The Forgotten Ones

Introduction

Introduction

The Space Docks District was the rubbish heap of the planet of Chloris. Out of sight of the general population and very much out of mind. The people there offered nothing to the growth of society, so it was thought. The desitute, the disabled, the traumatised were the only occupants and most of society was glad of the separation.

The people of the Space Docks District could be undesirable. A lot of areas of the universe had pockets of the undesirable, even the upper levels of the city had a few notable criminals. But most tend to be good people full of life.

The problem with life is that it resists death as long as it can. Life flourished down in the Space Docks. In all forms.

The locals made an effort to support each other, and sometimes things would change. Spurts of civilization would surge and drop on the basis of enthusiastic individuals. A consistent team of changemakers was what was really required, but certain personality quirks were common in the neighbourhood. The mental health of the general population was poor on average, as a great majority of the people were veterans unfit for the war. Memories of screams and blood and explosions would intrude and although a common concern, they got in the way of innovation.

They were lost in the dark of the past, and unable to see the future. The present day life of the district was hopeless, and seeing past that was almost impossible.

The government provided a universal wage, that barely covered food and clothing. So no one really starved. A blackmarket had shot up within the war years to supplement their diets, offering more exotic foods and some illegal substances. Several pilots had set up a small store selling their leftover stock, and payment was flexible. Certain foods were rare and some substances extremely expensive, but the trade was good.

Crime was low but opportunistic. Everyone in the Space Docks District was poor, and there was nothing to steal that was worth having. Occasionally a child would disappear, but it was reasoned that they had run away to a better life. Suspicions would rise about other answers but dismissed because there was nothing anyone could do about it. Occasionally a woman would be killed by a significant other, and people would turn away. They’d isolate the significant other for a time, but everyone relied on everyone else, at least in some way. Eventually people would need their help and reluctantly they would be reached out to again.

There was no police presence in the District. The government was not interested in providing much to the area. Health and education were also luxeries that were not offered publicly.

Some of the war veterans had formed a night watch team, and patrolled the streets at night. Crime was discouraged visually. The veterans were used to death as a problem solution and the criminals knew that. Education was provided by whoever was approached for certain skills, but not a general education. So apprenticeships abounded for electronics, robotics, mechanics, traders and nightwatchmen. Not many people could read and write, and not people cared.

Health was provided by veteran military medics. Medicine was provided by illegal means. A lot of babies died before the age of 5, as the medics had limited means and experience. It had been happening as long as anyone could remember, and although heartbreaking, it was a fact of life.

Every five years, the government would come into the neighbourhood, do a census and take the young people old enough to enlist. The War needed to keep providing numbers to head off attrition. They were taken, they had no choice. Sometimes they found no one to take, but most of the time they found at least a few. Some parents would hide their kids, some would send them elsewhere on the crew of a starship. Some of the parents knew all about the horrors of war, and didn’t want it to destroy their children. Some didn’t care anymore.

A lot of different sorts of people lived in the Space Docks District. All had stories that no one seemed to be interested in, but the wealthy would have been surprised. Stories that needed to be shared.