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Not So Simple Start
Date: July 4, 2122
We arrived on Terra Secundus six months ago. It feels like both yesterday and a lifetime. When my family—the Carters—first volunteered for this mission, it was with hope and excitement in our hearts. We were among the first wave of American colonists, part of a larger American effort to settle this strange new world. As we descended through the atmosphere for the first time, the view was breathtaking: wide, unbroken plains of orange and blue grass, towering cliffs that shimmered in the sunset, and two moons rising together on the horizon. It seemed like paradise.
But paradise, we quickly learned, comes with its own set of challenges.
Month 1: Arrival and Uncertainty
The first few weeks were chaotic. We had landed in what was later named New Liberty, a designated settlement zone selected for its proximity to both water and mineral resources. Our family of five—me, my husband Tom, and our three children—had prepared for this moment for years. We brought everything we thought we’d need: food rations, survival equipment, even a hydroponic kit for growing crops. But no amount of preparation could prepare us for the challenges Terra Secundus would throw at us.
The first problem we encountered was the weather. Terra Secundus is wildly unpredictable. One moment, the sky is clear and calm, the next, ferocious winds sweep through the settlement, carrying sharp grains of mineral sand that tear at our structures and equipment. Our prefab shelters, designed to be sturdy, had to be reinforced constantly. By the end of the first month, nearly every family had experienced some kind of structural damage.
The local flora and fauna were another challenge. The plants we tried to grow—familiar crops from Earth—struggled to take root in the alien soil. The ecosystem here was both beautiful and hostile. Some of the local plants, though harmless to touch, exuded spores that corroded our farming equipment. Others proved toxic if ingested. We had an emergency when our youngest, Ben, touched a plant that caused a severe allergic reaction. Fortunately, the medical team was able to administer treatment, but it was a stark reminder that this world had its own rules, and we were still strangers here.
Month 2: Settling In
By the second month, we began to find our rhythm, but the mood had shifted. The excitement from arrival had dimmed, replaced by the reality of survival. The workdays were long, often starting before dawn to avoid the midday heat, and lasting late into the night. Tom worked in the resource extraction team, helping to map mineral deposits and begin the early stages of mining. They were looking for materials to support colony expansion, especially metals and rare earth elements to power our equipment and build infrastructure.
I focused on our family’s hydroponic garden, trying to grow Earth crops in nutrient solutions. Some plants, like lettuce and tomatoes, began to thrive under controlled conditions. But we couldn’t rely on imported seeds forever. There were constant talks about the need to start genetically engineering plants to adapt to the local environment.
Food was a daily concern for everyone. We were still reliant on our initial rations, supplemented with whatever could be harvested from the hydroponic systems. A few brave souls tried hunting, but the wildlife proved elusive and, in many cases, dangerous. Large, lumbering creatures roamed the plains, and while they hadn’t attacked anyone yet, their presence unnerved us. The settlement's security teams kept a close eye on the perimeter, and every night, we could hear strange sounds, low rumbling noises that echoed through the valley. We didn’t know what was out there, but we knew we had to be cautious.
Month 3: The First Crisis
As the third month rolled around, we encountered our first true crisis: water contamination. We had been using water from nearby rivers and lakes after running it through filtration systems, but one evening, several colonists fell ill after drinking what seemed like clean water. Panic spread as more people began showing symptoms of a mysterious illness—high fever, intense muscle pain, and in a few cases, hallucinations.
The colony's medical team worked tirelessly to identify the source. It turned out that microscopic organisms, undetectable by our initial scans, were present in the water. The organisms weren’t harmful to local wildlife, but they reacted with human biochemistry in unexpected ways. The discovery led to an emergency recalibration of all water filtration systems. While the medical team managed to contain the outbreak, it was a frightening reminder of how alien this world truly was.
Our confidence was shaken, but in the end, it brought us closer as a community. Colonists volunteered to help the medical team, and we all pitched in to fortify the water systems. A new understanding formed: we could survive here, but we had to adapt faster.
Month 4: Building Community
By the fourth month, New Liberty began to feel more like a settlement. Families spent time reinforcing their homes, and community spaces were built. The children played in the open areas, chasing each other through the odd-colored grass. Ben had recovered from his allergic reaction, though we kept a closer eye on him after that.
We held a festival to mark the halfway point in our first year, a way to boost morale and remind ourselves why we had come. There was music—someone had brought an old guitar and people shared food, laughing together as the two moons rose overhead. It was a brief moment of normalcy in the midst of constant challenge.
Our colony, along with the international groups, began forging strong bonds. Although we had different flags back home, here on Terra Secundus, we were one colony, one people trying to survive and thrive. That spirit of unity kept us going.
Month 5: Unexpected Discoveries
As Tom and the other resource teams ventured further from the settlement, they made a startling discovery. About 50 kilometers north of New Liberty, they found what looked like rare mineral deposit site—remnants of geological upheaval from the distant past exposed what would become the defining material that would make New Liberty an essential city of the future.
This discovery changed the nature of our mission. Experts from across the settlement were called in to examine the deposits, and soon a second expedition was launched to investigate. Despite this discovery, we still had to make life bearable moving foward.
This revelation reminded us that, despite our technology and ambitions, we were still fragile newcomers on this planet. There was so much we didn’t know, so much we had yet to learn.
Month 6: Hope and Determination
Now, as we reach the six-month mark, there’s a cautious optimism in the air. We’ve weathered storms, illness, and the alien nature of this world, but we’re still here. Tom’s work in the mines has yielded promising results, and the continuous expeditions were always a source of wonder and investigation. Our hydroponic gardens are flourishing, and though we still rely on imported food, we’re beginning to establish a sustainable food source.
There are still challenges ahead. We know that we’ve barely scratched the surface of Terra Secundus’ mysteries, and we must remain vigilant. But we’ve made it through the hardest part—those first uncertain months when it seemed like everything was against us.
We, the Carters, and all the other families here, have learned that survival on Terra Secundus isn’t just about perseverance—it’s about adaptation. This world is alien, yes, but it’s becoming our home, one day at a time. And as we look ahead, we know that the future of humanity here depends on our willingness to face the unknown with courage, unity, and hope.
Emily Carter
New Liberty Colony