Twelve Colony Ships of the Forefathers

This is the name granted to the twelve colony ships who crossed over the ***Eye of Freedom*** wormhole towards the Lewis Galaxy. It carried a total population of 8 billion people, the direct ancestors of about a third or half (if partial ancestry is also counted) of all humans inhabiting the Lewis Nations and Herschel Space.

The Colonists are known as ***the Lewis Forefathers*** and were refugees escaping from the devastation and destruction of the then-chaotic Aylathiya.

This also includes the incident of the Anarian Fever Crisis in Anar, from which about 2 billion colonist, making four colony ships out of the total, originated. The other 6 billion colonists, came from different worlds through eight colony ships. This was made possible and sponsored by the ***Abeona Initiative***, in which people joined efforts to escape their misery and suffering for a better opportunity for mankind elsewere.

This colony ships will be settling in the Planet of Elpida, in the Lewis Galaxy, creating the Republic of Elpida. This will eventually evolve into the Republic of Anthropos and finally to the Empire of Mankind. Through several events in the history of this nation, other nations would be created such as the Plutocracy of Gish, the Union, the Intergalactic Federation, the United Alliance and the Republic of Sion. All of them known as the Lewis Nations.

Most Humans in this nations are related back to the settlers that came through this first twelve colony ships.

The arrival of the Ships into the Lewis Galaxy and its landing on Elpida mark the beginning of the Lewisian Calendar, in which the year 20,166 CE is equivalent to the year **0** or ***"Landing Date"***. All years after that are consider **ALD** (*After Landing Date*) and all years prior to that are considered **BLD** (*Before Landing date*). For example, the founding of the Empire is set on the year 8,482 ALD which is the equivalent to 28,648 CE, set in CE is known in the Lewisian Calendar as the year 362 BLD. The Entire conflict would have occurred in between 362 BLD-220 ALD according to the Lewisian Calendar.

## Early history

The devastation caused by the Great Empyreal Crusade was so great in many human worlds of the galaxy, that many had to leave or were forcefully displaced by the conflict with little to no place to go.

The pressure kept rising when the Anarian Fever plague occurred in Anar, killing about half of the planet's population.

This meant that the government was a failure in the planet to organize and protect its citizens from harm, turmoil and conflict. The Colonists of Anar had the feeling of being left out by their nation, and many realized that if they didn't do it by themselves, no one will.

This iniciated a campaign that caused many wanting to leave the already broken Erstes Konsortium to create a new stronger society from the ashes. Soon an team of the best mind among the Anarian Scientists and other specialists, started the "**Abeona Initiative"**, and massive colony ships began to be constructed.

The Anar system, had a nearby wormhole, known for being very stable and very well studied. Probes had been sent through it as well as many other small tripulated robotic missions, collecting data for over millennia. This concluded the location and viability of the Galaxy that laid on the other side. After concluding it was the Lewis Galaxy, an already known galaxy, the search for habitable worlds was on the rise. Elpida was the most suitable world found, and soon it was selected for deeper exploration. After the first human tripulated mission was sent successfully from Anar to Elpida, it was definitely known in the minds of Anarians and thus, it was their main scape route out of the War.

Soon, many other scientific teams from torn human worlds joined the Abeona Iniciative, and teamed up to work together despite the suffering caused by the war. Many refugees and other displaced people joined the Anarians to evacuated towards the Lewis Galaxy. This idea was well received in many world by those who were seeking a way out and had nothing to lose from a destroyed confederacy.

## The colony ships

As stated before, the total amount of colony ships were twelve, eight amounting for 6 billion with 750 million refugees each and four amounting for 2 billion, made of 500 million each. All of them combine made a total of 8 billion. Eight were a compedium of people from different worlds throughout the Erstes Konsortium while the four other ships were only Anarian refugees.

* ***The Dragon***: Settlers from Aegyn made most of the population of this spaceship. It was manufactured with some of the best technological advances known to date.
* ***The Jasmine***: About a third of this spaceship's colonists came from the world of Bisydu and the Halfred System. Another third came from the world of Thalsiedeln and nearby systems, colonies and stations while the last third came from the world of Afrika and it's nearby systems and colonies.
* ***The Rose***: Made of colonist coming mostly from New Alexandria and affected nearby worlds and Systems. A large portion also came from Helyar and its nearby systems. This ship carried a copy of the database knowledge found in New Alexandria (which helped rebuilding the new colony). This copy is still guarded by the Lewis Nations and numerous other copies have been made and transported to several other worlds and nations.
* ***The Arkae:*** The largest of all the colony ships, it hosted and transported seeds, flowers, cattle, water life and flora and fauna in general from all over Aylathiya. It also had valuable goods and relics made by past humans. The colonist on board came from different corners of Human Space, mostly scattered colonies of Aylathiya.
* ***The Opportunitas***: Coming from Anarian settled worlds. It was the head colony ship of the four Anarian ships and the second to be constructed.
* ***The Centaur***: Most of the colonist of this ship came from the world of Albedo and the nearby systems and colonies.
* ***The Ursa***:
* ***The Morfeus***::
* ***The Tantalus***:
* ***The Liberty***: One of the four Anarian colony ships, it was the first to be constructed.
* ***The Fraternity***: One of the four Anarian colony ships, it was the last to be constructed.
* ***The Equality***: One of the four Anarian colony ships, it was the third to be constructed.

All of the 8 billion colonist names are inscribed in stone in the "***Plaza of Remembrance***" in the Central district of Elpida's Capital, the Imperial City. Many copies of this lists are on display in many worlds today in the Lewis Nations. All children, no matter where the Lewis Nation they come from, knows about the settlers and thus they are famously known as the forefathers. Monuments to the twelves ships and the forefathers are to be seen everywhere in any of the Lewis Nations.