It’s a little immodest

I would like to put my own name forth for Emperor.

My platform is simple; I promise to be lazy. The galaxy far, far away has been running itself since the lights came on. The Midi-chlorine are handling the heavy lifting behind the scenes to balance the system. Local societies and religions are local concerns. If you don’t like your neighbor don’t invite them over for dinner.

My opponent has proven he likes to use (the) force to get his way. He wastes billions of mega-credits building space stations that don’t seem to live up to the hype. The only guaranteed death they produce is to credits and crew. He never seems to be aboard when they explode. I wonder why?

You can’t really trust him to keep his word. He swore oaths that were forgotten the moment he decided he wanted something else. As a member of a monastic order, he wed and became a father. Well, he fathered children, then spent his time trying to kill them. He turned to his enemy for more power and control. You don’t think there are any parents in the galaxy that are cruel enough to name their little boy “Darth”.

To each his own sewing and reaping. Do with the profits of your own labors what you wish. Imperial taxes will be capped at one half of one percent. If I can’t live on that, I’m being too wasteful. Planetary taxes can have four and a half percent. They need to defend themselves. It’s not my job.

The only Imperial rule that is sacrosanct; Do not impose on others. I won’t throw money away on a space station. Asteroids are plentiful and rockets are cheap. You can figure it out from there.

Vote for me! I promise to do as little as possible

Daily writing prompt
Emperor Palpatine has announced open elections for a new Emperor — and he’s nominated Darth Vader. You get to nominate one challenger.

The Mole-rats of Mars

If for no other reason than stubborn curiosity, I suspect that humans will colonize Mars at some point. That, “just to prove we can” action we justify as proving the concepts of science and technology. When we begin the costs will be prohibitive for shipping large amounts of materials, so the emphasis will be to utilize available materials. Housing being a major issue will naturally move underground, copying Sci-fi classical concepts of course. We need to dig for ice, may as well use the holes for living areas and farming. Keep expanding and next thing you know, Moletown! The most exciting metropolis on the planet!

Assuming we can survive long enough for it to matter, the trip alone should prove long enough, sex will become an issue. Are we shipping enough men and women for normal marriage and reproduction. Population replacement is essential for a colony. Hopefully population growth, assuming live birth is even possible in reduced gravity. I don’t know, ask Doc if he didn’t die in a cave in. Is marriage even an option?

Currency will probably be replaced with some type of calory exchange. A 100 calory chit is the new dollar. Knowing humans, it will probably drift into “Cals” quickly enough. Subsistence living is the new fad. Dig out your own hole. Hord your sewage, you need it for the farm. Sterilization is as simple as leaving it outside to freeze, he same for unproductive males. We can’t afford to have them taking up space. The colony will quickly revert to the oppressive patriarchal models of old.

The golden rule will become common law again. It will also become the common form of natural selection. If you are too selfish to help your neighbor, you probably won’t live long. It is the “manufacture a pencil” equation writ large. One person cannot possibly perform all of the tasks necessary for survival. It takes a village, literally. I doubt that communism will take hold. If a persons need exceeds their ability, why support them?

It will be interesting, if nothing else.

Daily writing prompt
Do you think humans will ever colonize Mars? What would life there actually look like?