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The Dark History

Pre-C.C.

The past is an uncertain concept. No one knows how the last great age of mankind ended, nor even the details of that era. For over six centuries the peoples of Sol have been rebuilding from a gigantic cataclysm – but the very nature of this disaster exists in the realm of speculation. Data culled from relics has given clues, but the so-called "Dark History" remains steeped in fable and myth.

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The Age Asunder

C.C. 00 - C.C. 220

Historical records begin some six hundred thirty years back. Civilization emerged from "Armageddon" as pockets of life spread from one world to the next. Earth and Mars held the greatest populations, followed by Luna. Colony clusters no longer dotted the night skies. Whatever happened made sure mankind was no longer able to walk amongst stars. Only within the last two hundred years have archaeologists discovered human footsteps on Mercury, Venus and the outer solar system's moons; whomever they belonged to did not survive.

On Earth, most whom remained lacked the knowledge to maintain (let alone build) higher technologies. Space travel was no longer possible. The blue planet's society persisted only in refugee camps. Over decades, these camps would become small city-states ruled by tyrants. They fought over scraps of technology, food and tools. Boys grew up to become soldiers, who extended the territory of their feudal masters. From birth, girls were treated as little better than pretty toys.

Mars managed to retain much of its order, but an isolationist viewpoint shut them off from Earth and Luna. Mankind had long before transformed the once-red planet into a cradle of life; it was more than capable of sustaining them indefinitely. Voluntarily, they shut off fission reactors and buried mobile weapons. Their doors closed, and lights shut off.

Revolts on Luna resulted in destruction of countless domed cities. The ruling elite were massacred. Chaos and insanity gripped the moon. Only three settlements were to survive: Von, Granada, and Tenshi Halo. Amidst the ashes rose a socialist party that would not last past a decade.

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The Age Enlightened

C.C. 220 - C.C. 303

A century went by; then another. Four hundred years ago, society on Earth finally saw evolution. Gradually, scavengers and grave-robbers established a system of commerce. City-states no longer killed over meager scraps. Rather, they traded, eventually developing currency. The first businesses were founded. These fledgling entrepreneurs would one day be responsible for restoring civilization to Terra.

Mars continued in a quiet stasis. Its people were blissfully ignorant of past strife. Living off the rich soil and plentiful wildlife, they consciously forgot anything of the Dark History.

Life remained horrible for Lunar citizens. The proletariat had long proven incapable of keeping order. A caravan of despots seized bloody power, none lasting longer than a generation before being overthrown. Desperately, the people searched for a light. It came in the form of a powerful Newtype named Marcus Weathers. His origins are unknown; today, Lunarians insist he emerged from Sol itself to guide them towards ascension. True or not, the fantastic figure did transform their society. On his word, a new history was written.

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The Age Apotheosis

C.C. 303 - C.C. 417

Another hundred years.

Incredible metropolises formed on Earth. Corporations such as Annapolis and Diego had discovered enough blueprints from the Dark History to begin construction of nuclear reactors, mobile weapons and spaceships. Civilization was necessary to maintain their monopoly, so businesses funded learning and the arts. It was a miraculous age that saw persons of Terra breaking away from gravity. Contact was made with Luna, but all invitations for a meeting were rejected.

Weathers seemed immortal. Across the century of his presence, not a day marked his age beyond thirty. This served to further deify the man whose word was already law. By "divine edict" he urged the adoption of genetic engineering. The word Coordinator was first used to describe the race Marcus wished Lunarians to become. Like on Earth, the arts and learning prospered -- yet both served as propaganda for his vision.

Earth's corporations were eager to expand beyond their home world. Ships couldn't yet make the trek to Mars, but blueprints for a "colony cylinder" were drafted based on data found in a capsule off the Australian coast. Twenty years down the road, Deikun was founded at L2.

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The Age Gilded

C.C. 417 - C.C. 521

One hundred years later, the Lunar Empire had been perfected. Disease, hunger, even age had been eradiated. Its peoples were happily immortal, from the elite aristocracy to its humble peasants. Marcus sat on a pearl throne, surrounded by a world and society he crafted. His people were beautiful, intelligent, and artistic. They reveled in his glory, and were ready to spread this utopia to their lost brothers. A military buildup began, creating machines and ships as deadly and proficient as the Coordinators themselves. Newtypes were selected from the population, and trained as Imperial Knights.

