Humanity long ago outgrew Earth and expanded from their home world outwards. It started with several international space stations being built around the planet, then on the moon. The expansion continued to grow all the way out to remote mining colonies on and around Pluto. For centuries humanity has been looking at other systems, other galaxies even. Taking photos, sending satellites, probes, drones and even AI beyond the bounds of the Sol solar system, and sometimes even the Milky Way.
Even with the wide spread, humanity had outgrown it's home system and was the species as a whole was ready to further expand. One hundred and fifty-seven ships were built for this monumental task. Major companies came together and built these ships, each company having its only designs and specialties. Once the project was compete a call was made for volunteers to join the crews of the ships shortly followed by the acceptance of passengers. It was made clear to all volunteers that this would be a one way trip and that there was no guarantee of safety on the way or when they arrived. Billions still flocked to the ships for a chance at a new life.
The Lyonesse was designed for extended superluminal travel, and carried one of the smallest crew and passenger loads but was also set to go the furthest out. With a crew of half a million specialists, and a quarter billion civilian passengers the Lyonesse departed the Sol System before the AI's took over letting the passengers go into cryo sleep while a new home was found. The Lyonesse traveled the stars faster fourteen years crossing over two thirds of the observable galaxy from Earth when the AI running the ship finally left superluminal speeds and began it's search for a habitable planet.
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1. The Lyonesse discovers a potentially suitable planet for habitation and sends it's first seed crew down to test the viability of colonization.
Lyonesse broke free from superluminal travel as it entered a yet unnamed solar system. The sleek ship steadily made it's way closer to the star in the center of this system. It was significantly larger than the Sun and the planets of the system seemed to mostly follow that trend. Lyonesse used the many tools at their disposal to gather information. The system has thirteen planets most having multiple moons, two significant asteroid belts, and a surprisingly large goldilocks zone. Four of the planets were comfortably in the zone, while two were on the inner edge, and one on the outer edge. With over half the planets in a habitable zone the AI set to scanning the best candidates.
It took her several EST (Earth Standard Time) Weeks to collect enough information to make a decision. Lyonesse chose the 8th planet from the star, a planet roughly eleven times the size of earth. The gravity was the smallest bit lesser than earths, a healthy Ozone layer, breathable air with slightly higher oxygen concentration than Earth, traces of weather patterns, plenty of water, though unsure if drinkable without filtration. Signs of thriving flora and fauna. The day night cycle was longer, a full cycle lasting 32 EST hours. With the information available Lyonesse loosely calculated a rotation around the star would take around twelve-hundred EST Days, or just over three years.
Having confirmed her selection Lyonesse began to wake the twenty-five hundred specialist that would be the initial seed colony to test the viability of this planet becoming their new home. While she woke the crew, Lyonesse also picked an AI from the pool to assign to the group. "Seraphina, you will be attached to this first group. You will be their support and connection to me when they are planet side. I will give you access to all the information I have collected on the planet for you disseminate as you see fit within the crew." As she spoke she transferred the information and gave Seraphina significant access to the Lyonesse's systems. "Your crew is being gathered on the Crew Deck C now."
WAKE UP PROTOCOLS INITIATED
CREW MEMEBER SAMUEL INGLE
REPORT TO CREW DECK C FOR ORDERS
Sam woke up from the cryo sleep and was pissed off. He had no reason to be pissed off, but that was just how it was. Every time he went under he woke up pissed. Didn't matter how long he was out either. Glaring at the message floating on the screen above his face Sam started to wiggle his fingers and toes getting adjusted to having feeling in them again. Even though it felt like he was asleep for maybe a night, he body told him he had been still for a lot longer. Maybe that was why he was so pissed? Sam didn't like being still. Laying in the sleep pod doing nothing wasn't improving his sour mood so Sam pushed open the pod. The top responded to the lightest of pushes, lifting up with a slight hiss the sliding up and out of the way. Wearing only the tight boxers that were offered and covered in electrodes used to monitor him Sam step out of the pod and stretched with a grumble. Looking left and right he saw hundreds of others stepping from their own pods. Grunting he started to remove the many electrodes which thankfully came off easily and found a simple set of clothes sized for him, a pair of black pants, a black shirt with a lion insignia , and a grey flight suit with his first initial and last name on it above the same insignia on the shirt, a pair of good socks and boots. "Hmm." A smile broke the scowl that he had been wearing since he woke. They provided them with a nice uniform, fitted and personalized. Sam approved even if it felt a bit stuffy. Dressing himself he glanced around again before realizing the lights on the floor were blinking in a pattern that seemed to indicate which direction to walk in.
Growling as he looked around more Sam couldn't find what he was hunting. "Blood and piss." He cursed and started off in the direction the lights and many of the other people were walking now that they were dressed. Sam would have to wait and find Regi at the crew deck. They had signed up together and it was made clear they would not be split up. Apparently it wasn't made clear enough he thought darkly. Sam walked with the crowd from the sleeping chamber down a long hallway that could easily fit ten people walking astride. There were hundreds of them around Sam and he was only getting more pissed with the situation. He left the solar system to get away from crowds and here he was stuck in one.
