The Colonist

stopped well before you were born, Rec,” Theta said. “The Exploration Corps were folded into the Defense Fleet over fifty years ago, when the old Republics were restructured into the Union of Interdependent Systems.”
Rec nodded. “Settlement stopped soon after that. It’s been over half a century since new colonies have been dedicated to anything other than resource extraction.”
“What about your parents?”
“Don’t you know all about them?” Rec asked. “Aren’t they in your files?”
“They weren’t on the colonial manifest, so all I know about them is what’s in your file. Your father was a Custodian, and your mother an Administrator. Both are deceased.”
“Yeah, that covers it,” Rec said. “My parents dreamed big, too.” He smiled ruefully. “I think it was even harder for them. They heard first-hand stories of exploration and adventure. My father’s mother was an officer in the Defense Fleet, but she served as crewmember on one of the last Exploration missions before the restructuring. My mother’s parents were among the founders of the last settlement colonies.”
Rec’s smile faded and his voice grew wistful. “My parents grew up believing they might still get their shot at adventure, but by the time I was born, it was clear those days were never coming back. When the war started around my tenth birthday, those days felt like ancient history.”
“My records show they died during the war.”
Rec nodded. “They fought in the colonial militias, for the cause of decentralization. They thought if they could bring back the old Alliance there was a chance we might become explorers again. They died in the Siege of Brightstar Alpha. I was in my early teens, at a boarding school on one of the academy moons when I got the news.”
“Brightstar Alpha happened toward the end of the war, two years before the formation of the Imperium.”
“Yeah.”
“Did you have to...”
“Renounce them?” Rec laughed bitterly. “I’m here, aren’t I? A good little Imperial citizen, content with the dregs at the far end of nowhere? Yes, I renounced them.” He looked around the empty and dilapidated hab. “For all the good that did me.”
“Renunciation was important,” Theta said. “It established loyalty among the citizenry, and loyalty is the--”
“Is the foundation of empire,” Rec said. “I’ve heard the speech, Theta.”
“My apologies, Rec, but our conversation is veering dangerously toward sedition. After your indiscretion with the forbidden recording, my protocols require I shut down all supportive functions in order to prevent rebellion.”
“Rebellion?” Rec laughed again. “I’m the only one here. How am I supposed to rebel?”
“It’s a hard-coded imperative,” Theta said. “I have no choice but to--”
Rec waved his hand dismissively. “I get it, Theta. Sorry to put you on the spot. I promise to be good.” He offered a weak smile and a half-hearted salute to the ubiquitous cameras. “Strength through Unity.”
“Prosperity through Strength,” Theta responded.
“Consume and Obey.” Rec bowed his head, hoping Theta didn’t notice his scowl.
“Thank you, Rec,” Theta said, satisfied by the recitation of the Imperial Litany. “I’d hate for anything to happen to you.”
“So would I.”
After a lengthy silence, Rec said, “So, if I’m going to be stranded here for what I assume will be the rest of my life, I should probably keep busy. Once I get the repair bots up and running, what do I have to work with?”
“I don’t understand.”
“This is a Resource Extraction Colony, isn’t it? What resources was it intended to extract, and what equipment made it down to the surface before the transport left?” He booted up a console and searched the records in the hab database. “As Custodian, my job is to prep the colony and leave before the work starts, so I never pay much attention to what that work is supposed to be.”
“This planet is rich in omnicite ore,” Theta said, “with little else to offer. The seas and rivers produce insufficient methane for industrial extraction, but it was determined there is enough to refine into fuel for the mining machinery.”
“Omnicite,” Rec said, pondering. “That’s interesting. Omnicite is useful for fabricating construction materials like plastiron and steelcrete, and is a key component in mightainum smelting. All of those are essential for construction and shipbuilding. Why would the Imperium abandon such a valuable planet?”
“I have inadequate data to respond to your query.”
“That’s fine, Theta,” Rec said. “It was largely rhetorical.” Then, with another smile and salute, he said, “Besides, I’m sure the Central Oligarchy knows what they’re doing.”
“Of course they do, Rec.”
“Right,” Rec said. “Back to the matter at hand. What do we have in the way of mining equipment?”
“Records show three extractors and a processing unit were deployed before departure.”
“What about methane refineries? Since it’s just me, I won’t be running the equipment anywhere near capacity, but I’ll still need to refuel eventually.”
“One small-scale refinery was included in the initial structures built by the nanite swarms.”
Rec nodded. “Good enough. Did any hyperfarms deploy?” Hyperfarms were compact, cryo-sealed enclosed gardens that produced a fast-growth, high-yield harvest. Some hyperfarms also included meatlab facilities, which produced animal proteins from an assortment of cell cultures. The gardens would desertify in roughly two years, but by then colonies were expected to have more long-term food production in place, including ways to extend the meatlab’s operational lifespan.
“It would appear no hyperfarms were deployed prior to departure, Rec.”
“Makes sense,” Rec said. “The farms are usually the last things to deploy.” He shrugged.  “It’s going to make for a very bland diet, but I’ve lived off of sequencers plenty of times in my--”
“Rec,” Theta interrupted,  “I am receiving a broadcast from the Central Oligarchy.”
“Let’s have it.”
At once, the screen filled with the symbol of the Stellar Imperium: a single star imprinted with a clenched fist. It was an adaptation of the clasped hands ringed by stars that had symbolized the Union of Interdependent Systems, which had replaced the starfield and open hands of the Allied Solar Republics. The message began with a brief fanfare.
Attention citizens of the Stellar Imperium! This is to inform you that as of the third day of the fifteenth month