Over fifty years have passed since the end of the Space Colony Revolutionary War. The United Earthsphere Alliance, which once held a tight grasp over the lives of Colony citizens, has since disbanded. However, shadows of its former existence still loom over the people, serving as a constant reminder of the evils of war. At one time, the Alliance controlled the Colonies themselves, building several bases, Mobile Suit Factories, and hangars in the Colonies after tearing down the homes of the people. Some Colonies that were once suburban, relatively safe places to live soon became nothing more the militaristic, industrial complexes and few people could make homes there. Other Colonies have been ravaged by the countless battles that occurred near them, and those that were in dire need of money for repair and maintenance, found themselves lacking funding from the government, and could hardly function. While war has ended, the after effects have not, and the cost of war is a burdensome one.
With the heavy impression of the past on the people of the Colonies, and the poverty that envelops them, some people have turned to crime as a resort to become more prosperous. With old Mobile Suit junkyards, hangars filling the cities, and nearby abandoned resource satellites, some skilled citizens were able to build new Mobile Suits and use them to launch a crime spree that would turn several formerly prosperous Colonies into sullen ghettos of people filled with fear, sorrow, and suffering.
However, one man has set out with a dream. He dreams of a world where the lives of the people are under reliable control: His own. He has set out to unite the many Mobile Suit Gangs that have cropped up to form his own army, and help to form the foundation under which a perfect world will be created. He will form a world with neither suffering, famine, grief…nor liberty.
The year is After Exodus 249. In a world where dozens of cries for help are drowned out by the desires of hundreds of others, the powers that be are either indifferent towards or ignorant of the many needs of the unfortunate. Few are willing to stand up and fight for what they believe in, and few are left living to invoke the emotions in others that are required to do so…
MOBILE SOLDIER N GUNDAM
By: L. Curtis Totty
Episode 00: Mankind Has All But Done Away With War…
"Excuse me," he said to the gentlemen, upon entering.
The four burly young men, sitting at the bar, drinking their beers, turned and listened to the young man.
"I was wondering if any of you gentlemen knows a man by the name of Riser Caldwell…" he said.
One of them removed the toothpick from his mouth and studied the man standing before him. He looked at this man, who was wearing some camouflage pants, orange-yellowish boots, a white T-shirt, and a dark green vest. He had slick, jet-black, spiky hair, a clean, shaven face, and light blue eyes. On his head was a red beret.
"Who the hell are you?" asked the young man with the toothpick.
"My name is Vaughn Marisson-Kincayde," he said simply. "You can just call me ‘Kincayde.’"
"Just what do you want?" asked another young man, who wore a pair of shades.
"I am very interested in Riser Caldwell," said Kincayde. "I have heard a lot about him."
"We don’t know any Riser Caldwell," said another one, who had a lollipop in his mouth, with the stick hanging out. "Why don’t you just get out of here before I shove a pool cue up your ass for bothering me while I’m having a drink?"
"You don’t know Riser?" asked Kincayde, smirking. "How about, ‘Capital Punishment?’" His eyes closed to protect himself from the sudden gust of wind produced by the four men suddenly rising to their feet.
"What are you getting at, man?" asked Toothpick. "How do you know who Capital Punishment is?"
"I know that Capital Punishment and Riser Caldwell are the same person," said Kincayde, smiling. "I’ve heard too much about him. Isn’t he the leader of your Mobile Suit Gang? What was it called again? The Death Row?"
"How do you know about the Death Row?" asked Shades.
"I happen to know that the Death Row has tight control over this Colony," said Kincayde. "The police can’t touch you, and the other gangs have nothing on you."
The members of Death Row looked around at each other. Finally, Kincayde spoke up. "So, can you take me to Riser? I’d really like to speak with him…"
"About what?" asked Lollipop.
"There are lots of Mobile Suit Gangs out there…" said Kincayde. "They are very dangerous to the people of the Colonies, and to each other. I have managed to band most of them together under my control. We are now called Final Judgment!"
"Why should we join you?" asked Shades.
"Under my control, things wouldn’t really be that different," said Kincayde. "You’d continue to control your territory, and have the same gang name, only you would have to also answer to me. You wouldn’t have to fight the other gangs, and you’d get money from me to upgrade your Mobile Suits. The only difference is, when the time comes, I will ask you all to help me take over the Colonies, and then the Earthsphere, and rule it under my command."
"Take over the world?" asked Toothpick. "What are you, insane?"
"Many mistakes have been made in the past, and with me in charge, they will be corrected," said Kincayde. "For one thing, there has been too much fighting in the past. While the wars have ended, the after effects are still dominant in the lives of the people. It is not enough to resolve conflicts. We must never allow such conflicts to even arise."
The young men listened attentively to this man speaking.
