History Literature / Colony

* ColonizedSolarSystem: A few planets were colonised but are implied to have died out by the end.

* CloningBlues: The original security chief is cloned in a process known as droning. [[CloneDegeneration However, the intelligence of each new batch of drones deteriorates, leaving the entire security team with the mental agility of pond life.]]

A massive GenerationShip named the [[ShoutOut Willflower]] is built with the largest budget in the history of humanity. It will be crewed by the creme de la creme of humanity. Every crew member from the captain right down to the canteen staff is the absolute best at what they do. Their mission is to find a new home for mankind (or at least for the best mankind has to offer anyway).

[[CrapsackWorld The Earth]] [[ApocalypseHow is dying.]] Global warming is coming to its logical conclusion. Various parts of the world are submerged. Overpopulation is stretching the remaining resources to breaking point. A few small outposts have been set up within the solar system, but they are harsh and brutal. Mankind needs a more permanent solution.

[[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything So, a story about the last remnant of humanity in deep space sounds familiar, right?]] That's because it was written by ''Series/RedDwarf'' co-creator Rob Grant. While its similarity to ''Series/RedDwarf'' was criticised, its DarkerAndEdgier and [[HilarityEnsues genuinely funny storyline]] meant it was well received when it came out.

* EvilDebtCollector: The Pink Socks hitmen are sent out to either collect the debt or kill the debtor, often in horrific ways. Or, in Gordon's case, both. The "nice" hitman even pursues Eddie up to the ''Willflower'' and even continues to come after him ten generations later in a revival suit despite the fact that not only are his employers long dead, but Earth is uninhabitable and the human race outside the ship's crew is effectively extinct.

* HandshakeOfDoom: Eddie O'Hare is offered a chance to escape the debt collectors by taking the place of Charles Perry Gordon aboard the ''Willflower.'' Accepting the bargain, he's given a handshake by Gordon... whereupon a scab on Eddie's hand splits open and begins bleeding; the narration reflects that he should consider this a ''very'' bad omen. [[spoiler:Gordon plans to make it look like Eddie mugged him for his identity, ensuring that he can remain behind on Earth until the Willflower departs and ultimately allowing Gwent free reign to pursue his political ambitions. For good measure, he intends to make sure the ship's crew execute Eddie for the crime just to clear up loose ends. Though this scheme never comes to pass thanks to the aforementioned debt collectors, Eddie still ends up getting mortally wounded while aboard the Willflower and being preserved as a severed head in a jar.]]

* IdenticalStranger: Eddie O'Hare and Charles Perry Gordon are essentially dead ringers for each other, enough for Eddie to be able to pass as Gordon to people who've only seen the original on a creen or talked to him on a phone without ever actually meeting him in person. However, they're not exactly alike, as Gordon is smaller than Eddie, leading to Eddie's Project issue clothing being too small for him.

* KatanasAreJustBetter: Mr. Pink Socks finishes [[spoiler: Gordon]] off in [[OffWithHisHead one swing]] with one.

* ThePersonWithTheClothing: Eddie comes to refer to the "nice" hitman, who gives the name Paulo San Pablos when captured aboard the ''Willflower'' as "Mr Pink Socks".

* IncestIsRelative: Because the initial breeding plan was only meant for a generation or two and the real Charles Perry Gordon never made it onto the ship to update it or have any descendants to take over the role of Chief Community Planner, many of the crew share a variety of facial features leading to the IdenticalGrandson scenario. The gene pool on a closed system like a starship over ten generations becomes very limited indeed.

* AffablyEvil: Paulo San Pablos comes across as this at first, to the point of offering Eddie friendly advice and apologising for messing up their schedule (they initially meet due to mistaking Eddie for ‘Harrison Dopple’, so Eddie is further along their ‘list of appointments’), but suffers SanitySlippage later on.