Tristan MacFallan - 13

So that's it, we're out on our ear. No more community and its people to protect us. They'd always been suspicious of us, and my elevated status seemed to be the straw that broke the camels back.  After walking all day and avoiding the mobs that roam the landscape looking for easy pickings, I've managed to secure a little shanty with more holes and spiders than shelter. My wife is disconsolate, basically given up the will to want to live. Is it possible to have pre-natal depression? I have no idea. But I'm thinking she is the one who now doesn't want to bring a child into this world.

Chief Rita Songworth - 13

I no longer take much notice of the people outside the training area that is sectioned off for the aircrew and soldiers who will soon board the ES Siren. At least we're getting fed and keep warm. The training is just something else to take my mind off all the shit that's happening in the world and my parents dire situation. If I could take them with me I would, but only the fittest and most skilled are welcomed aboard the Siren. And my parents and weak and sick, made ill by pollutants and the stress of survival. I can only hope to make them proud.

Alex Tariel-20

On the shuttle. I think I want to throw up—I’m sure it’s nerves. The planet is a long way down, from up here the oceans still look blue. Someone is talking about how there used to be whales in them as big as a bus, now it’s just squids. Apparently they are tasty—guess I’ll never get to find out. On the shuttle we were each given a handbook on Solitaire including a brief run down on what is edible and poisonous. The book is made from hemp paper. I think I had paper books as a kid for coloring or something. Amazing. And everyone on the ship got one.

Corporal Sienna Jade-20

They started loading the ships today. Is it possible to get claustrophobic on such a giant ship? I’ll be trapped in it for a year. 12 months without seeing the sky or feeling rain or having fresh food. What if we run out of food? The three of them are big blots in the sky. I never wanted to leave Earth and now it’s going to happen. I don’t know what is going to be worse: dying in space or arriving and dying of starvation. Some of the women are joking about how they’ll get their pick of men...how they’ll be able to extract all kinds of favors for sex. I feel like I’m not ready for this. I’m not made of the right stuff. I’m not of course as I was shoved into the program because I was a problem not because I have whatever they were looking for. Tomorrow is my last day on Earth. One way ticked, no swapsies.

Chief Rita Songworth - 12

I've always felt privileged at being one of the lucky ones to start a new life, yet all around me even the most malnourished 'outsiders' are giving us and the rest of the crew pitying looks. I've heard the gossip. Many people don't think we'll even make it halfway to the new world of Solitaire. Many others imagine the whole idea is make-believe, a way for the elite and the government to get rid of a whole lot of prisoners and people from a world already overcrowded.

Alex Tariel-19

New uniform today, yellow and black, and everything is stamped with my number. I feel like I no longer have a name as it’s all 1789 do this, sign this, line up, sit down, eat, sleep. I’m sure it’s a last minute test to see who can follow orders. I did yet another aptitude test today. This time they made us hand write everything. I’m pretty sure Janet’s chickens could’ve done a better job.

Tristan MacFallan - 12

One of the members of the community recognized me today. I'd seen him watching me too many times not to know something was up. Of course now the whole damn community knows who I am it's elevated myself and my wife in their eyes. I'm back to being a celebrity of sorts, but I can't help but hate being in the limelight, with everyone's focus on us. I can't shake the feeling it's not going to do us any good, not long term.

Corporal Sienna Jade-19

More on the job training. Medicals on all the prisoners. I have seen more naked guys today than I have in my entire life. Most of them are young and fit (I do not know how I got assigned to the male prison but it is not all bad), I suspect the government really is planning on running them into the ground which is really sad. In their black and yellow uniforms they look like bees. LOL. Anyway I need to spend some quality time alone after all that flesh on display ;)

Alex Tariel-18

I’ve been told sirens used to sing men to their deaths. Great. I was transferred to the holding ground for cons getting on the ships. People are picketing against us going, saying we don’t deserve it because we are criminals. That’s probably true. But there’s nothing on the planet except a small research base, everything has to be built. It will be hard. And if we all die the government has lost nothing. We’re expendable. It’s a weird mix of excitement and terror. I wonder how the scientists and civilians feel?

Corporal Sienna Jade-18

Everyone on base had to sit through a lecture on how to keep your dick in your pants. No frat. (Seriously has this guy ever been on a deployment? Sex happens, sometimes it’s just nice to remind yourself that you survived while the person who had been next to you is mush). Anyway things calmed down after that. Prisoners are going to start arriving next week. That should up the tension again.

