Prologue

In the vast expanse of the Lunar Plane, where humanity sought refuge amidst the eternal darkness, a lone figure stood, gazing at the Earth that once seemed so near and yet so far. That figure was I, Othniel James Goodman, a detective from the Lunar Space Station Police Department, but hailing from the humble city of Cincinnati, Ohio.

I recalled the day my life took an unexpected turn. My family and I were part of the first wave of citizens who migrated to the Lunar Plane. I was merely ten at the time, bewildered by the curious sight of Earth hanging in the sky like a beautiful multicolored crystalline ball in the night. It was a fresh start for much of humanity, thanks to the benevolent Mellis Foundation's invitation extended to my family. I have many relatives that are service workers, public servants, both civil (city workers), and legal (judges and lawyers). Every last one of them was invited to be part of the "Raylorian Dream".

The Mellis Foundation recognized the valor displayed by my parents during their service in the Lunar Prime Police Department. Before coming to the Lunar Plane, my father, Josiah, was police commissioner of Cincinnati. That's how he met my mother, Sylvie, who served under him. Impressed by their unwavering commitment to justice, the foundation sought to honor their legacy by appointing my father as the commissioner of the LSPD. And so, he embarked on a journey to protect the lunar inhabitants, bearing the weight of our family's name and a legacy destined to converge with mine as I aimed to follow in his footsteps.

Yet, it was not the path of a commissioner that I chose to tread. From the moment I entered the police force, I knew my destiny lay in unraveling mysteries and seeking out truth. The shadow of my father's footsteps guided me towards the realm of a detective, where clues became my allies and riddles my eternal companions.

As I reminisce about my first assignment at the tender age of nineteen, a shiver ran down my spine. It was a perplexing case that lurked in the heart of the space station, a veil of darkness cloaking its every aspect. From the outside, it appeared to be a simple theft, but my instincts whispered of something far more sinister.

The moon's alluring glow illuminated my path as I dove headfirst into the investigation. Clues led me through a labyrinth of corridors, where lunar dust whispered secrets of the residents that sought solace within the lunar walls. Each discovery fueled my curiosity, unraveling a web of deception that seemed to reach far beyond its Lunarian design.

Time passed like a fleeting comet as I delved deeper into the enigma, tracing the lines that intertwined the stolen object to an intricate network of individuals. Each encounter brought me closer to an answer, yet the puzzle pieces seemed to rearrange themselves effortlessly, leaving me in a perpetual state of wonder.

And now, as I stand here, overlooking the Earth from the Lunar plane, my investigation reaches its crescendo. The truth awaits, tantalizingly close and yet agonizingly elusive. The case beckons me like a distant siren, promising both revelation and resolution. But will I uncover the final truth? Or will it forever remain a secret, echoing softly in the lunar winds?

I take a deep breath, bracing myself for what lies ahead. The lunar landscape stretches out before me, a canvas of endless possibilities and unanswered questions. With determination in my heart and a glint of curiosity in my eyes, I step forward into the unknown, ready to chase shadows and seek the truth that lingers just beyond reach.

And as I embrace the darkness that envelops the Lunar plane, one thing is certain—someone was manipulating events from the shadows under the guise of justice. I wouldn't know how far the rabbit hole went until the day I was sought out by the Mellis Foundation. They called me in for a meeting.