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Doc Future
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Original poster
The crossing from Earth to Mars was supposed to take six months, given the size and crawling speed of the spaceliner. It carried nearly two hundred men, women, and children-- the first crop of Martian settlers. Scientists and engineers had, of course, been on Mars for decades, and their preparations were now complete. They were ready for the masses to come to the red planet and begin new lives, new civilizations, and new trials.
The spaceliner which carried the settlers from the blue to the red was called Prodigal I. It was originally a luxury spaceliner made for the rich and famous to cruise earth in high orbit. It had been bought by a conglomerate of nations and repurposed as an LVV (long voyage vessel). It was assumed that the following voyages bringing settlers from Earth would not have the luxury provided by this certain vessel, but the trip warranted a certain amount of fanfare and extra expense, being the first of its kind.
The vessel was divided into seven decks, or levels. The first level is comprised mostly of the "guts" of the ship. The many computers and machines which housed and worked in unison with the engines, atmosphere integrity, and gravity control are found here. The second and third levels are residential decks which house the settlers and the lower-ranking members of the crew. The fourth level is almost completely dedicated to dining, laundry, and other services provided for the voyage. The cockpit of the vessel is found in the "nose" of the ship, on the fifth level. The rest of the fifth level houses the upper crew members and the international detachment of military personnel, meant to keep order during the crossing and return with the ship to Earth. The sixth level was originally made to house ballrooms and other leisure spaces when the ship was used as a luxury liner. These ball rooms, sports areas, bars and libraries are still in operation, against the wishes of many taxpayers on Earth. The seventh and smallest level of the ship is dedicated to housing the ships communication equipment, as well as offices for the diplomats of Earth governments who wished to observe the crossing.
All in all, the total number of souls aboard the Prodigal number at 190. Of those, 150 are the actual settlers who would be staying on Mars when the ship reached its destination. The other forty are crewmembers, diplomats and military personnel. The nations who paid for the voyage signed a treaty which established Mars as a free and independent world. No nation would lay claim to the settlement, or any future settlement. The settlers were to hold elections upon landing and create their own government.
The voyage has been planned expertly and is expected to go off without a hitch, however...
There are rumblings about a conspiracy of a few to grasp power over Mars.
Crew members have sworn that they've seen a ghost ship on radar, trailing the Prodigal since she left Earth.
The mysterious engine which fuels the ship is top secret, and no one is allowed to know how it works with such little need for refueling.
And children on the ship tell tales of something dark and murderous which lives on the first deck, among the engines and gravity generators. Something ancient and evil.
This is the story of the first Mars Crossing. It has been thirty days since the Prodigal left dock at earth. Only five more months to go until she arrives on Mars. If she arrives, that is...
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