Prologue
Accounts of History summarized by Dr. Adam Smith, Historian at the University of Lunar Studies, Lunar Base I.
The Earth, a planet in the Milky Way Galaxy had existed for 4.5 billion years. It took over 1 billion years for the planet to cool, another billion for life to begin as a tiny, single cellular organism. Plants, animals, and fungi all evolved from these tiny organisms.
The Earth went through many phases as the eons passes. At first all animal life was contained within the oceans. Next, creatures moved onto the land and diversified exponentially. Large reptilian beasts called dinosaurs ruled the land for millions of years until the Earth had a chance encounter with a giant meteorite. The collision wiped out the dinosaurs and opened up the door way for mammals.
Among the mammals a new species would rise to the top. Thousands of years of evolution led to the new masters of Earth, Mankind. Humans were strange compared to most other animals, they used the resources of the Earth to develop tools and technology. Over 10,000 years the humans continued to make advancements with their technology using up the Earth's resources.
In the year 2050 it became apparent that the resources of the Earth would no longer support the human population. Over the next 10 years the governments of Earth developed advanced spacecraft, lunar excavation machines, and modular housing designed to withstand the rigors of space. By 2070 a fleet of workers were on the moon, living in mini atmospheric modules and mining the resources of the moon. As the years went on and the land was cleared, more and more atmospheric modules were produced and humans became permanent residents of the moon.
The resources of the moon were still not enough to satisfy the increasing demands of an over populated world. In 2095 the individual governments of the Earth joined forces and created the United Earth Government (UEG). The first order of UEG was to colonize Mars and obtain its resources. In 2100 the first expedition to Mars launched, with it a new technology to create an artificial atmosphere over the surface of the planet. A network of satellite was deployed above Mars which created a Martian atmosphere over 10 years.
The first martin colonists lived in similar environments to the Lunar colonists as the atmosphere was created. Mining resources, research, development, and policing were the primary infrastructures of that time. When the artificial atmosphere was finished, its success prompted the colonization of Venus. Meanwhile industry and migration continued to increase on Mars and the third and final Lunar base was finished.
The Earth was seeing a golden age, it's economy was soaring, technology and sciences were rapidly improving and war had not broken out in over 100 years. The people of the Earth were the privileged and the wealthy, living off the resources secured by the workers of the Lunar, Martian and soon to be Venusian colonists. The colonists on the other hand, were seeing renewed policies and taxes that greatly benefited the people on Earth.
Colonists were not allowed to be in the upper management of Earth companies, including the mining and development companies. The most a colonist could hope for was to be a plant manager. Colonists who owned their own businesses were taxed heavily, making it more profitable to work for a company of Earth than to have your own business. Those colonists who looked to join a military service would be enlisted as foot soldiers, shuttle and fighter pilots, mechanics, or police. Only Earthlings were allowed to hold rank or pilot Armor Frames.
Any colonists caught going against the UEG and its policies, even if voicing opposite opinion, was severely punished. Earth citizens controlled the colonies from their far off residences on Earth. If an Earthling did visit the colonies it was with disgust and under the protection of hired body guards. Worst of all was the fact that Earthlings would treat colonists as less than human, able to do anything to them and not be held responsible.
After three generations of abuse by the UEG, the colonists started to develop advanced fighter craft and Armor Frames of their own. These developments were kept secret from UEG officials with the hope that once development was finished the colonies could stand on equal footing with Earth. The colony also started recruitment into a military branch of their own, the Colonial Militia. The Colonial Militia was developed under a treaty formed with the UEG as an effort to stem the growing unrest of the colonies. All colonists who had entered into the UEG service were transferred into the Colonial Militia and provided with outdated weaponry.
The UEG hoped that the formation of the Colonial Militia would finally settle the unrest and growing irritation from the colonies. When a report from an inspection service revealed to the UEG that the colonies were developing secret military technology a call of alarm went out. Fearing an impending revolt from the colonies, the UEG sent military forces to attack all known warehouses, mechanic shops, and arrest all known persons who were helping or storing this secret technology.
The attack happened on Earth Date: July 4th, 2192 and later became known as The Raid. UEG forces attacked all associated compounds without mercy, using the most advanced in Armor Frames, Fighter craft, and hand held weapons. Colonial Militia responded to the attack in an effort to defend the people of the colonies. The militia's technology though was vastly outdated. The battles were brutal and thousands of colonists died.
After The Raid, the UEG put tighter sanctions and heavier taxes on the colonies in order to tighten their grip on the colonists which they saw as out of control. As a sign of good faith the Colonial Militia was allowed to remain, but their power and command were greatly reduced, becoming more of a colonial wide police force than military power. UEG inspection forces would make routine visits to each colony and technology development companies would be overseen by a UEG Tech conglomerate.