Food and housing of choice were provided for all. Each of us was required to work only 4 hours each week, and we were free to study whatever interested us. With the additional time to study, tremendous strides were made in the Research and Development fields. The Computer Aided Research Library became totally independent of all government and university controls.
In those early years everyone was excited to be free to pursue whatever career that they chose. However after many career changes and several hundred years, more and more people became despondent. Life on Earth quickly became a living hell. Our rapid advances in the technology and medical fields were not accompanied by advances in psychology and mental health treatment and care.
Our move into space was very slow. Travel to even the closest planets took years and all of the planets in our solar system were uninhabitable. For many, space exploration was their only reason for living. The search for habitable planets consumed the time of more and more of the people. When the first habitable planet was discovered, there were over 10 million applications for the 10,000 colonist positions.
Human’s insatiable curiosity and need to have children rapidly drove us to increase our searches for other habitable planets. For the next 1000 years our civilization was forced to radically alter our colonization efforts. With the help of the Computer Aided Research Library (CARL) we were finally able to develop a colonization blueprint and enhance the Space Fold technology that allowed us to spread throughout the entire universe. Our early attempts to colonize the new worlds were mostly unsuccessful, but they allowed our civilization to mature and grow.
Our entire colonization effort is now guided by CARL and the specially trained Caretakers who are recruited from all corners of the Universe. Special tests are administered to all high school graduates. The selected candidates continue their academic studies at the college or colleges of their own choosing. After they graduate, they receive advanced training at the Power of Seven facility on Earth. Nearly 25 percent of those selected fail to complete their Caretaker training. Of the remaining Caretakers, only 10 percent will ever be sent to a new colony. The remaining Caretakers work at the Power of Seven facilities throughout the Universe as trainers and researchers.
Each new colony is now developed according to an enhanced colonization blueprint and the development is overseen by CARL and seven Star of Seven facilities. There are also seven human Caretakers to help CARL manage the development of each new civilization. The story of Earth-92 is only one of the many that could be told. What is increasingly important to each of us is the ability to record the human odyssey. Future generations of our children must be able to read about and appreciate their place in our quest to inhabit the universe.
Travel between colonies is still very limited. Even with the advancements in space travel, it is still very expensive and time consuming to travel to the far reaches of the universe. After a new civilization reaches complete maturity, it is allowed to apply for membership in the Federation of Earth. After it is accepted travel to the new colony can be arranged. Prior to their acceptance, the knowledge about the colony and about the Federation is severely restricted. Unauthorized travel to a developing colony is punishable by immediate execution to be carried out by CARL and the colonies Caretakers. There is no appeal allowed.
The actual location of each colony is a closely guarded secret that is typically known only to CARL. Over the past 13000 years, only 5 attempts have been made to reach a new colony. Each of the offending groups was discovered and eliminated with minimal damage to the colony. The Federation has been joined by over 70 colonies and there are currently 100 new colonies that will one day be allowed to join.