Kimberley was first settled five hundred and two cycles ago (703 Earth years) by colonists from old earth mining districts who wished to develop the rich gemstone deposits which had been surveyed by the Science vessel `Magellan' some 17 earth years before.
Seventy two families embarked from the colony ship `Lemming', a name adopted by the adventurous colonists, who as a group, were notable for their sense of humour and adventure. In addition to the 144 adults there were 216 teenagers, all female, and a further 720 offspring `in-embryo'. All colonising groups were provided with 5 embryos per family, by the Earth Emigration Authority to guarantee genetic diversity. They were to be implanted in the younger females and brought to term after the able-bodied colonists had established satisfactory accommodations. In addition to humans, a broad range of fauna were transported in this manner, as were seeds of all kinds.
The Lemming set down on the Aran land mass, located in the southern hemisphere at 24 deg. S 151 deg. E. Higher latitudes, though more temperate, were initially avoided due to occasional bursts of ionising radiation at the polar latitudes. The Lemming provided protection from all detectable forms of radiation, but the atmospheric suits could only provide sufficient protection to allow four hours outside the mother ship. Accordingly, a schedule was arranged whereby twelve families would work outside for a four hour shift. Work involved construction of living domes and exploration.
Seven weeks after landing, the Great Conversion occurred. The moons of Aqua and Aura came into alignment over the North and South poles respectively, an event which occurs only one in a thousand cycles. The moons then became the focus for the planets ionosphere, greatly magnifying its size, and causing a quantum leap in the level of radiation bombarding the planet.
Most of the electronic equipment collapsed under the bombardment, circuits overloaded, and metal fused. All biological life underwent a transformation which replaced all carbon with silicon, and all iron with copper. The twelve families working outside were most immediately affected which, as it turned out saved their lives. Those inside the heavy protection of the Lemming underwent a slower conversion and went mad during the process. The embryonic humans and animals, not having fully formed mental lattices underwent the slower conversion without adverse effects.
When the twelve families regained consciousness and returned to the Lemming, all of the families inside were dead, due either to murder or suicide, or suffocation from the smoldering wreckage inside. The struggle of the survivors is the stuff of legends. Suffice to say they succeeded. The Lemming was renamed the Golconda, after a destroyed fort on old Earth, and the people used that name to refer to themselves thereafter.
