Prologue[]
Random Events (Nebula California) - Take 2[]
A dark room in a converted warehouse
A dead city on a dead world that appears on no current map
26 May 3152
Local Morning
Daniel Ulman had come to this world like many others in the hope that it would be possible to finally be free of the fighting. Of course it didn't help that there was still a lot of guilt by association due to who his ancestors were and thus why he had assumed his current name.
His skill set had quickly proven too valuable for him to not be thrust into a position of power among the beginnings of a government among these refugees.
Despite their lack of an HPG or other FTL communication methods unwelcome news had prompted an emergency meeting.
A fresh batch of refugees from Earth had shown up. When they left the fight was still going on and it was by pure luck that they managed to slip past the Clan forces.
"If they thought to come here then the Clans will think to come here. We all know what that would mean if they do. We can't stop them." Daniel looked at the other leaders.
"Where would we go instead? We don't have a lot of choices." Gilly Henderson got her position due to her talents with fusion plants.
"This all assumes that Alaric or his henchmen will come for us. I say it's less risky for us to stay then pull up stakes again." Fezik Al-Alid was here because he was the most combat experienced fighter they had in their ranks.
"Unless these new refugees brought some heavy machinery with them, especially something to clean up some soil, we don't have enough farmland to support too many more people." Alice Cunningham was a botanist by education and came from a long line of farmers.
"We did not." Gavin Elrich had been elected to be the representative of the new refugee group.
"So best case scenario for us staying is we don't get bothered, but the population growth will outpace what we can grow. Worst case is possibly any moment now a Clan force will come looking for these refugees here and find us too. End result being bad for a lot of people here." Daniel sighed.
"Doesn't change that we'd either have to take our chances on finding a better world or put ourselves back in the situation we are all trying to escape from." Gilly was becoming more obviously agitated.
"It's a long shot and an incomplete report, but I do have this. To most people it is a joke or a warning that we still don't know all the hazards of space travel." Daniel said as he dug into a pocket and tossed a datacard on the table.
"IE or EC?" Gilly picked up the datacard.
"IE. Some fantastical accounts of a regressed former Star League colony. For some reason it had to be sent out on conventional radio so the signal got pretty scrambled before anyone picked it up. Given that it supposedly already has a colony on it I didn't share it sooner. Clans could find their way there since in theory they could uncover the original Star League records now. Given our situation though I think at the very least it'll give us enough lead time that when combined with such a colony we'll at least have a chance to protect ourselves from the Clans when they do come for us." Daniel somehow knew he would need that particular datacard today.
The ancient early warning system came to life again. It had taken them a lot to get it working again but all now considered the effort and use of parts worth it.
"Seems we no longer have a choice because another emergence wave close in enough to be detected cannot be friendly." Fezik looked at the ceiling.
"Unless they know something we don't about this system that means we have ten days to pack up and get out of here." Daniel did the mental math.
"It'll be tight getting everyone loaded up in time but we should be able to. Supplies is the question. We got enough if we have to we can last a little over a year before we have to stop over for fresh stocks." Alice did her own math.
"Colony is in a Nebula on the coreward side of old Rim Worlds space. So should only be about 8 months." Daniel did some more quick math.
"We'll come too if you don't mind." Gavin chimed in.
"Okay but we won't have a lot to spare." Alice saw the consent from everyone else.
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