Originally launched in 2083 as a part of the Flotilla, humanity's first manned interstellar colonization effort, the Palestine was destroyed before reaching its destination of 61 Cygni A.
During the final stage of their voyage to Journey's Endit became clear that Captain Haussmann of the Santiagowas intentionally delaying initiating his ship's deceleration burn, for a reason unknown to the crew of Palestine. If allowed to continue it would mean the Santiago arriving months if not years before any other flotilla vessel. Loath to fall behind the upstart captain who had betrayed the confidences of his counterparts, Captain Zamudio of the Palestine -- after an hour of heated debate with the other two captains -- attempted a mid-burn shutdown of their fantastically unstable antimatter-fueled engines. His vessel, along with all its crew and passengers, was destroyed in an antimatter explosion.
However, Zamudio had the last laugh. The Palestine was transmitting technical data to its two new allies up until nanoseconds before the detonation. Because of his failed experiment both the Baghdad and the Brazilia managed to modify their magnetic containment fields to prevent matter blow back or antimatter leakage during their subsequent engine shutdowns.
