To Wander Is Ever Humanity's Duty

The view from the small hill, upon which the young worker stood, was truly majestic. The roads looked small down below, and the people going about their day were barely visible. Large city centers in the distance reflected the sunlight along their glass-covered exteriors. Along the far horizon, massive skyscrapers dominated the skyline, reminding the young worker of the sheer scale of humanity’s achievements. It was a truly magnificent sight to behold.

In the skies high above, the hull of a colossal vessel penetrated the dark cloud cover. The Disciplea had begun its one-way journey towards the colonies, bringing the first batch of settlers to their new home beyond the stars. The colony ship was a vessel stretching a sizable eight hundred meters from its rear engine bay to its bridge. A ship such as the one ascending above the young worker held not only four-hundred-and-fifty heroic settlers, but also carried along the burden of humanity's great journey. The four-hundred-and-fifty individuals aboard would fuel the hopes and dreams of countless millions down below, and their desire for a greater future. That was the burden that these settlers had been chosen for.

~~~

To wander had always been humanity's duty. It had ever been humanity's right. But when one wanders to the end, where does one go next? The philosophers would surely have had an answer, one seeped in long thought and complex ponderings. The engineers, however, and the entrepreneurs, had a different vision than that of the philosophers. They had sought to wander out and above. To worlds unknown, and worlds untouched by humanity's hand. To places yet unexplored and yet unseen. 

With great effort, great resources and many great minds at work, many worked towards this collective goal. Many worked for reasons unaligned with each other, as was always the case. Yet, that was seldom of any bother. Using technology deemed impossible just a few decades earlier, humanity turned its sights towards the skies and beyond.

On the sidelines, the philosophers and ponderers watched on with worried gazes. They warned of the many dangers, and spoke of great rewards for those who planted themselves steady on the ground. They spoke of learning to appreciate that which humanity had already achieved, and the places that had already been wandered upon. They pleaded for the people leading the way to look down at the forests and lands that humanity had already worked to ashes, in their search for a brighter future. 

But who were they to hinder progress? Who were they to prevent humankind from realizing its duty to wander? The engineers and the entrepreneurs pressed on, holding a banner high under which the shattered nations of the world could rally behind. They sought the knowledge, the possibilities, and the resources that lay beyond, and swore to succeed at any cost. 

And succeeded they did, and it was so the great Disciplea began its journey. A journey that would take decades to complete, and would inspire the people on the homeworld to look forward and beyond. The Disciplea defined not only the present; it was also the future. To look to the past was of no use. Why would one dwell on that which once was, when the people were collectively building the world of tomorrow?

Upon new worlds, the settlers of the Disciplea would explore, cultivate, and develop. Humanity's future lay in their hands, and those who would come after them. For more would surely come, as work had not stopped on the homeworld. Every day workers continued to toil, along with the engineers and entrepreneurs, to create a vessel for the next four-hundred-and-fifty settlers to embark on the next journey. 

~~~

The young worker stood upon the small hill and looked down upon the landscape below. Of course, he had heard the tales of how the trees below once were green and lush, and how the farmers once planted fields of golden wheat that glittered in the sunlight. But one would have had to be a lunatic to surrender humanity's duty to wander in favor of long-forgotten memories. He gazed up towards the Disciplea, as it breached the cloud cover and ascended through the atmosphere. The ship symbolized hope, unity, and a future for humanity as a whole, beyond the stars. 

Every now and then the young worker would speak with others of the older generation, and notice a spark in their eyes that he had never noticed in anyone of his own age. They would speak of a world that he did not recognize, and one that he could barely imagine. They would tell stories of youthful freedom, of places long gone, and of joyful travels.

The young worker loved hearing these stories, yet he could not help but see the older generation as slightly selfish. Why would one dwell on the past when the future shone so brightly ahead? It was the workers, along with the engineers and the entrepreneurs, who made the journey of the Disciplea possible and who would ensure a bright future for the whole of humankind. To spend time dreaming of times long gone was to do these brave settlers a disservice, he thought.

Sometimes the young worker could not help but long to see the fields and forests of old, though. To wander along paths once before charted, but now long forgotten. To see the tall grasses sway in the wind, and the patches of colorful flowers dotting the forest trails. To journey through vibrant landscapes that changed throughout the seasons. Some nights, the young worker would see colors in his dreams that he had never before perceived, but he would always quickly forget all about them as soon as he awoke. 

He blamed the philosophers’ books and the stories of his childhood for this unreasonable longing. That childish imagery was one of a bygone age, simply a relic of the past, he knew. The young worker no longer saw himself as a child, and had decided to strive towards the ideals of adulthood. The engineers and entrepreneurs had promised the people a grand future for humanity, and now as an adult, he had an important role to play in this future. 

The young worker smiled, as he continued up the steps towards the factory in which he spent his days working for the good of the people. Using the parts built by his hand, he knew that the engineers and the entrepreneurs would bring humanity yet closer to the stars. Closer to a world filled with vibrant colors, unexplored horizons, and untrodden paths to wander.

And he thought to himself, that perhaps if he worked hard enough, and produced well enough, he might just earn himself a seat on the next ship.