"Even without war, the people still live in sorrow. After the war, many lives are stuck in poverty. If we are to make things right, things have to change. I will rule the Colonies and the Earthsphere, and when I do, the world will be a better place because of it. Now, please allow me to speak with Mr. Caldwell," said Kincayde.
"All right," said Toothpick. "Follow us…"
The four young men walked out of the bar, and Kincayde followed. The "gentlemen" walked down several blocks until they reached a large warehouse, which had an enormous metal door on the front, large enough for several Mobile Suits to leave quickly. The four members of Death Row walked around back to a small door. Toothpick placed his hand on a keypad and typed in a few numerals. The five of them entered as the door slid open.
Kincayde approached a Mobile Suit, which had a young man attending to it. The young man had short, spiky red hair, but at the front of his head, his bangs turned white. He wore a green, oil-soiled mechanic’s outfit, and large black boots.
"Excuse me," said Kincayde. The young man turned to face him. "Is your name Riser Caldwell?"
He jumped down from the open cockpit of the Mobile Suit. "That’s me," he said. "Who the hell are you?"
"The name is Vaughn Marisson-Kincayde," he said. "You can just call me Kincayde." He extended his hand, but Riser didn’t take it.
"Did you say, Marisson?" asked Riser. "Of the Marisson Family?"
"That’s right," replied Kincayde, smiling.
"What does someone as rich as you want with me?" asked Riser.
"I hear that Death Row is one of the most powerful Mobile Suit Gangs around," said Kincayde. "I have been searching the Colonies for the most powerful Mobile Suit Gangs, and uniting them to form my army…"
"An army?" asked Riser.
"That’s right," said Kincayde. "I’ve seen you in action, Riser, and I would truly be honored if you would join me…" He placed his hand on Riser’s shoulder. Riser looked at it, indignantly. Kincayde promptly removed it.
"What do you want with a Mobile Suit army?" asked Riser.
"I feel that there have been many mistakes made by people in the past, and I feel that the way things are now, these mistakes will continue," said Kincayde.
"Are you talking about wars?" asked Riser.
"Not just the wars," replied Kincayde. "In fact, I feel that mankind has all but done away with war. However, there still is conflict among people, and other problems, such as these Mobile Suit Gangs that have been cropping up. There is still pain and poverty among the people, and I plan to make things better for all the people of the world, especially the Colonies. I will take over the world with my Mobile Suit troops, Final Judgment, and rule it the way it should be."
"So you plan to use the very things you dislike in order to get what you want?" asked Riser.
Kincayde chuckled. "Yes, indeed."
"Why should we join you?" asked Riser.
"Things wouldn’t be that different, except you would no longer have to worry about rival Mobile Suit Gangs, and with my financial aid, you would get more powerful Mobile Suits. The only real difference is that when I call on you for help, you must obey my orders. One thing I forgot to mention is that, of course, you would all be on my payroll…"
Riser’s eyes glazed over for a moment, when finally, he snapped to his senses. "And what if we refuse to join you?"
Kincayde smirked. "Any Mobile Suit Gang who refuses to join me will be destroyed…After all, I do plan to rid the world of crime, and it’s apparent that the police aren’t doing anything about the Mobile Suit Gang threat."
"And just where would we be after this coup d’etat of yours is over?" asked Riser.
"Most of you would retire millionaires," he said. "Those who are the most loyal to me will stay as my soldiers…"
"How do you plan exactly to provide us with newer Mobile Suits?" asked Riser.
"There are several abandoned resource satellites just drifting through space," said Kincayde. "From them, we will mine Neo Titanium, a very powerful mineral, and we’ll be able to build incredibly powerful Mobile Suits."
Riser contemplated these thoughts for a while. He began to consider the life he already had going for him, and what it would be like if he were this man’s soldier. What other options did he have? If so many other Mobile Suit Gangs had already joined this man, how could he stand up to them? There was no way that even Death Row could ever fight them off.
What did he have going for him even if he could somehow continue on in his Mobile Suit Gang? He’d simply continue going from Colony to Colony, robbing banks and rich people, and stomping out the other gangs and then stealing from them. He couldn’t run from the law forever. All he knows how to do is pilot his Mobile Suit.
Riser looked up at his Mobile Suit, which he built himself from parts he found in various old junkyards, and from the Mobile Suits of other gangs that he had defeated. He had always called his Mobile Suit, "The Lethal Injector" because of the laser sword it carried, and the fast-firing laser machine gun it used, which fired with, what he would call, "syringe-point" accuracy.
He turned to his fellow gang members. The others in Death Row had always been loyal to him, their leader, and would follow him almost anywhere. "What do you guys think? You guys wanna join him?" The others murmured their agreement. From this, Riser made his decision. "All right…we’ll join you…"
"Great," said Kincayde, smiling, as he extended his hand to Riser again. This time, he accepted it. "You definitely won’t regret it…"
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