Science pushed the boundary. Something else pushed back. In the unforgiving silence of an isolated outpost, a groundbreaking robotic surgery takes a turn no one could have anticipated. What begins as a routine procedure spirals into an inexplicable anomaly—one that threatens to unravel the fragile balance between scientific progress and human ambition. Told in fragmented time, Potential unravels the mystery surrounding this event as an unlikely collection of scientists, prospectors, and corporate power brokers are drawn into a web of suspicion and intrigue. Was the incident the result of a technical failure? A sabotage by rival corporations, or even nations seeking to tip the scales in a fierce new frontier? Or is the truth even more elusive—something that challenges our very understanding of life, intelligence, and consciousness? As tensions rise and stakes grow higher in a world where control of emerging resources is the key to power, those involved in the investigation must confront not only external threats but their own biases and limitations. While teetering on the edge of a new era, the truth may be far more dangerous—and transformative—than anyone could have imagined. Potential is a haunting and suspenseful exploration of human ambition, the perils of uncharted frontiers, and the profound consequences of discovering something beyond our comprehension. In this near-future thriller, every revelation takes us one step closer to a conclusion that may forever alter the course of humanity. Joey Charles grew up on the East Coast and began his professional life as an Air Force Special Operations pilot before settling in New Mexico. There, he has spent many years raising a family, mountain biking, snowboarding, and building spacecraft as a NASA engineer.Joey values family, courage, and the vast, unexplored spaces of the Land of Enchantment over all things, and he sought to weave those ideals into this first novelette. He remains guided by a lifelong drive to push boundaries and plans to die on the Moon having just done something meaningful.