Pioneers mission
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The Pioneers mission is the third ship sent from Earth, after the Founders and the Explorers, to expand humanity to the stars. It carries about one million volunteers, most of them drawn by its new AI for recreational experiences, Omega. It left almost 3000 cycles before the book begins, and 95% of the crew were born in transit. Its destination is Calima.
In Descent (2258)
What it is
The mission's guidelines are to reach Calima, verify that it is habitable, adapt to it and expand through its star system, so that humanity no longer depends on a single planet. A part of the crew would settle permanently, adapted by gene therapy, and the ship would later go on to the next candidate world. Communication with Earth runs through relays and takes at least 1000 cycles each way.
The crew is divided into ten sections of 100,000 people, which Omega wakes in turns for the vigil shifts; within each, people belong to the Engineers, the Researchers or the Guardians. The story follows section 9.
After the crash
Entering orbit, the ship is cut in two and falls. About 100,000 survive, a tenth of the mission, more than half of them from section 9, whose vigil was beginning; nearly 200,000 die and some 700,000 are missing, probably under water. Only about 10,000 stay awake; the rest are kept in induced comas to save energy.