[@Big Dread] Excellent, and I applaud you! My own schedule is fucked, and I would appreciate the help.

As to your question...

We're just taking off from Earth's atmosphere, the President of the Planetary Council (like an 1800's UN) has just given a 'congratulations and good luck' speech, and our orbiting 'wagon train' of colony ships (probably two dozen civilian ships and a few of mixed nationality military ones) is about to set off for the stars. Each colony 'wagon' is self-contained, but we can communicate through screens much like those from Star Trek.

Imagine [url=http://www.hear2heal.com/images/Wagon%20Train%20by%20Carla%20Mora.jpg]this[/url], but IN SPEEEEEEEEESS.

Does that answer the question?

P.S.

Overall, imagine space like the frontier or the prairie, with Earth as the Eastern United States - whatever lays beyond that prairie is unknown, and we are the pioneers.