Categories > Original > Sci-Fi > The Legend of Changeling (concept)
The year is 2114; a devastating natural disaster has left Earth a nigh-uninhabitable wasteland. The surviving humans, flora, and fauna board a massive colony ship, fittingly named "Leviathan" for its size. This vessel was designed by Dr. Xia [shee-uh] Exeter, and it is to take its charges to a recently-discovered Earth-like planet orbiting a Sol-like yellow dwarf star 100 light-years away. As Leviathan exits the solar system, its passengers go into stasis, and the ship engages its special "NLSE" or "Near-LightSpeed Engine", which was also designed by Dr. Exeter.
Leviathan's destination is a ringed world, second from its sun, whose land-to-water ratio is almost perfectly 50:50. The planet once had twin moons, but they collided with each other, and the resulting debris later coalesced into the rings. While the journey takes 101 years, the ship and its occupants only experience 15 years due to relativistic time dilation. In 2215, Leviathan arrived at the planet.
The ship's passengers are awakened; however, before landing, they are surprised to notice debris orbiting the planet aside from the planet's rings. It appears to be remnants of artificial satellites that were destroyed or damaged when the planet's moons collided. It was previously believed that the planet had no sapient population.
Upon landing, the ship is dismantled to serve as the colony, which is named "Leviathan Colony". The star is named "New Sol", but the new name of the planet does not come as easily. Some propose to name it "Xiaexeter" after Dr. Exeter, while others propose "New Earth" or "Terra Nova". Another colonist contributes the name "New Venus", citing that the planet is also second from its sun. Eventually, the name "Xiaexeter New Venus" is settled on, which can be abbreviated "Xiexnuvee" [shee-ehkss-noo-vee] or "XNV".
Leviathan's destination is a ringed world, second from its sun, whose land-to-water ratio is almost perfectly 50:50. The planet once had twin moons, but they collided with each other, and the resulting debris later coalesced into the rings. While the journey takes 101 years, the ship and its occupants only experience 15 years due to relativistic time dilation. In 2215, Leviathan arrived at the planet.
The ship's passengers are awakened; however, before landing, they are surprised to notice debris orbiting the planet aside from the planet's rings. It appears to be remnants of artificial satellites that were destroyed or damaged when the planet's moons collided. It was previously believed that the planet had no sapient population.
Upon landing, the ship is dismantled to serve as the colony, which is named "Leviathan Colony". The star is named "New Sol", but the new name of the planet does not come as easily. Some propose to name it "Xiaexeter" after Dr. Exeter, while others propose "New Earth" or "Terra Nova". Another colonist contributes the name "New Venus", citing that the planet is also second from its sun. Eventually, the name "Xiaexeter New Venus" is settled on, which can be abbreviated "Xiexnuvee" [shee-ehkss-noo-vee] or "XNV".
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