Introduction
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The black Faust
"The year was 2115, space wasn't just a dream anymore, it was a reality.
Science leaped in the last two centuries and with it, humankind progressed to a new era, further than the information era. With how technology evolved and how space-oriented our evolution has been it would be obvious to call it the space era; An era full of discoveries, of travels, and new ways of living.
The need for a new era stemmed from the fact that our cherished planet was dying out and we were told that space was the only solution left for us...
Corporations, corruption and extreme lobbying may have been some of the malefactors causing our demise, the resources were all taken, the money was wasted, only a handful could benefit from this wealth! In a lot of poor countries the issues kept piling up, the debts kept increasing and furthermore, the civil wars were still a daily issue. Hell, even in richer countries we weren't protected, with the privatization of medicines and the removal of price caps coupled with an ever-growing old population made a small economical disaster.
Even worse, because among the few(er) young people, there were unemployment issues since the majority of labor was replaced by machines since they were cheaper and couldn't complain much. Well... That was the case before the joint revolution. When everybody had enough, both robotkind and humankind we had a war and the war went on for 20 years, leaving the planet like a boring wasteland filled with poverty and lacking all the necessities. Not surprisingly the politicians and the billionaires got away safely and hogged the resources for themselves.
Some will say we never learn but that's not totally true as we made a lot of progress in some fields and finally understood how f'd up we were. And that was the turning point, the moment when our great leaders decided we should go to another planet and this time, not mess it up. Those same people that participated in the destruction of our planet have also been our saviors at the same time. Of course, it's annoying that we had to move out! My great-grandfather always told me how beautiful and blue and green his earth was and how dusty and desolated it became.
Since the moment humanity ran away, it has now been 60 years. Currently, I'm writing this small essay from my comfortable room in the most famous spaceship of our time, the Faust!
I wasn't born on earth, only my great grandpa was, I wasn't born on a spaceship either, my grandfather was and Father was as well. I belong to one of the first generations of colons, born and raised in the lovely town of New New York on the planet Skadi.
Working as a mechanic between travels between the planet and the asteroid belt I... "
_ Wagner? Wagner!
_ 2 Seconds!
So, thanks to the length of the trip, I got plenty of opportunities for studying. I have so much free time as nothing ever happens...
_ Wagner! Come quickly!
_ What's wrong, chief?
_ We have a not-that-urgent emergency right now and I need some hands now!
I will have to follow my boss then. I rushed to the door and opened it, then accepted to follow him, since I, being an apprentice, have no other choices in the matter. My chief Abdul Li Woon was a tall man in his forties, a bit on the fat side of the scale and sporting some balding hair, he always reminded me of my dad. He was usually a quiet man however he seemed worried at the moment, usually he is the laid-back type of guy, always serious, but never rushing and always composed no matter the situation. In a spaceship, working as a repair technician involves quite a bit of work, especially on an older ship; moreover, each repair must be carried out rigorously and regularly; Else, the crew would be in danger. Each time there is something to do involving repair, there is a risk, even if redundancy is key in most vessels, not all can afford it. So if something breaks, there is a lot of chance that it won't be replaced.
