The HCS have announced that the Zone race will be resettled on the Clone planet of Colom. Since the devastating nuclear attack on Zoneland the search has been on for a new homeland for the Zones and their racial cousins the Clones have stepped in. Colom is a minor planet in Captain Clone's part of the Clone Empire which up to now has only been settled by a few thousand Clones. An indigenous race, the Colomites - related to Calentratians, inhabit the planet in remote areas and have conducted a low intensity resistance against the Clones since the Clones invaded some years ago. However as a HCS officer says, "Their idea of a spectacular is blowing up a telephone kiosk" so HCS forces on the planet are rather small. There are also a few hundred human settlers.
After the Zones were devastated in the nuclear firestorm of DDS revenge their entire government collapsed. The Clones stepped in and in return for the Zone gold reserves (said to be over 17 billion zarks worth - mostly from piracy) have agreed to incorporate the Zones into their Empire with the status of a "Partner Race" (similar to Humans) and Colom has been allocated as their new homeworld.
However getting the Zones there will be a mammoth task. Although it is estimated 350 million plus Zones died in the nuclear attack and over 400 million since due to radiation there are still over 2 billion Zones on Zoneland. Most fled to the arid southern half of the planet however weather patterns are gradually spreading the radiation south and it is estimated by early next year the whole planet's environment will be destroyed. Many have died in the south due to hunger and the encroaching radiation, which is moving at 40-50 miles a day in some places.
The entire HCS spacelift and troop transport has been allocated to take Zones to Colom (which luckily is only 4 days away from Zoneland by a HCS transport. Clone civilian and other commercial companies have also been bought in. Although 1000s of Zones can be taken per HCS transport the job will take months and may not even be completed by the time radiation reaches the embarking points. The HCS have pointedly say they will take as many as they can but will not be able to bring everyone. Hundreds of thousands of refugees who already fled Zoneland will also go to Colom.
The next problem is how to feed and house millions of refugees, Colom is not a rich planet and food supplies will be inadequate. While troopships are bring people the freight lifters of the HCS are bringing in food and supplies from across the Empire. The UNP are among a number of other powers who are sending supplies. The next few years will be tough for the Zones, and for Colom and the Clone Empire, however the injection of fresh talent could bring long term benefits to the Clones...
