19-03-2004, 17:58
Legends told of a great colonization effort to inhabit a world called Pern, and that it was succesful for 58 years. Then all contact was lost with the planet, all presumably dead.
3 millenia have passed and Earth has detected a new planet habitable by human beings. The government of Earth decided to make an expedition to colonise this new planet, which they have named Greater Pern in honour of the 7,000 which mysteriously disappeared from Pern.
The expedition, lead by Harry Brask, and second in command Steve Brickman, took 51 years to reach it's destination. The ship orbitted the planet for a couple of months, scanning for a suitable place to land. Just as landing procedures were started the ship was struck by space debris and sent hurtling down to the planet. Many died - all but 7 million aboard the massive vessel.
---
"Where are we?" Brask demanded to know. The resident genius, Garry Dromine, quickly scanned the surrounding area.
"We appear to be in the barren desert, about 9,000 kilometres north of the equator."
"And the status of our equipment?" Brickman asked, concerned about the prospects of repeating history. "Can we still communicate with Earth?"
"Alas, all communications are down, except for the planetary radio," Dromine replied. "That is useless... unless other people are here."
"Well it is worth a try," Brask said, snatching the radio. "Switch to all frequencies." Brask waited for the okay. "Can anyone read me? We seem to be stuck in some sort of desert. There are no water supplies and we do not have any electrolysis tools to get enough water for our people to live. We are in a state of emergency!" Brask, unexpectantly, waited for a reply from anyone that had picked up the signal.
3 millenia have passed and Earth has detected a new planet habitable by human beings. The government of Earth decided to make an expedition to colonise this new planet, which they have named Greater Pern in honour of the 7,000 which mysteriously disappeared from Pern.
The expedition, lead by Harry Brask, and second in command Steve Brickman, took 51 years to reach it's destination. The ship orbitted the planet for a couple of months, scanning for a suitable place to land. Just as landing procedures were started the ship was struck by space debris and sent hurtling down to the planet. Many died - all but 7 million aboard the massive vessel.
---
"Where are we?" Brask demanded to know. The resident genius, Garry Dromine, quickly scanned the surrounding area.
"We appear to be in the barren desert, about 9,000 kilometres north of the equator."
"And the status of our equipment?" Brickman asked, concerned about the prospects of repeating history. "Can we still communicate with Earth?"
"Alas, all communications are down, except for the planetary radio," Dromine replied. "That is useless... unless other people are here."
"Well it is worth a try," Brask said, snatching the radio. "Switch to all frequencies." Brask waited for the okay. "Can anyone read me? We seem to be stuck in some sort of desert. There are no water supplies and we do not have any electrolysis tools to get enough water for our people to live. We are in a state of emergency!" Brask, unexpectantly, waited for a reply from anyone that had picked up the signal.