The New Epoch (A ST MOD 1.51 Story)

[Nostalgia For Infinity]

For the conquest of space to succeed, a group of people able to perform the missions were needed. Just under 40 countries had explored space, when countries had been more than just semi autonomous regions. However only the USA, Japan and China had put up manned spacecraft since the Earths shift in 2263. Russia had never massed enough resources to return to their 20th century heyday.

So three countries would commit the bulk of the resources for the training of a new spacefleet. The countries fell into their stereotypical roles. America provided the resources, Japan the tech and China brought in tens of thousands of willing volunteers. Of course only a select handful would meet the exacting standards required.

The training program began in 2377. Twenty three years to have the facilties ready and to train their operators up. However the EDRhad another problem to solve. Selection of the colonists for Ashington.

How do you select the right people, without skimming off the cream of Earths population. Almost a decade was spent wrestling with the problem. It wasn't a particulary difficult quandary to solve, it was just that various interest Groups muddied the issue. Even the Cult of Hubbard wanted to get in on the act. However by the fall of 2396 the Stock Equalization Act (SEA) had been brought in.

As you'd imagine, the SEA basically ensured that all the racial Groups on Earth were represented. This only applied to the major Groups, such people as the Aborigines wanted to stick to their ancestral grounds in Australia.
Februrary 9th 2400. A momentous day in Earth history. The first ever Earth Colonizer, the Homestead prepared to leave for Ashington. The Spaceyard doors opened, the Homestead rolled out.

The Homestead was a large ship, despite that it was a struggle to cram in one million people. A lot of the ships reactor power was spent on the maintenance of Cryo Capsules. Capsules that were stacked up like cordwood in every place
imaginable. The only places left clear were the Bridge and Engine room. Even the med Bay doubled as a chilly warehouse.

The journey to Ashington took 8 months. Captain Zheng Go Chen of the Homes tead planted the EDR flag on Ashington. The flag would become the centrestone of every Earth colony that came into existance.

It took a further Two years two months to colonize every rock planet in the system. First was Ashington of course, then tiny ringed Doughnut, which resembled a small kiwi fruit jammed into the centre of a doughnut. A planet abaundant in all resources. Next was Slingshot, a small captured body that orbited the systems largest gas giant. Last was huge windy Dust and Luna's Son, which brought a tear to the astronauts eye. The only difference was that Luna's Son was 4 times as big as Earth!

All the planets in the system were mineral rich. To prosper the EDR would have to venture outwards however. Almost 2 centuries before, Dr Drussin had discovered gravitic emissions at the edge of the system. By 2400 a second slightly different point had been discovered.

Construction of 2 Gagarin class ships would begin.