Colony clusters now filled the night sky above Earth. Every Lagrange point harbored at least a billion humans; more now lived in space than on the planet below. Truly democratic governments had formed in the colonies. Annapolis had beaten out all of its competitors, and sat content to allow humanity to guide itself, while the company benefited financially. Contact was reestablished with Mars. Perhaps most importantly, these were the days of Jacob Okawara's birth. It was a golden era... one that, as history shows, can never last.

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The War Logos

C.C. 521 - C.C. 525

Spreading forth like an angelic wingspan, the Lunar Empire's exalted Knights and Guardsmen brought war to the colonies. No one saw it coming. Space trembled. L3 was seized in the first hours of fighting. The other clusters managed to fight back, rallying to one another's aide. A week of warfare saw scores of cylinders destroyed, and billions bid farewell the mortal coil. Eventually the fighting spread forth into other territories. Venus became an Imperial outpost; Martians resurrected centuries-buried mobile weapons and prepared to defend themselves. The scattered democracies of Sol formed a confederation called Orb. Yet even with their combined might, they couldn't push back the perfected peoples of Luna. Slowly, surely, the advance continued over the course of years.

By C.C. 524 all seemed lost. Imperial forces established several beach heads on Earth itself. Weather's propaganda machine turned many governments against Orb. The human race was being assimilated into the Empire. L2 and Mars were the only peoples completely free of its influence, but morale waned. Many, many Imperial Knights had been killed since war's starts, but still the fearsome brigade overpowered anything Orb could field against them. Without a resounding victory, the confederation knew its days were numbered.

Jacob Okawara emerged as a symbol in these worst of moments. The boy -- no older than sixteen -- found a Gundam hidden in a secluded cache on Mars. His first time in the cockpit, he knew instinctively how to pilot the mobile suit. Soon, he teamed up with an Orb carrier named Trojan Horse and brought war back to the Lunar Empire. Dozens of Knights fell before his beam saber, and countless Guardsmen. None could match his piloting prowess. Okawara became the hero and legend Orb needed to win back its soldiers.

The tide of war changed. Not quickly, or resoundingly, but Orb was able to put up some rampart against the advancing Coordinators. Several decisive operations successfully purged their ranks from L1 and L4. Soon enough, an Orb fleet attacked Luna itself. The battle was insanity personified. With many of their Newtypes already killed earlier in the war, the Knights fielded more common soldiers. Every second marked a man's death. For two days, Orb pushed into Von city, where Jacob Okawara met Marcus Weathers. The boy beat the god.

The death of their deity only enraged the Coordinators. As if his life force was being released into all of them, the Knights and Guardsmen ferociously destroyed every Orb vessel in sight. Those who couldn't retreat were killed -- no prisoners. Crippled from his duel with Marcus, Jacob was powerless to defend himself. The hero's death has been widely broadcast in Lunar Empire historical chronicles ever since. Marcus' son, Xavier, ripped his father's killer from the Gundam's cockpit with his own mobile suit's hand. Blood dribbled from its cool, mechanical palm.

Despite the chaotic conclusion, a tentative ceasefire was reached. Marcus was succeeded by his daughter, the equally powerful Newtype Jessica Weathers. She signed a treaty with Orb, agreeing that peace would be mutually beneficial to both sides. The Empire maintained holdings in L3, but otherwise, the solar system rested much as it had been before the Logos Wars -- if substantially less idealistic than once before.

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The Age Eternal

C.C. 525 - C.C. 630

Six centuries into this new age, and humanity is still a splintered peoples. Jessica Weathers sits as firmly on the throne as her father, and brother Xavier leads her Imperial Knights hoping for a day when Marcus' vision can finally be achieved. Orb waits; it's ready to defend freedom if ever the need arises, but petty squabbles and infighting amongst the confederation makes it doubtful they'll be ready to answer a call to unified arms. Annapolis benefits from Orb's civil war. Its pockets are lined with six hundred years of gold, and anyone questioning where the true power in this solar system lies is quickly "marginalized." The only faction they've been thus far unable to quell is Drake's Legacy. This band of pirates has newly emerged from the asteroid belt, attacking shipping lanes and military outposts alike in the quest for booty. Their presence makes many uneasy; data culled from Dark History archives mention this band of outlaws by name only fleetingly... during the last nights of that dying era.

Where humanity stands in history is uncertain. A universal calendar hasn't even been drafted. Orb and Annapolis call these times the "Correct Century." Luna insists it is the "Age Eternal." Perhaps Drake's Legacy knows better than anyone, but surely they're not revealing any secrets for free. Peace might reign for another thousand years. War could soon erase mankind from history again. The choice, as always, lies with this newest generation...