Prologue

Author's note: I initially wrote the first draft of this book in 2013. This book deals with a planet that undergoes a global pandemic. Growing up watching and reading science fiction, global pandemics creating a post-apocalyptic civilization is rather a common science-fiction trope. Obviously, I had no idea of how events in 2020 were going to unfold and this book is not a commentary on them, rather just my twist on a classic science fiction trope of an apocalypse being caused by a pandemic.

SLEEPING BERTH COMPARTMENT 1

COLONY SHIP PLANTERS

MISSION TIME 103 YEARS 14 DAYS

Commander Paoto's sleeper unit switched modes to 'awake'. It went through the process of getting the commander warmed up correctly and restoring him to fully awake. Paoto's heartbeat accelerated and breathing deepened until he made a very large yawn. The computer sensed that he was ready and opened the unit up.

Paoto opened his eyes and saw the chronometer in front of him register the correct time. He had another uncontrollable yawn and thought, it worked! The mission was accomplished! The most ambitious voyage in Tangian history was a success!

Paoto stretched and unfastened the restraints and glided to the panel in front of him. He checked the trajectory and saw they were just entering the target star system now. A quick check of the ship and all was well. He activated the next phase of the mission, the awakening of his wife, the colony's doctor.

She woke up and saw her husband, and smiled, "Nefe, we made it?"

Paoto helped her glide free of her chamber, "Lrnta, we did!"

The two of them woke the rest of the command crew. As everyone stretched and ate a quick snack to get their digestive systems going, Paoto said, "Ok, let's give the ship it's thorough checkout. Lrnta, how many of us made it?"

His wife said, "All the chambers are working, and it seems everyone survived the sleeping process. There should be no problems waking the rest when we achieve orbit."

Paoto was elated. Even though the mission could suffer some casualties, everybody safe was the best outcome. So far, everything was perfect.

Paoto was helping the engineer run a detailed check on the system's status when navigator Elsfson called down from the piloting area. "Commander, can I see you please?"

Paoto glided up to the piloting area. "What is it Elsfson?"

"We have no updated data."

Paoto felt the blood rush from his extremities. "None?"

"None sir. We do have automatic observations made, but nothing uplinked from base."

Paoto thought quickly. The mission plan was that the ship was to make observations and send those back to Tangia. Tangia would analyze them and update the computer's data on the orbit of planets, moons, asteroids, and whatever else the ship would detect. Tangia would also alter the ship's course as necessary to provide the optimum trajectory to their new home. Without updated data, it meant Tangia was not controlling the ship. It was just gliding along the pre-planned course.

Paoto asked, "How does our course look?"

Elsfson said, "We are on trajectory for the planet. We will need only small corrections. As the ship was on its mission, it picked up three more small planets, and two moons around the target planet. The software did a remarkable job on its own analyzing the automatic observations and updating the orbital elements of all the objects. We are fortunate."

Paoto nodded, "Do what you can. I'm going to check the logs and see what happened."

Paoto turned and started working the computer. He saw that there were normal uplinks from Tangia for about ten years, but long before the ship's telescopes would start picking up details of the target star system. The uplinks were planned, mainly just news from Tangia, to let the crew know of events while they were in their deep sleep. Now, they took on a new meaning. Paoto went to the last one and played the last message they ever got from Tangia. It was from his friend Tioga.

"Paoto, my friend. This is the last message you will receive from Tangia, perhaps forever. If I know you, you have found out that we have not updated your trajectory, and went to the uplink logs to find out why. Since I know you are a read-the-last page of the book kind of person, I knew you will be looking at this first."

"Public support for the mission has dropped off to virtually nothing. There will be no further launches, so there are no other missions behind you. I know we were hoping to have another mission launched this year, but when you go over the records, you will see why. The space program is cancelled. I am so deeply sorry to give you this news, and hope that you will be on a trajectory to make it to the planet. We did our best at launch and so far, you look like you are on a good course for the next ninety-three years. My hopes for you all. Goodbye." And the message ended.

Paoto was shocked, they were prepared for many contingencies, this was unforeseen. The whole planet was behind the mission. The very idea of colonizing a planet orbiting a nearby star was captivating. It would take a message one year to get back, so after colonizing, updates with the home world would be like year-long letters. That is unless faster-than-light communications was invented.

Paoto pushed the PA button, and fighting emotion said, "Everyone, come up to the piloting area. I have some bad news."