Shepherds Path, Part 8: Colonization
For over 370 years, the people of New Jerusalem have carved out a life for themselves and their descendants on a new world. Events on a distant world many have never been to threaten all of that.
The colonization program was viewed by many on Earth as a solution to the resource scarcity that had loomed over humanity for many years. Offworld colonies would be able to harness the resources of new planets and send some of those resources back to Earth. While shipments from the colonies did arrive, exports to the colonies were needed for their continued survival. It is impossible to simply start a modern existence from nothing, and colonies would need long term support before they were fully independent. As the waning years of the 6th millennium wore on, social pressure turned into political pressure to address this support. Many on Earth began to view the colonies as resource pits which consumed more than they produced, or even as leeches and freeloaders. A low level of discontent eventually turned into political action which threatened to cut the colonies off from Earth.
New Jerusalemite leadership was appalled at this suggestion and negotiations began alongside other colonies. New Jerusalem, it was argued, produced a critical supply of food that would be lost if the colonies were cut off. On top of that the people of New Jerusalem were reliant on extraplanetary sources for heavy machinery, pharmaceuticals, and other products of a modern industrial society. These negotiations came to a head when the Pope himself went to Earth to plead their case.
Exactly what happened in that final round of negotiations is unknown. However, before the Jerusalemite delegation could return home, the gateship fleet was shut down. All interstellar travel was stopped, and it would be nearly four hundred years before the gate in the Nereus system was reopened.
The Pope and his entourage waited outside the office of the head of Colonial Affairs. He had forgone his papal robes in favor of simple business attire, as he had thought it would be better to come as a businessman and representative of a colonial government than a religious leader. The Pope constantly adjusted himself in his uncomfortable seat as he looked over the documents he had with him. Annual shipment reports, cost/benefit analyses, import to export comparisons, anything he could use to help show the newly elected Concordat government that shutting down the gate network would be a disaster. His ambassadors had tried their hardest to turn the Concordat off this path. He also knew that representatives of all the other colonies, even isolationist Jotenheim, had petitioned the government.
Without the gateship fleet, New Jerusalem would suffer hard. Perhaps not as hard as most, since the planet grew all of its own food and could maintain the equipment it needed to do so. The issue was the crisis that the loss of heavy equipment and medicine produced on other worlds. From a strictly humanitarian perspective, this would be catastrophic. Economically it would not be as hard but would still cause massive disruption to both Earth and New Jerusalem. The head of Colonial Affairs opened the door to his office and beckoned them in.
“Come in, please have a seat” the Concordat official said, motioning to a set of chairs. Once everyone was settled, the head of Colonial Affairs got out a folder and looked at the Pope. “I presume you are here to discuss issues with the idea of shutting down the gateship fleet?”
“Of course, I believe that action would be a disaster for both Earth and New Jerusalem.” The Pope handed some papers to the Concordat representative. “As you can see from these figures, New Jerusalem is a net exporter in terms of economic value, and we are the single largest producer of food in the Concordat. This argument about the colonies being a bottomless pit of resources is quite frankly ridiculous with respect to New Jerusalem. As you can see….” The Pope was cut off before he could continue.
“What I see, is a deliberate misrepresentation.” Interrupted the head of Colonial Affairs. He pointed to line in the documents the Pope had given him. “Here you claim net exports with a value of 1.81 trillion, with imports valued 1.26 trillion. I have no doubt these numbers are true, but they miss the point. Earth is your largest trade partner. We sent nearly 85% of those imports to you, yet less than 10% of your exports reached us. By the time Home, Eden, and Atlantis are all fed, we get almost nothing.”
The Pope moved to interject but was cut off again. The Concordat representative continued. “This trade disparity also doesn’t account for the fact that your Church has not been active in heavy industrial development. We are shipping machines and other supplies to you that almost any other world can produce on their own. You have failed to develop your own internal infrastructure to remove your dependence on us. Quite simply, as far as I can see, this is your fault.”
“Our fault!” cried the Pope. “How is this our fault! Earth is the headquarters and base of almost every company we can do business with. It’s not economical to trade with Terra Nova or Utopia. To suggest otherwise is ridiculous.” Seeing his argument was making no headway, the Pope changed his angle. “Even if this were our fault, which I do not agree with, withdrawing the gateship fleet would be a humanitarian disaster. We need the medical supplies and other vital materials to continue surviving and..”
The Concordat official stood up and slammed his hands down on his desk. “Humanitarian disaster!? Look around you, Earth is a humanitarian disaster. This planet cannot keep feeding worlds that were colonized to help us. Some colonies have been in operation for far longer than yours, and even those are not doing what needs to be done.”
The Pope stood up as well. “You can’t do this, this is insane!”.
“It has already been done” replied the head of Colonial Affairs. “Two hours ago the Human Concordat legislature approved the measure. The gateship fleet is being shut down. I suggest you run back to that hole you crawled from if you ever want to see it again.”
The Pope stared, not comprehending, until he stood up and nearly ran from the office.
