Dark Firmament — Ezra E. Manes

A dark threat to the survival of all humankind looms beyond the horizon of detection by their advanced sensing systems. On his deathbed, visionary prophet Carlos Sepeda tasks his grandson to go counter the dark threat. However, Prophet Sepeda dies before revealing the nature of the dark threat. All the prophet leaves his grandson, Joqi Sepeda, are coordinates to an intersection point located in the outer reaches of their home solar system, a specific time to arrive at the point, and a legacy of leadership by the Sepeda family.Joqi launches on his mission aboard the advanced research vessel Horizon Quest, accompanied by an artificial intelligence entity, Dawn. To survive cosmic radiation and the high-g acceleration required to get to the intersection point on time, he must travel immersed in a smart liquid plasma. He invented this plasma, which maintains health and greatly enhances sensory perceptions ... and much more!Upon crossing the intersection point, Joqi enters a complex game of discovery, intrigue, and life threatening events that force him to evolve intellectually far beyond what he was at mission launch. His immersion in the smart plasma facilitates dramatic physiological changes that greatly enhance his ability to cope when faced with certain death and seemingly unsolvable problems. His evolution presents deep issues for humankind, in addition to what he encounters in the dark firmament...