The Pioneers.
They were the first settlers on the new world. Others would follow, they would come on the spaceships in great numbers, and they would build a new civilization. The planet was named Juno, after the Roman goddess of light.
Now they were only a small group of a few hundred people. They had come across the vast reaches of space in a dozen large spacecraft. The settlement that they had built for themselves was a small village of wooden huts. In the future, the settlers that were to come would build great cities, roads and monuments. But for now, it was only them in the outstretched wilderness of the new world.
The world was beautiful beyond measure, and unspoilt. The sea rolled its waves endlessly on the rocky shores. It was a deep blue and mighty sea. It stretched out in a vast expanse around the mighty globe. The land was fair, and the soil was rich. The planet had an abundance of mineral wealth. In most regions, the climate was pleasant and mild. The natural inhabitants were primitive, and still few in number. They posted no real threat to the pioneers. It was the perfect world to colonize.
Nico stood on the edge of the village, and looked out over the plains. A gentle wind washed over his face and his hair, as he stood looking out over the grassland, thinking his own thoughts. How beautiful this world was. It was filled with wildlife, and the birds soared in numbers through the sky. The seas and rivers were filled with fish, and other water creatures. The trees and grass stretched out endlessly in all directions. This world was still a paradise.
He savored the unspoilt nature as he stood there, for he knew that the coming colonizers would change it all. They would build cities and roads, and the prairies would be fenced off into sections. They would then be used for farming and agriculture, to feed the population of the growing cities. New states and towns would spring up all over the countryside. The face of this beautiful world would change forever.
The man stood there for hours looking out over the fields of wild grass, until the sun began to set, and the light grew dim. The setting sun threw its last rays of red and gold out over the dark blue clouds, tinting their edges with silver and pink. A flock of birds flew past in the darkening sky, seeking a roosting place for the night. Their calls echoed from the sky across the plain. Then the sun fell away beyond the distant blue mountains.
In the fading light before the darkness, the man turned away and walked back to the lights of the village. Soon the night sky was filled with the light of a million stars, and the moon shone brightly.
The End.
Copyright - JP Brown - 24/09/2006.
