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Captain John Forrester, Starship Aurora
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By choosing to publish the Forrester Journals, the Morn Liberation Front continues its cry for liberty for all Morn and similarly subjugated planets.
Believed to have been destroyed shortly after his death in the year 27 (Morn Calendar) Captain John Forrester’s private journals were discovered in the year 43 by the splinter group calling themselves Bartlett’s Tribe inhabiting Morn’s southern continent.
It can only be guessed that the journals were somehow smuggled out and subsequently hidden during the Settler Revolt of 31. It is extremely regretful that the captain did not include more of Earth’s technology in his journals as that could have been invaluable to the cause. Additionally, it must be stated that the journals represent the personal views of one man. However, from an historical perspective, the writings form a cornerstone of Morn’s past……...….…….
Note: Reconstructing the Forrester Journals is a time consuming and often frustrating task. Nevertheless, this site will attempt to publish entries as soon as they become available which may or may not be on a daily basis.
Morn Liberation Front
Year 211 of our planet
The Private Journals of Captain John Forrester
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| A fading reminder of what we have lost |
While I fully realize that my personal journals will be of little value to the future of the colony,
I keep them for my own use as a record of my thoughts and observations. It is up to the scientists to record the scientific
data; and the engineers to record the engineering data. My command data is entered dutifully in the command log where it can
be accessed by all. However, my private journals are my own. Perhaps my personal thoughts and observations
will help me with the tasks ahead. There is no turning back. We have looked out the viewing portal and watched Earth and all
that we know recede slowly into the horizon of the universe.
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Entry 34 6/10/2129
3:12 pm estHydroponics is continuing the Earth experiments to develop a high protein fruit that ripens in a month. Of course, in deep space, there are no months. More accurately, according to Tony’s friend Sophie Attler, six thousand and seven hundred hours. The fruit, with the diameter of a large baseball, is expected to taste somewhat like a banana (thanks to its paw-paw heritage). However, similar to a cactus, it will require little water. The leaves and accelerated growth vines are being developed to serve as fodder for the cattle and goats. Originally planned for the Mars terraforming project, this food source might indeed prove invaluable to our own future. However, this is assuming the new planet is similar to Mars in terms of lack of water and soil composition. Short term, I have approved the project as it will help sustain us in our voyage. My fear is that this project will consume too many resources and that the development of other plants will be put to one side. I am also concerned that as this vine is designed to be extremely hardy and productive under the harshest conditions, it might also become virulently invasive – similar to the kudzu vines which are also part of its heritage. Will this plant live up to its name “Salvation Fruit”, or will it become a nightmare? Entry 33 (missing) 3:09 pm est Entry 32 6/8/2129
8:18 am estGussie Banders is a grandmother. Not having access to any of the scientists’ files, I didn’t realize that Gussie is in her late fifties. She has a timeless quality about her. Although her hair is a salt and pepper gray, her face is unlined and her figure is slim and well maintained. Unlike most of us, she really does have a family that she cares about on Earth. Her husband died four years ago. She has two grown children and three grandchildren. Her daughter just gave birth to a baby girl. I asked her why or even how could she leave her family to travel to a new world – knowing she would never see them again. She replied because she would be more needed on the new world than she was on Earth. “Besides, this is the ultimate adventure!” she added. We drank a bottle of wine while we stared at Mars from the aft observation portal. I like Gussie. More importantly, I trust Gussie. Entry 31 6/8/2129
11:36 am estTony Bartlett likes the idea of a special day for the children. Poor Tony, he's so anxious to settle down and have a family, but he's a bit discouraged about his chances with Sophie Attler from Hydroponics. Tony has agreed to give the children a tour of the engine rooms and the RP systems. I remember when I was that age and absolutely fascinated with the idea of processing human waste into a viable protein source. We have several families of children aboard: the Wittcombes, the Andrews – five year old Mathew and six year old Robert. Of course the two little Jensen girls four and eight. Little Polly Soros is only two, but I think she’ll enjoy a special day as well. Gussie Banders says she will show them the hybe labs so they won’t be frightened when they go into hybe. Gussie is a good choice for this. It’s impossible to feel frightened when Gussie is around. She has a way of adjusting her glasses and looking at you while she raises her eyebrows. I think we’ll give the children some sort of memento of their day.. maybe a mini-vid charm that they can share with each other on the new world Entry 30 6/7/2129
9:15 am estI shared a settler’s table in one of the forward common areas with the Wittcombe family and found that I really enjoyed being around their three children. Ella at age nine is convinced she knows everything about everything. Tory, a rather shy boy at eight, seems to hang on every word I say. Melissa, the baby, who is four just wants to climb into my lap and nod at whatever is said. Tory reminds me of me at that age. I too felt alone much of the time. Of course, Bruce Wittcombe is a far cry from my own father. He seems gentle and concerned with his three children and I noticed that they do not hang back from him as I remember doing at that age. I think I should plan some sort of children’s holiday for the children we have with us. Soon, they will be in hybe and wake to a new home. But for now, this is their home. Surely, as captain, I am captain for the children as well as the adults and should take their needs seriously. Entry 29 6/6/2129
9:14 am estHaving past Mars, we are now free to accelerate slightly. I will be glad to finally pass through the Kuiper Belt and the boundary. As long as we are travelling through Earth’s solar system, we are all tied to so many memories. Entry 28 6/5/2129
9:14 am estPassing the red planet has had a sobering effect on us all. It is a reminder of a failed attempt within our own celestial borders to create a new world for humanity. In the silence of space, it hammers home the incredible odds we face. We are travelling light years to a system that has not been explored with the assumption that we will somehow create a new Earth. Entry 27 (missing) 9:12 am est Entry 26 6/3/2129
7:37 pm estAs we slide slowly pass the red planet, I find myself feeling nostalgic. I will miss Mars. I have never even been to Mars. When the first Mars colonies opened up, there was such a feeling of hope. In third grade, we communicated with the settlers via holovid. A class project that I remember well was making plastic dinner plates from old strips of recycled materials from before the turn of the century. I made my plate with lots of fish designs because, at the time, there were plans for constructing a series of artificial lakes. Alas, ultimately, the sand, the wind and the temperature fluctuations proved too much for terraforming. The settlers returned chastened and bitter that their dreams of Eden had been eroded into dust like everything else on that planet. Of course, the scientists and miners remained as did the navigation center. Mars produces huge quantities of needed ore and minerals. According to the mining consortium, there is no ecological balance to worry about and no landscape to destroy. One hole is pretty much like all the other holes. Still, from a distance, it glows majestically red as if untouched and unsullied by human kind. And I will never see it again. Entry 25 6/2/2129
7:21 pm estTheodore Crane has taken to policing the communication units allotted to each settler. He seems to feel that there is a conspiracy in the New Hope Project that favors the scientists and that somehow the scientists have stolen credits. Fortunately, we will soon have travelled beyond normal communications and the ship will be accessible only to Mars navigational instructions. |
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2009.04.01 |
2009.03.01 |
2009.02.01
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Click above for earlier entries which are stored in the Liberation Front Archives.