.

TV: This is the sort of manuscript that’s made to be a television show. It’s epic, sprawling science fiction at its best, traversing the very galaxy while exploring new worlds and peoples. There are a variety of planets to explore, as well as interesting alien species to feature. Estrella is also a young character, and she has so much room to grow. It would be inspiring to see her truly become the strong leader that her planet needs her to be, living up to her parents’ memory. A series would ensure she has the time to explore all of the places she needs to while fulfilling a satisfying character arc that would intrigue all viewers.

Key points:
1. Complex female lead
2. Vast sci-fi world
3. Possibility for sequels
4. Unique aliens
5. Cinematic visuals

Synopsis

On the planet of Suidonj, a rising progressive star candidate, GILT DUROC, is assassinated. She was the only one standing in the way of LANDRASE JAHMFF ruining their world with his anti-immigration rhetoric. Suidonj is normally peaceful, and its pig-like humanoid inhabitants aren’t prone to violence. ESTRELLA MWONGA is the ruler of New Australia, once a penal colony and now a thriving planet filled with diversity. Estrella worries that Suidonj might be infected with the same parasite that led to the death of her PARENTS. A ship that departed 18 years ago, showed back up 17 years later with dangerous alien pollen from an unoccupied planet that causes violence and insanity. Estrella’s parents and many others on the planet were killed before the spread could stop. New Australia now has a vaccine that will stave off the parasite, and Estrella realizes they need to distribute it to other planets where they’re seeing signs of an outbreak. With ADMIRAL SLOUT and KSCHEEECH by her side, she sets out to meet with PRIME MINISTER ABRAFRILRIC on Suidonj. They identify the parasite in the ASSASSIN’S brain, and they’re able to supply Abrafrilric and his people with the vaccine and antidote so they can begin to heal.

With that crisis avoided, they head to other planets to do the same. Next is Enosh, which is full of cat-like humanoids, then Zorgolong, whose lizard-like inhabitants are being bullied by an aggressive cult. As the CULT LEADER was an astronomer and engineer, he has access to the codes which could make a nuclear minefield out of the satellites orbiting the planet. Estrella and her crew soon realize the leader has been taken captive by more radical members, and they rescue him and his FOLLOWERS who don’t agree with the violence. The planet is cured of the parasite, and the crew carries on to Earth. The Prime Minister of Earth, DEVI, rolls out the red carpet treatment for Estrella, but Estrella soon realizes that Earth’s allegedly utopic workers appear to be mindless drones. The pharmaceutical industry got everyone hooked on over prescribed antidepressants and anti-anxiety medication years earlier without it being widespread knowledge. The parasite has infiltrated Earth, but it wasn’t clear because the lower-class workers were drugged to the gills. Devi works alongside Estrella to quickly get the antidote and vaccine distributed. Estrella returns to New Australia, though the truth of her adventure is kept under wraps to prevent panic.

On the isolated colony Frabrak 3, Schpleefti immigrant worker NORVEGICUS has inspired a labor movement. It started with his rodent-like people and has spread to the Schpleefti immigrant population on Suidonj. Estrella at first supports his cause, but she begins to think he might be too good to be true. He could be infected with the parasite, manipulated by the artificial intelligence in the alien pollen. Norvegicus calls for a galaxy-wide labor summit in a neutral location: New Australia. Estrella learns that Norvegicus used to be mute, and he doesn’t even speak his own language — only the more formal Galactic. His sudden intelligence suggests he’s been affected by the brain-altering parasite. The parasite purposely singled out a vulnerable community, as many of the immigrants are undocumented, and thus wouldn’t have been called in to be vaccinated against it. At the Galactic Labor Summit, Estrella, announces that Norvegicus is infected with the parasite, and he in turn admits to poisoning all of them.
Quarantine is quickly instituted, and scientists develop an antidote in the nick of time. The alien parasite had sought to destroy modern civilization and blame it on the reformed criminals on New Australia. A team of scientists leaves for Frabrak 3 to ensure all immigrants and workers are inoculated.

About The Author

King Everett Medlin has been writing since 2013, when he first developed the idea for Rijel 12. It was originally designed to be a SciFi series, with the objective of creating several short installments. Instead he got a lucky break when Chandra Press from San Diego responded favorably to the original draft, deciding to publish it as a full length novel. He lives in Denver with his wife Caroline and has two grown children. He's a graduate of the University of Oklahoma where he played college Rugby; and remains a diehard Sooners fan to this day. His specialties are Science Fiction and Mystery/Suspense novels, focusing on unusual stories with intriguing plot-lines and amazing characters.