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Five Myths and Five Facts about Colony Life (2167, Alliance Colonial Service)
Myth: I'll have to leave my family and friends on Earth behind forever and start a new life.
Fact: Broadcast windows back to Earth are frequent, and Quantum Entanglement Communication (Q.E.C.) is being rolled out to all Alliance-controlled colonies so you can speak to your friends and family from your new home in real time! There are frequent (every two weeks or less) shuttle routes to Earth, too, so sending and receiving gifts and supplies is easy and practical.
Myth: All that happens on colony worlds is farming and slave trading.
Fact: Alliance colony worlds have vibrant and dynamic economies based around many industries—it's not just farming! Mining, fishing and construction are major industries, as are electronics, entertainment and high culture. All Alliance colonies are subject to the Citadel Treaty on Slavery (s. 2158.) Slavery is not tolerated and anyone found to be involved in the forced servitude industry is subject to an automatic sentence of life imprisonment.
Case Study: Francesca Love, Terra Nova
I always dreamed of opening a little fish restaurant on Earth. On Terra Nova, I finally managed to realise my dream, and business is roaring! I can now happily live out my days making a living doing something I love, without the price tag of doing it on Earth!
Myth: Colonists end up living in pre-fab buildings.
Fact: All colonies are growing and developing all the time! Pre-fabricated construction is only used for industrial and scientific buildings after the first four years: all residences built after this point are of the highest-quality permanent materials. Substantial grants are available to help you build your dream home!
Case Study: Mike Francis, Eden Prime
We built our own home on the coast. It's a three-storey mansion that would cost a fortune on Earth, but we got a grant from the Alliance Expansion Fund, so we only paid around 10,000 credits for something that would cost at least two million on Earth. And the views are unbeatable: we're right next to the beach and the airport!
Myth: Colonists are eaten by alien gas-bags and thresher maws.
Fact: The popular perception of the Eden Prime "gas-bags" is mistaken—they're harmless, and some people have even found them to be friendly! The native flora and fauna in the urbanised areas of Alliance colonies will pose no danger to you, your family or your pets.
Thresher maws are confined to the Terminus Systems and there is no evidence to suggest their spores are capable of entering Citadel space. Your safety is guaranteed on an Alliance colony world.
Case Study: James Shepard, Mindoir
We came to Mindoir in '53 for a try at a fresh start in life. I'm a pianist and my wife Hannah is an orchestral conductor. I was uncertain at first, but the joy of having our own land, our own farm and being self-sufficient on our own income is wonderful and refreshing, and it's fuelled our creativity. We now have a beautiful son and a big house and I can confidently say our days on Mindoir have been the happiest of our lives.
Myth: Colonists get kidnapped by slavers and criminal gangs.
Fact: Alliance-controlled colonies are regularly patrolled by Navy ships, and any suspicious vessels are investigated thoroughly. To date, there have been no cases of Alliance colonies being abducted, and the Alliance Colonial Service is committed to investing in further security measures to ensure that things remain this way.