Why are we here?"
By: Teilani Dane, Chief Medical Officer, [PC]

Stardate: 58205.27 1015

With her everlasting mug of coffee in her hand Teilani looked out the view port. They were going into battle soon and she could only hope they were up to it. But what was the use of war? Here they were, these thousand and some, colonizing a ship instead of a planet. Colonizing space itself, citizens of the Federation at large. In generations to come, these children’s’ children would come to see these kinds of ships as their country, their planet their nationality. The answer to “Where are you from?” would be “I’m from the Zion.”

Habitat. Environment. A place, not a thing, not a ship. A moving place. Instead of “I’m a citizen of this sector or that system, this planet, that outpost,” the answer would be “I’m a citizen of the Federation.”

Teilani could only hope that some day the war would end that there would be a place for everybody. That there would be a total unity within the Federation. The first step toward people’s being at home on a planet instead of only on a ship. The principle from the old United States, basically; it didn’t matter if you were raised in Vermont and lived in California. You were still home, still American.

A few decades of space travel, and the statement became “I’m a citizen of Earth,” and no matter the country. This ship, the Zion was that kind of first step. When the war had ended. Whether born on Earth or Epsilon Indi VI, you were a citizen of the Federation. The children on this ship would visit the planets of the whole Federation and feel part of each, welcome upon all. This star ship was the greatest, most visionary melting pot of all, this space going colony. Unique. Hopeful…………… and risky.

Teilani wondered why she suddenly thought of this. Was it the upcoming war, the pain she felt remembering loosing relatives. The uncertainty…….. she did not know. Turning back towards sickbay she finished her coffee. She placed the mug down on a console and smiled. Nobody was going to die, not while she was there.