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.

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.

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?

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.

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?

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.

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.

Alex Tariel-13

Sentenced today to five years on the farms. Can’t get the news so I have no idea what is happening with the ships. Check up on admittance to the prison has confirmed chem-lung. Without meds I’ll be dead in a few years. They don’t treat prisoners. I’m pretty screwed.

Alex Tariel-12

Stealing water was not as hard as I’d thought it would be—getting away with it was (not that I’d planned to). Shit I can’t believe I deliberately got arrested. What if I don’t get put on a ship and I have to work on one of the prison farms? Oh yeah and guess where that food goes—to the nice folk in the towers. Prisoners are cheap labor. No wonder they’re always arresting people for minor shit. Have to wait for sentencing and then play it by ear. Not that my life was great before but I had a decent job. I hope I haven't fucked myself over.

Alex Tariel-11

Okay today is the day. Water shortage again for those of us not in the towers. The plan is simple. Steal water, get arrested, get put on one those ships bound for Solitaire. If I don’t do it today I’ll back out. I’m thirty seven in a few weeks. Life expectancy here is fifty. I’ve probably already got chem-lung—that’s what kills most construction workers.

Alex Tariel-10

Was working up today, way up above the smog line. At least if I fell from there I'd be dead, no medical bills. But while I was up there I realized two things. Those bastards in the towers have more space for one family than the whole house I share with Janet’s kids, her sister and kids, the Browns and Higgs families. I have the attic because I don't have kids. As long as I don't stand up it's fine. It’s a ridiculous waste of space in the towers. Two I want off Earth. If I can’t do it honestly then I’ll do something dumb. I don't know what yet. But I've got to do something to get on one of those ships.

Alex Tariel-9

Janet and her hubby were arrested for stealing. They had been helping themselves to some of the food they delivered to the towers. I suspected but since I never asked I could honestly tell the cops I had no idea where the chooks (or the other meat) came from. One of the kids hid a few chicks...guess when they get a bit bigger we’ll have eggs again, until then it’s another mouth to feed. Janet’s sister is now looking after her kids. Janet’s sister has also put the word on me again—not going to happen. If I can’t afford a condom, I’m not having sex. No kid should be born into this. Apparently that makes me an ass. I suggested that was a place I could stick it and she threw a saucepan at me. She’s just stressed now we have two less adult wages coming into the house. Rent will be tight.

Alex Tariel-8

Well not everyone is happy about the ships heading off to Solitaire to colonize the planet. People are calling it a suicide mission, that it’s a hoax and the government is trying to empty out the prisons. That got my attention. Word is prisoners are being cherry picked for their skills. I don’t think I’ve ever had a cherry—bet they are good though.

Alex Tariel-7

Ships have names: Earth Ship Siren, Sphinx and Sprite. They could’ve picked some more sensible names. Lots of scientists and smart people are getting on board. Military is also involved. I knew I should’ve enlisted before I got too old. Missed out now by a couple of years.

Alex Tariel-6

15,000 people are going to Research Base Unity. And the first voyage isn’t going to be full of those with more money than callouses. Nope the governments are treating this as an opportunity to expand the base and get some labor going to set up a town and farms. I envy the lucky bastards on those ships. I'd give anything to get off this rock.

Alex Tariel-5

No rice or corn this week at the shops. The communal veggie patch is going well since Janet managed to get some chickens—no one in the house asked where they’d come from. Same way no one asks how her husband managed to give us a feed of alligator steaks. It had been so long since I’d had a chunk of real meat, not the overpriced, tasteless lab protein meat-like crap.

Alex Tariel-4

Simms took his life rather leave his wife and kids in medical debt. We did a collection at work to pay for the funeral. We build the damn towers but can't get inside. We risk our lives and breathe in the polluted air while the rich sit inside. It’s not right…but without a better education, the kind that the rich kids get there’s nothing else to do. Trapped. I will never have kids and bring them into this mess.

Alex Tariel-3

Simms fell today. Safety equipment is out of date and the company wouldn’t fix it. Now they won’t pay Simms medicals either. Typical. What are going to do? refuse to go up? There's plenty of others who'd be willing to take the risk. Do the wealthy realise how much blood goes into their towers? I doubt it. They're so insulated from the real world. I hear it's possible to spend your entire life in one from birth to death and never once have to breath unfiltered air.

Alex Tariel-2

Well those of us with half a brain had suspected for years that it was only a matter of time until the governments wanted to settle Solitaire. I thought it was years away, but apparently not. Six months we’re being told until the three ships will be ready. No doubt they will be filled with the rich who are sick of the smog spoiling their views. the rest of us will just keep on going using crappy masks and knowing it's only a matter of time until we get chem-lung.

Alex Tariel-1

Water shortage, again. News is full of the Unity Research Base, again. The billions of dollars that have been put into reaching that planet and then setting up a base is staggering. Might have been better if they’d spent it on fixing up the place where everyone lives.