New Croatoan Part I

Some time ago I wanted to create an expansive science-fiction world. I love world-building franchises such as Dune, Star Wars, Star Trek, Foundation, Arthur C. Clarke's series based on 2001, Perry Rhodan, etc. etc. and I wanted to create my own.

The concept is about a potentially dying Earth and the U.S. decides to send two space crews to a newly discovered planet for colonization. The first group would be a small military force to get infrastructure built to get ready for the second, larger mostly civilian interplanetary migrants. Since this first crew would be just a ten-person crew that had to have specific capabilities, the members would be frozen during the long voyage.

A second crew of several hundred would be sent later, comprised of a diverse group with a wide array of talents and knowledge. However, freezing this many people for the long trip would require mass amounts of resources and energy, these travelers making the 400 year trip, would never live to see the new planet.

The story mainly follows the members of this second trip, starting with the those first recruited, or in some cases, forced to leave Earth forever. New adventures are encountered as the succeeding generations encounter alien life forms, as well as find love and loss, all heading towards an unknown future on a ship which becomes the only home most have ever known.

Once the ship arrives, a reconnaissance group discover the earlier group had made it safely and had established shelter for everyone, however, there was no sign of anyone. Even more bizarrely, there was evidence people disappeared right in the middle of their activities such as a bowl of cereal that was barely touched, cigarette butts. And more astonishing, the cigarette butts were still smoldering. It appears as if earlier crew disappeared as soon as the second ship arrived!

Next: Why New Croatoan?