It didn't take long for the hallway to open up into a massive room the size of a large warehouse. Along the walls were stacks of storage cases, and at the front of the room a small raised stage. A redheaded woman flickered into view on the stage and looked over the gathered crowd waiting for the last people to trickle in before speaking. Her voice effortlessly filled the room as she spoke. "I will keep this short. I am Lyonesse the AI running this ship. You have been selected as the first crew to touch down on the new planet we are currently orbiting. Information is very limited at the time and what is known will be told to you by the AI assigned to your crew, she will answer any questions you may have. There will be twenty-five hundred of you going down. Your mission is to determine in life is sustainable on the planet. This test will last for one rotation around the star. If all goes well at the end of this year we will seed the rest of the planet and grow from there. Drop ships are being stocked now and departure will be in one hour in Docking Bay 9" With a wave of her arm to direct her attention to the far side of the room where the storage containers were she continued her speech. "This time should be spent finding anyone you signed up to work with and to collect any personal belongs you wish have have carried along. Any left behind will remain in storage and brought down when the mission is completed." Lyonesse finished her explanation and vanished from sight leaving Seraphina to handle any questions and for the crew to get ready for departure.
Sam felt a bit better there was time for him to meet up with Regi and figured the best thing to do was collect his things. With a gruff sigh he started off towards the storage containers when he was attacked from behind.
WAKE UP PROTOCOLS INITIATED
CREW MEMEBER REGINA REYNOLDS
REPORT TO CREW DECK C FOR ORDERS
Regi blinked bleary eyes at the fuzzy words floating above her face. It took her several moments to clear her head and finally read what was there. "Oh. Okay." She answered the prompt and pushed open the pod door. Stepping out she let out a huge yawn and stretch going up onto tiptoe as she reached high into air until her yawn became a squeak. Dropping back down to flat fleet she looked down at herself and frowned at all the electrodes on her. "I hope these aren't the kind that pull the little hairs." She mumbled as she removed the thankfully not to sticky pads from her body. She quickly found the uniform and dressed herself, her excitement starting to get the better of her.
She had noticed that Sam wasn't anywhere to be seen, but there were a lot of people. They all seemed to be moving in the same direction so Regi followed along, her head on a constant swivel, curious eyes drinking in all the details they could. Which was when she noticed something about the name around her. They all had last names ending in R. Speeding up just a bit Regi started to see names starting with Q, the P. Smiling at the pattern she slowed down. "Our pods were put in alphabetical order, not by who we boarded with. Sam is gonna be pissed." She chucked to herself and continued to make her way to the designated crew deck.
Arriving with the crowd Regi still couldn't see Sam but wasn't all that worried about it, she was certain he was in the room somewhere. He made sure they would stick together for this. Not having to wait long for something to happen Lyonesse appeared in front of the crowd and gave them their mission before leaving them to it. As the crowd started to mill about, most moving towards the storage crates Regi started to hunt for Sam. Knowing him he was going to try and find her stuff first and wait for her there. As the crowd dispersed somewhat Regi was finally able to spot the very familiar back of Sam's head.
Making her way quickly to the grumpy man she flung herself at his back, jumping up on him and wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms over his shoulders. "Mornin' old man." She said cheerfully into Sam's ear a bright smile on her face.
It took a lot of self control to not accidentally hurt the girl by flipping her off his back when she first jumped onto him, it was her voice that saved her. "You almost got yourself hurt kid." He scolded her lightly. "Pfft you've only hurt me when it was necessary." She dismissed his grumpy remark. "I see cryo sleep still affects you the same." Sliding from Sam's back Regi walked beside him looking over and up. "So any weird dreams this time?" She asked, Regi always had weird dreams during cryo sleep, and couldn't believe that Sam never had dreams at all. "Nope. I got in the pod, closed my eyes, and opened them when they woke me. Nothing in between." He replied, getting a huff from Regi. "You're so boring sometimes." She complained as they arrived to the crates. Each was marked with the crew members name so it wasn't hard to find their own. Regi had brought her camera equipment and some clothing not having much in the way of personal possessions after her years in the NPZ. Sam had even less, his survival pack and two weeks worth of clothing. Having collected their personal belongs the duo followed the indicated path to Docking Bay 9.
The inside of the docking bay was bustling with activity but void of life. Machines loaded the two dozen drop ships with all the initial building and lab supplies and equipment necessary to start the colony as well as construction, and exploration vehicles. There didn't seem to be a strict loading protocol, the people being directed to the closest ship until it was filled then being lead down to the next. Sam and Regi were no exception to this and found themselves being loaded onto a drop ship their personal items once again stored but this time having seats side by side.
Regi could barely contain her excitement and kept looking around at all the people being loaded on. Not able to keep quite Regi leaned forwards just a bit in her seat and introduced herself to the people around her. "Hi, I'm Regi! What made you guys decide to join the Lyonesse?" Before Sam could pull her back in her seat Regi had gotten her question out. He knew if someone answered the floodgates would be open. Regi wanted to know everything about anything, people included. "I spent several years in the NPZ on Earth before joining up. I after years of rediscovering lost things I wanted to find something completely new." Regi's eyes shined with her eagerness to venture into new and unexplored places.
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