NEW BEGINNINGS

"If we're leaving we have to leave now!"
"Thats just it, Curt, many of us aren't sure anymore that we want to go."
"There is no other choice, unless you want to consider living like sardines in that 'structured living' section."
"At least we know what's going to happen then. If we go to Eridani we have no idea what's in store for us when we get there, if we get there at all!"
"The technology has been tested, it's as safe as our air filtration towers. Besides, Jarod, I thought that thats why we chose to leave. Life here has become so, so structured that we're not really living anymore."
"I know. But since that accident last week, I'm beginning to wonder if being alive isn't better than living."
"That's an old argument Jarod. Look, everything is ready except for you to board the ship. The departure is in two weeks. Everyone not on the ship will be left behind."

With that the group started to disperse, the thought of last week's accident heavy on their minds. 18 good people died when the shuttles engines misfired. 18 people out of the 150 who had been carefully chosen by the leaders over a year ago to settle a new planet.

A new planet. Most people thought the group insane to leave. Sure Mars had been conquered, so had Venus. But that was an industrial move. And besides, Eridani was in another solar system. Even with the experimental drive it was going to take years to get there. Years they would sleep away in suspended animation. Unless of course it failed. Then they would only have a few months until they ran out of oxygen.

So many ways to fail. but Curt was right and he knew it. Even with the government controlling the birth rate, Earth had become so populated that more and more of their lives were becoming 'structured' until you felt like a robot being told what to do.

That's why "The 10," as they were called now, started this in the first place. Eridani had been known about for years. Why not, they said, send people over there? So they began researching new ways of transportation, new ships, new engines, until they finally found something they were happy with. Then they started talking to people. Finding ones who were willing to not only take the risk of getting there, but to build a new civilization from the ground up. People who were in it for their children, their grandchildren, not for the glory or prestige they hoped to get. It took a long time before people listened instead of brushing them off as dreamers or con-men. Even after most were gathered and the plans were underway, the government opposed them, branding them as renegades trying to do harm, because it didn't want to lose control.

Now, finaly, they were ready to go and many seemed to be losing faith in the dream they shared. The loss of those 18 struck the group hard. Ever since the group had been chosen they had separated themselves. Living and working together, becoming close friends with the few they would spend the rest of their lives with. The idea that some would not make it had always been there, but now that it had struck home some had begun to wonder if it was worth it.

There was only one way to find out, and Curt for one was determined to go through with it. All of The 10 were. Everything was ready. The supplies they needed to get through the first year on their new home were already packed, waiting for them in the ships hold. The ship was fueled. Everything had been checked and rechecked for the journey. Nothing left to do but say your final good-byes and board a shuttle to the ship, which was named, appropriately, New Beginnings.

Curt was nervous. The big day had finally come and he didn't know how many were staying behind. Shuttles had been going up and down all morning so at least most had decided to make the journey. He had delayed going to the shuttle port because of all the news reporters in the area. But he couldn't put it off any longer. Soon he would be left behind. A news crew saw him instantly.
"Captain Stevens! Curt Stevens! A word with you please."
Curt groaned inwardly. "Go ahead. And please call me Curt"
"Ok, Curt; tell me, what are your plans exactly?"
"Well everyone except The 10 will be put in suspended animation before we even leave orbit. We will then pilot the ship out of the solar system and input the course before putting ourselves to sleep"
"Will everyone stay in suspended animation for the whole journey?"
"No. Once a year one of The 10 will wake up for a day to check on the systems and make sure we are still on course"
"And what will happen when you finally reach Eridani?"
"The 10 will be the first to wake up. We will send a message to Earth saying we made it, although you won't get it for a few years. Then we will revive everyone else and choose an area of the planet to settle on, hopefully at the beginning of the growing season. After a year, because the first year will be the hardest, we will send a record of our success or failure. Hopefully by that time we can invite the next group to start getting ready to join us."
"You will invite others?"
"We're not separationists." Curt said with a laugh. "It's just that Earth is running out of room and we need somewhere to go. Hopefully one day Eridani will be as much a home for Humans that Earth is."
"I know the prayers of many go with you in that endeavor. Hopefully this will be the beginning of a new chapter in Earth's history and not just a minor paragraph."
"I definitely hope so."
"Thank you for your time, Captain. I'll let you get to your ship."
"Thank you."

That wasn't so bad, thought Curt, as he boarded the shuttle. He looked around as he found a seat. Only a few were on this trip, and most either gave him a nervous smile or ignored his arrival completely. They were too busy getting a last look at their world. When the shuttle finaly docked Curt immediately went to the command room, where he knew the rest of The 10 would be. As he suspected, he was the last one to board.
"Curt, there you are. Reporters get you?" joked Ron, the youngest of The 10.
"Only one. How many stayed behind?" he asked Stacey, who was in charge of the stasis beds.
"How many were on your shuttle?"
"Eight," he replied.
"Then all the beds are filled,"she responded. "Some of the technicians who were planning to stay changed their minds when the 18 died," she added at the surprised look on Curt's face.
"Then we're ready to go. Do you want to go make sure that everyone is tucked in while we start the engines?"
"On my way," Stacey replied, heading out.
Everyone went to their stations and began the pre-start up check. By the time the ship was ready Stacey came back, with a nod to Curt showing everything was ok. Curt touched a button on his panel.
"New Begginnings to Houston. We are ready to depart."
"This is Houston. Your course is clear. You are free to depart."
The ship slowly began to turn and after they were safely out of orbit, Curt nodded to Jeff at the helm.
"Give her the gas, Jeff."

The rockets burned as they flew away from Earth and left the solar system. After the last system was put on standby, The 10 lingered. Looking, not back but forward, toward their new home and the future.