Earth II

> FIRST FTL FLIGHT > SUCCESS!

Colony Established On A New World!

More Colony Ships Planned!

Scientists Advise Against Colonies!

We are disheartened that our young species has seen fit to attempt to colonize this world against our better judgment, but the popular press has once again misunderstood the reason. It is no lack of faith in their ability, if anyone could succeed in this hellish world, they could, but we wished them to wait until the I.F. saw fit to provide a better world. This world was taken from the top of the rejected list. The existing fauna and flora are simply too aggressive for any colony to have a decent chance to succeed.

•••

...

"What's worse, the idiots chose that planet themselves as the least objectionable world on what they were told was the only list of worlds they would ever have a chance at.

"The closed-minded twit who told them that has been removed from office, but the damage is done. If they don't succeed, they will be declared a failure and likely ordered destroyed as a failed experiment. If they do succeed, it will be even worse, as the government has already informed us that they will only be given access to worlds on the reject list. They will never have a chance at the better worlds!"

...

•••

...

"Council members, you are already aware of the science group that created these... these cockroaches... did so in direct contravention of the established protocols for uplift selection, purely for the chance to stick a branch in the eye of the established standards, without the slightest concern that their acts might unleash a plague on the I.F. of unimaginable proportions.

"That fear has now proven true. The study shows that population pressure is the sole motive for FTL travel, and all other population control methods, including the ever-effective death cult, have been rejected.

"They will breed and breed until they use up every resource in the universe."

•••

"Martha, Joseph, you have done well. So well that we have already begun building two more colony ships at both worlds."

"Excuse me, both worlds? I was under the impression that the existing ships were refurbished and sent out."

"Existing ships? What existing ships? Per I.F. colonization protocol, each ship becomes the center of the new colony, regardless of the cargo space that already holds three colony centers obviating the need to disassemble a craft placed in orbit at great expense, and allowing us to select three starting points for colonization making it that much more likely that the colony overall will succeed. Ergo, all FTL-capable colony ships no longer exist, and we must build more. Get me?"

Earth N^(x)

"The I.F. Fleet is on the way, women and children first. One small bag each!"

•••

"Admiral! We colonized only the rejected worlds, why are we being eradicated!?"

"Citizen, your people represent an unauthorized colony even in a rejected world. You are there illegally."

"We were told that the rejected list was open to colonization without prior approval!"

"And that was the law five hundred years ago, the law has changed, and all restricted world colonies must be eradicated."

"Please! We do not have the shipping to remove all of our people from this world!"

"That is the second reason. You have lied about the number and type of colonization vessels, breaking the rules in an unsafe and illegal manner, causing untold death and suffering. That must end. All of your colonization vessels are declared slavers, and will be destroyed on sight."

"So. It's come to this then. The grand I.F. Fleet has become a bloody handed murderer of defenseless civilians who it should protect rather than destroy. Congratulations Admiral Pirate! You are all declared outlaws! Come at us if you dare! We will fight you with our bare hands if we must, but fight to survive we understand all too well. I had thought better of you Admiral, having come from one of the worst colonization disasters ever, that you at least would see what we have accomplished rather than blindly follow orders issued out of unwarranted fear for unwise reasons to commit GENOCIDE."

((continued))