The Lost Cause
Exerpt from the logs of the Freight Courier, U.E.S. Venturer
Day 1-Captain Jonathan
Today, we have put out from the port in DSN-1810. A Voinian Fleet came north, though. We couldn't go South, there were gonna be more there. So we went North.
A rocket hit us however. Our navigational systems were completely destroyed, and I could not go back, for fear of the Voinians. So, I decided that the next day, we will have to go our own route to Saalia.
Day 2-Captain Jonathan
I was thoroughly lost today. I could not for the life of me remember the coordinates to put into the computer. Not even the Navigator knew it, though to pass school, he had to know it somewhere. Finally, he believed that he had got it. So we are racing home today. I am expecting a speedy return to Saalia. The Frontier Express will be angry with us for not taking the safest route, but as I have recorded, I had no choice.
Day 3-Captain Jonathan
I am now in anger. My navigator was totally off on his coordinates. I was able to do an equation in the computer, now, and we went on a predicted route to another system. The hyperstream was completely expiremental, and the ship was one coordinate off. We went to far, and as I have not any stabilizers, my ship was damaged badly.
What else is that I am in need of fuel. I found out that the rocket also drove a leak in my fuel tanks. Luckily, there is a planet in this system. With any luck, I will be able to land and repair in safely.
Day 4-Captain Jonathan
Today I landed on the planet. Because my navigational computers are down, I cannot record my course automatically. I don't know what the planet's name is, but my crew has dubbed it Himerlaia. I will not allow anyone to go out today, but maybe tomorrow.
Day 5-Captain Jonathan
The crew embarked today. We all had much to say about it. The 35 men and 5 marines all agreed that even though we had landed on the most dry area, it was completely luscious. One married couple of my crew declared that they would stay here forever. One day, the inhabatants of the planet would be a great planet. I told them not to get their thoughts so high. The marines patrolled our planet all day, but only could get one mile out of our camp, due to thick foliage. The soil here is fertile, and the only reason we were able to land was because our engines burned away any plants in our way. When two marines decided to sleep outside, they tried to build a fire. When they put firewood down and went to get more, it sprouted and was already growing again by the time they got back. The animals there were extraordinary as well. They were mainly like the primates and birds of planet Earth. I was tempted to think that maybe some of Earth's ships had crashed, and some of the animals on board had escaped.
My engineer told me that our engine could not take off again, not that we had enough fuel. The only fuel we had was enough to send our little shuttle around the planet once. Not that we wanted to leave.
Days 6-14-Captain Jonathan
The crew by now had begun to look for a means to settle here permanently. But they could find no way. The plants could go through anything and everything. We even laid down some extra metal in the hold, that was sprouted through in an hour. The best we could do was to stir some poison in with the cement, put a metal tub down, pour the cement in, and lay another piece of metal on it. Of course, the only thing that needed a foundation was maybe a launch pad for our shuttles.
We came up with other means of shelter. For example, we would cut down several large, straight branches, and stick them in the ground. Then we would build a platform some twenty feet above the ground. The four stakes immediately came back to life. The platform connected them, so that the whole thing was one, living organism. Within a week, we would have a canopy of leaves. How did we get down, you ask? We would merely build ourselves a vine ladder. The only disadvantage to this was that the ladder must be trimmed every couple of days.
By the 14th day, we had some twenty of these little houses. Every three nights it would rain, so our village was well-watered. The canopies do well to protect us from the rains.
Day 15-Captain Jonathan
Today the idea donned on me that our ship might not ever leave. Furthermore, there could be a power grab as soon as there were enough people. I didn't want my paradise to face the same fate as Earth, so I decided to write a Constitution for our town. I decided to name it off of a favorite island on Molos: Isle de Flour. Here it is so that my decendants may be able to obey my law however they want.
To the people of the good craft U.E.S. Venturer on their paradise Isle de Flour. Our land is not to be polluted, we have been given a second chance to do the environments good. Only the crafts and duplicates of the efficient shuttles that have been brought here are to be used. The Marines are to take care and fight at the council's demands. The council shall consist of thirteen representatives, and a captain and first mate. They are to be elected using the Electoral College. Any rebels shall be sent to work as prisoners in camps. After the third generation of a family of slaves may they be set free.
Yah, it isn't the best, but I figure it might do the colony some good.
Day 16-First Mate Jola
The captain is out with the marines, exploring. I am writing in the log for him. So I guess this is like some diary thing, huh. Well, the only thing I can think to put is that his Constitution really stinks.
Days 17-30 notes
While the captain was out for fourteen days exploring, the council developed a little more formal Constitution, even if two of it's members were gone.
Day 31-Captain Jonathan
I was glad to come back from my journey today. On the mission, we discovered that we are indeed on an island in a great freshwater ocean. While on the journey, I came to a mountain. I believe that this mountain is the only place on this planet where you have visual of the ice capped moon.
I like to call it Old North Pole. For as well as I can tell, we are in the northern hemisphere. I did encounter a severe puzzling thing, though. There was a deserted village, much like the one that we had built. I don't know if there were other humans here, or if there was indeed another species. I would much hate to share my paradise. I hear that the council has taken time in my absence and that they have indeed improved upon my Constitution.
Day 32-Captain Jonathan
I missed recording yesterday because a terrible tragedy has become us. An army of creatures is besieging my country. We had walls built, and already the inhabatants are trying to burn it down. They have never seen this kind of wood (I brought a sample of it from Huron myself, the bark is fireproof). I shall do best to record the negotiations I had,
I was picking fruit outside of the walls when I am captured by some creatures. They look much like monkeys with feathers. They demanded to see the leader, and said I "I am of course our captain."
"Then why have you invaded us?" They said this in clear English.
"First tell me, how did you learn my language?"
"I have learned it, most people of our planet have learned it as well. It is to unite us. Now why have you come here?"
"We crashed."
"Then why did you scare away one of my villages?" He then pointed at me a spear. And told me that if we did not leave, he would kill us all. I asked him how many he had and he told me 20,000. Even if they were three feet smaller than me, we would be no match for him. I asked for time, and he told me I had till the sun came again.
Right now my engineer is desparetly trying to fix the ship. The rest of the colony is building up defenses. Somehow, they have already managed to break down 1 pillar.
Day 33-Captain Jonathan
This is a terrible tragedy. My engineer has fixed my ship, but my village has been burned to a crisp. None of my folk are dead, but I don't know how much more this ship can take. About three o-clock this morning, they broke in. The village was gone by dawn. I can't wait much longer. Our food supplies are low and I have very little water. The only thing we can do is pray.
Day 34-Captain Jonathan
It is the fourth day of the siege, and my men can't do much. Since I am part of the UE, I must not try to attack this primitive race. They have not even learned how to fly simple machines though. I have did give them advice on not to try to pollute the planet. It is a very specific book, and I hope it is preserved. It would be a pitty to have this wonderful kingdom destroyed by heat.
Day 35-The engineer has concucted a plan. We will send a hunter missile into space. This hunter missile will explode once it comes within a mile of the ship, and send a message giving my coordinates and a plea for help. I only hope that their is a ship in the area.
Day 36-Captain Jonathan
A ship has come to our rescue. It has agreed to escort us to Saalia. From there we will make our way to Crocket, and give a fake description and keep the logs from being examined. In return we must keep the planet and its inhabitants a secret.
The captain of their ship, the Enterprise, would have it so.