The Evolution of Dark Arrival
Dark Arrival
A novel by John Berry
Adapted into a screenplay by John Berry and Ken Jones
Dark Arrival, penned by John Berry in 2004, is a timeless science fiction masterpiece that continues to captivate audiences to this day. In 2022, John Berry revisited this extraordinary work, breathing new life into its pages with a revised edition that incorporated new scientific discoveries, which further enriched the narrative and deepened its impact.
Not stopping there, in 2023, Berry's visionary storytelling prowess transcended the written word, as Dark Arrival was transformed into a screenplay in collaboration with award-winning writer, Ken Jones. This adaptation, a testament to Berry's creativity, and the versatile screen prep talent of Jones, has garnered numerous prestigious awards, solidifying the screenplay's debut as a groundbreaking contribution to the world of science fiction and advancing John Berry's growing reputation as a luminary in the genre.
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Continue reading below for an excerpt from the novel, Dark Arrival.
Synopsis of Dark Arrival
Hell on Earth is about to arrive…straight from the heavens.
Deep in intergalactic space, a cloud of dark matter with a voracious appetite for destruction stirs, setting its sights on planet Earth. When a team of astronomers at Keck Observatory notice a piece of the stellar sky is missing, a race for information about what’s causing the strange apparition begins, setting in motion a chain of events that will ultimately lead to mass hysteria, societal collapse and evacuation of half the world. Some will find themselves caught in the path of the impending disaster – people like Dr. Karla Vickers, an Egyptologist buried deep in the Abusir desert with her team on the brink of uncovering the greatest archeological find in modern history. And Trent Harris, a National Geographic photographer who arrives at the site of the discovery to document the event – only to find he is caught in the middle of a plan by religious extremists to protect the final resting place of their God.
As the terrifying cloud of cosmic matter tightens its grip on the planet, technology fails. Natural disasters of unprecedented magnitude claim thousands of lives and worldwide chaos reigns. Mankind’s last hope for survival rests on the shoulders of two scientists as they race to the point of first contact to launch a radical missile into the descending nemesis – a powerful relic of the Big Bang described by some as “the dust of God’s creation.”
An Excerpt from Dark Arrival
Chapter 14
5 Days until Contact
July 10th, 3:42 PM EDT
Naval Amphibious Base – Little Creek, Virginia
“…And we’ve had to shut down two more facilities due to electrical disturbances. Too risky to run on generators, considering the nuclear material we have stored on site.” Before going on, General Norman Gribben, Commander in Chief of the US Atlantic fleet, paced in front of the blue screen, adjusting his glasses for a better look at the collage of dots assembled on the image in front of him. He was a stout man with gray buzzed hair and a red, wind-burned complexion. The meeting he found himself in the middle of was a hastily planned event, a gathering the President had organized to establish the military’s role in launching the free hydrogen bomb. Now, less than ten minutes into his discussion, General Norm (as his men called him) realized he had lost his train of thought. “Sorry, must be the stress of this whole damn thing.” He wiped his brow. “I can’t seem to think straight lately. Where was I?”
Vaughn Lamont approached the screen. Holes worn in the elbows of his wool jacket produced ragged flashes of white as he moved his arms. He said, “You were discussing the ports we could leave from to get to the first contact site, showing us the facilities that have been shut down and secured. As an aside, this whole area,” his right elbow cut a path through the edge of the map as he fanned the coast with his hand, “all along the Eastern Seaboard. It should be evacuated inland as soon as possible. If indeed a wave of levitation occurs, we suspect any material unattached to the surface will pull away from the planet’s core.”
“Even the oceans? Come on. That sounds pretty incredible.”
“You have to understand, General, the inherent energy this cloud possesses defies every accepted law of nature. Even the moon from 260,000 miles away is capable of shifting tides. We expect to see global ocean levels rise quite dramatically during the Darma event. Low-lying areas up and down the coast will be flooded by the descending tidal surge as the Earth emerges from the dark matter’s magnetic field. Everyone needs to be prepared for the worst."
The General nodded, scanning the map to gauge the destructive potential of the event.
Vaughn continued, “After hearing the status of your naval facilities and the ships you have available, I think we need to consider transporting the missile across the Atlantic by submarine. A destroyer or gun ship won’t be fast enough. Seas are already rough; NOAH buoys are reporting twelve-to-fifteen-foot swells all across the North Atlantic. Besides, we’ll need the insulating protection that running deep will give us. I’ll need some specifics on your sub speeds. At this point I suspect getting to the launch point in time might be tough. We’ll need to leave within the next 24 hours.”
John Cagni looked up from his files. “Will the device be ready by then?”
“It’ll be close,” Wallace said.
“It’ll be ready.” Kirk answered.