Alex Tariel-17

Finally got the news. I’m in. My number is 1789. The doctors have started me on the meds for chem-lung so that it will be gone before I travel. I really struggled to be calm when told. I wanted to hug the guy. Even now...I’m going to leaving Earth! It doesn’t seem real. I guess it won’t until I’m on the ship. I’m on Siren. I hope that’s a good thing, apparently the ships are named after mythological creatures.

Corporal Sienna Jade-17

Knocked back a guy who wanted a date and he got shitty with me. He thinks there should be a ballot and that the lucky winners get to choose a woman of their choice. It had better not come to that. I don't know if I'm even ready to date or trust a man. I know they aren't all dicks, but I hated feeling that vulnerable.

Alex Tariel-16

Not heard anything for weeks. There’s only a couple of months until the ships leave. If I haven’t made the cut...I don’t even want to think about it. They want people with construction experience and I have twenty years, but most of the prisoners getting offered places are in their twenties. What are they looking for? Experience or young blood to do the hard work? Keep getting reminded about that, the recruiters keep reinforcing that there will be a lot of hard labor involved. What do they think most of us have been doing all of our lives?

Corporal Sienna Jade-16

Oh dear God. As part of our practical training we had to go to a slum hospital. They have out-dated machines and are running on donations. They thought we were the answer to their prayers. I was lucky not to get real sick as a kid. These people have illnesses that can easily be treated, there are drugs for chem-lung, antibiotics for infection but they can’t afford it. Some people had maggots on their wounds to remove the rotting tissue. Maggots—that’s just so last millennia. That’s what I have to look forward to unless the research base has found a way to synth antibiotics from natural plants on Solitaire. We did what we could. Handed out drugs where we could. Apparently the Army medical branch does his on a regular basis as goodwill. You know what would be better? Letting people access medical care—apparently that hasn’t been the case in over 200 years. I forgot how lucky I was to be in the Army. Glad I didn’t get out.

Chief Rita Songworth - 11

So Zane put forward a proposal to me today. He'll look out for me if we share a bed. It's selfish to admit I felt some relief at the idea as I've heard the men will greatly outnumber the women. That's like putting gas near a hot flame. Despite my rank, I can't see me being safe from men who aren't getting their quota of sex. But with Zane as my lover and protector, I'd be strictly out-of-bounds. I know it's worth thinking about at the very least.

Alex Tariel-15

Right, second interview and a far more detailed medical and psych evaluation. I didn’t dare admit that I stole water just to get here. I’m beginning to feel I might pull this off. I hate farming so much. I miss the heights and I miss building stuff.

Tristan MacFallan - 11

I found a small community today. They've let us in, for now. But I can't help but feel we're outsiders and that any little so called transgression will see us kicked out for good. In the meantime I've been relegated to the worst possible jobs, like burying the sewerage and killing and plucking the half-starved poultry whose egg-laying days are too few and far between. But my wife and I are safe enough here and I'll do whatever I can to stay for as long as we can.

Corporal Sienna Jade-15

So far I’m acing the tests. This is good as the more I pass the more training opens up—they aren’t training everyone to be doctors, they are being selective. What’s interesting is that even the officers who are doctors (they must have been tower educated to get into officer training—that or their family saved up of they aced some aptitude test) aren’t sneering at us. It’s like they want us to learn. It’s odd. The medical branch of the Army is totally different to the Infantry where background pegs you in place forever. Maybe going to Solitaire will let the old class boundaries fall. Or maybe I’ve drunk too much beer tonight. Beer...I’m going to miss you. And chocolate—not that I can afford it but I’ve tried it a couple of times and it was good. (Also better than sex—well sex with Lt Zane anyway).

Chief Rita Songworth - 10

The visit to my parents has left me feeling flat. I can't muster any enthusiasm for the journey ahead, at least not right now. Not while I imagine my parents left alone to die, and my mother probably the last to go. Who will look after her? Who will bury her? It doesn't bear thinking about. Grief is my middle name and I can only hope my guilt at leaving my mom and dad behind will fade the farther away we get.

Alex Tariel-14

Recruiter came through the prison and gave a speech to some of us about Solitaire. Most didn’t care. I didn’t realize so many people were against the idea of a new planet. I mean we should be looking after this one first, but hell this is a new opportunity. This is what I got arrested for. I stuck my name on his list, but there's a long way to go yet.