Chapter One

 

The world had become an increasingly chaotic place. There seemed to be no order or morals among most of the population. No one batted an eye when someone was murdered, mugged, raped, or beaten. Laws were increasingly ignored and looting was a regular occurrence. When a group of people thought they were ignored, riots occurred, which caused much economic destruction.

There was a tiny nation, known as Terra, located in a remote part of the planet that had been progressing technologically faster than anywhere else had in the world. Their ancestors saw how the rest of humanity were digressing morally, so they banded together from varied kingdoms, and found this nation a thousand years earlier. Once the Terrans were settled, they quietly worked on technological advancements for the betterment of their people.

The Terrans were currently experimenting with crude spacecraft, which were used to explore the moon, and they were sending out probes to explore the solar system. The Terrans had already invented the means for flight, the combustion engine, radio, along with installing satellites and telescopes in orbit, among other technologies. They had no desire to share their technology with anyone else, especially since the others were immoral and would use this advanced technology against each other.

Meanwhile, the rest of the world was in the first stages of an industrial revolution, beginning with the construction of steam engines, factories for mass production, trains, and the telegraph. The Terrans wanted to leave the planet, to search out one in which they could live peacefully, away from all these primitives. Some humans, but mostly Terrans, were living upwards of six hundred years, so the same people who planned, developed, and worked on a technology, could continue to do so until the technology came into being.

One day, Terran astronomers were at one of their observatories searching the skies, cataloging all sorts of astronomical wonders, when they came across a massive meteor headed for Earth. The astronomers were genuinely concerned, so they went to consult with some scientists. The scientists inputted the data into their computers, and minutes later had the answer as to when this meteor would hit the planet. The news was not good, so the astronomers and the scientists asked for a meeting with the President of Terra, Esther Koorey.

In the President’s office a week later, the head astronomer, Gregory Lomanco, said, “Madam President, we asked for this meeting today because we have some grave news,”

“What is it, Mr. Lomanco?”

“We located a meteor on a direct path towards Earth. According to our computer simulations, the meteor will hit Earth in a little over six years. While it is a considerable distance from us now, what makes this significant, ma’am, is that this meteor may cause an extinction level event for the entire planet when it hits. Humanity, plants, and animals will come within ninety-nine percent of extinction. We need to do something about it.” Lomanco handed the report to the President, who looked it over, and began to look a little pale.

“What do you propose we do?”

“I propose we begin ramping up the time it takes us to research and develop innovative technologies. Get our rocket technology upgraded quicker, start building a starship to carry some of our population so we can re-settle elsewhere, such as the Alpha Centauri solar system. I believe we can develop everything we need in less than three years, Madam President.”

“Can I ask why those of us who do get to survive this event, have to leave Earth entirely?”