Prologue
The planet of Mobius, year 2991.
By the turn of the decade, the Aryan Empire was fast crumbling. Its leaders soon realized that there was not enough money to keep up with their military budget and feed their citizens at the same time. As the Empire fell apart, its prejudice against nonhuman Mobians died with it.
The largest opponent of the Aryan Empire was the United Federation of Mobius. Unlike the Aryans, the UFM championed inter-species cooperation. Many of the Federation's presidents spoke out against specism, prejudice against members of other species. These sentiments met with thinly veiled hostility from the Aryans, and soon the conflict between the two beliefs led to an arms race. Both nations extended their reaches across the globe, trying to persuade as many countries as possible to sympathize with their respective causes.
After decades of living on the brink of mutual nuclear annihilation, the Aryan Empire seemed to be losing its battle. Its leaders exhausted the country's resources as they struggled to uphold the belief that humans were the superior species on Mobius. However, after the disappearance of Josef Marx, the current Aryan emperor, all was lost. Nobody had the heart to take his place and, without a leader, the Aryan Empire finally crumbled by the close of the 2980's.
Many Aryan farmers remained in the country, still struggling to survive, supporting their families despite living in poverty and squalor. Others fled to the UFM, the largest free nation on Mobius, to try to make a new start. Unfortunately, many citizens of the Federation remained wary of past Aryan prejudice, and these newcomers were not to gain trust overnight…
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South Island was a large, crescent-shaped island a few miles off the eastern coast of mainland UFM. Located on a petroleum-rich seabed, the island's bay, Firestorm Gulf, opened out to the North, into the Oil Ocean. Beautiful green hills filled the northwestern area of the island, bordering Mobotropolis, which was further south. Lesser Mobotropolis, well known for its casino, stood across the gulf. A chain of volcanic mountains ran the length of the crescent, beginning at the outskirts of Lesser Mobotropolis and stopping at the southwestern corner of the island. The tallest of these, Mount Vulcan, towered threateningly over the island; it had erupted just eleven years before.
The tall skyscrapers of Mobotropolis glinted in the morning sunlight. Mobotropolis was the capital of the UFM, as well as its commercial, financial, and industrial center. Every defense contractor in the country competed for work in the city of Mobotropolis. The largest company by far in the defense industry was Ovis, which specialized in robotic defenses.
Ovis had vast facilities in Mobotropolis. On the outskirts of the city were several fenced-off acres of land, dedicated entirely to Ovis. Research and development labs took up several floors in the many giant buildings on the property. High walls surrounded the complex, and any unauthorized individuals attempting to climb the fence and see inside could be legally shot. After all, Ovis carried the nation in terms of defense.
Dishes around the complex pointed up into the air and scrambled the software of any overhead satellites, making pictures from above unattainable. The nearby international airport, out of which Ovis occasionally tested its new aircraft and UCAVs, had very strict departure and approach corridors, so that the facility itself would be in the passengers' blind spots if they arrived from the air.
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Dr. Ivo Robotnik waddled his way through the complex, painfully aware of the nervous, and sometimes hateful, glances in his direction. Nobody trusted him, as he had defected from the Aryan Empire not too long ago.
Robotnik grunted in annoyance as he reached his laboratory office and settled his obese frame into his chair. They had no reason to hate him; unlike many other Aryans, he had defected before Marx had disappeared. He had pleaded his case to Leonard Auer, the president of the UFM, renounced all loyalty to the Aryan Empire, and taken a job at Ovis, vowing to do all in his power to work toward bringing the Aryan Empire to an end.
Since that time he had made outstanding contributions to the UFM. The nation had placed orders for hundreds of millions of robotic soldiers, conceived and designed by Dr. Robotnik. He had implemented cutting-edge technology into virtually every kind of military weapon, ensuring the UFM control over land, sea, and air.
These people have no reason to mistrust me, Robotnik thought.
The door opened behind Robotnik and he turned to face the visitor. A majestic lion stood in the doorway. He stood about seven feet tall, and his brilliant golden mane seemed to radiate light. The lion strolled over to Dr. Robotnik.
"Why, Mr. President!" Dr. Robotnik exclaimed. "To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?"
A friendly grin spread across the lion's face, and he chuckled softly.
"Ivo, you flatter me! Please, call me Leo!"
"Of course, sir. So, what brings you here? Do I have a special assignment? A design for a new weapon?"
"Oh, no, not quite. I simply came to you to tell you that you have been promoted. You are now Head Scientist of Ovis' Robotics division."
Dr. Robotnik assumed a very convincing look of utmost disbelief and incredulity; he had, in fact, been expecting this promotion for a while.
"Why, I'm simply speechless! I would be delighted to take on the job."
"Also, because of your outstanding devotion to the UFM, your contributions to us, and our desperate need for a replacement since the disappearance of our vice president, I have decided to invite you to take up the role. As you know, normally the role of vice president would go to our Secretary of State, but he refused to move up and insisted that you receive the role instead."
"Sir, I believe you have a deal! I will be in your office ready to serve you tomorrow!"
"Excellent!" replied Leo. His giant, muscular paw grasped Robotnik's pudgy hand and shook it in congratulation. As Leo turned to leave the room, Robotnik glowed with pride at his newly obtained seat of power.
Many thanks to AspiringMythmaker, who is currently beta-reading my story. Great work so far, AM!