Banished! 1: Exiled!

Once upon a time, the Centrist World Party ruled the world, by popular consent. They had for generations. When the planet suddenly went through a series of man-made and natural catastrophes, the government did its best to solve as many of those problems as possible. It wasn’t enough. Not for the recently formed New Liberation Party.

Using selective truth as a propaganda tool, the Liberation leaders quickly brought the Centrists into disfavor. When even more disasters without simple solutions occurred, the Army of the Hundred Thousand assaulted the tower where all the powerful bureaucrats worked, dragging out those believed responsible. Many were hanged.

The Liberation Party assumed control.

After public deliberations, it was decided that, rather just executing the remaining Centrist politicians and all who still agreed with them, there was a more humane solution: Expulsion.

Scientists twenty years before had discovered a new planet that was, in nearly every important way, as much like Earth as required. There was only one large exception: it’s entire surface was one global ocean. Even stranger, those same scientists determined that the ocean was not salt water, as on Earth. It was entirely fresh water. It should be safely drinkable. There were a few unknown minerals in its composition, but they were believed not to be poisonous.

Plans had been in progress since the planet’s discovery to send colonists there to make sure Earthlings could survive there long term. Three huge rockets had been built. Each stood twenty stories high, designed as permanent floating cities on the water planet.

Now, though, the Liberation Party leaders planned a new use for the rockets. The Centrists who agreed to go would be adjudged guilty and sentenced to be the initial colonists. Those who refused would be publicly executed after a brief trial. Liberation leaders believed this would solve two problems at once. First, they would not need to worry about the Centrists making a comeback. Second, it would send a stark message to anyone else who did not follow the new rules they were poised to subsequently order.

There were no plans to build rockets later. They were satisfied that ownership of Earth would be enough for the foreseeable future.

When the trials and executions were over, the new colonists who had agreed to go were forced into the three huge ships. Worldwide celebrations were held as they blasted off, live cast to every screen able to display their departure, as proof that they were actually gone. There would be no follow-up videos of their flight or their arrival at their destination. The Liberation leaders ordered that their fates were never to be discussed again. It was to be as if they had never existed. Everyone was to concentrate on the current problems, with the aim of solving them as soon as possible.

On the ships, volunteer experts of every kind went to work figuring out how to maintain the ship’s operation. After all, these same people had kept all of Earth’s infrastructure smoothly operating. They wondered if those now on control on Earth were doing as well.

The safety of the colonists was of prime importance, but others worked to ensure that ship systems functioned as they should. Electronic experts already made it possible for the three ships to communicate with one another. There were plenty of food stores available on each, so there was no worry about starvation. Ventilation systems all worked as designed.

Once this was done, it was decided that elections should be held. Each ship needed to elect a commander, who would appoint his cabinet to keep each area functioning in the best interests of all onboard. For now, they came to the conclusion that there would be no one commander in complete power over all three ships. More permanent elections would be held after they were on the planet and it was proven that the ships actually would stay afloat on their own.

The weeks leading up to waterfall would give each colonist onboard time to assess those who offered themselves as First Leaders, to make their choices.

Most seemed hopeful for the best.

They were positive it would be the adventure of their lives.