PROLOGUE
March, U.C. 0098, the Asteroid Belt and the Outer Solar System.
Two-hundred years have passed since human beings first journeyed beyond their homeworld of Earth. One-hundred have passed since human beings first migrated en masse into outer space to alleviate the problems of overcrowding, environmental pollution, and natural resource depletion that besieged the planet. Nearly fifty years have passed since a great thinker and leader prophesized that with humanity's migration into the gravity-free environment of space, Homo sapiens would evolve into a more advanced form with increased telepathic and telekinetic abilities. Almost twenty years have passed since the people of Earth and their Spacenoid brothers first went to war against one another over the right to decide humanity's future.
In U.C. 0079, the Archduchy of Zeon ruled by the Zabi Royal Family began its war of independence and conquest against the Earth Federation Government. The Zabis' goal was to destroy the Federation by any means necessary, including genocide. Prince Giren Zabi of the Archduchy of Zeon decided that the "Oldtypes" of Earth represented an obsolete and degenerate form of humanity…one that needed to be eradicated before the Chosen People of Zeon could rise to claim their destiny among the stars. The main weapon of war for both sides: massive, anthropoid mechanical engines of destruction known as MOBILE SUITS.
The Archduchy of Zeon was defeated by the Earth Federation Forces in U.C. 0080, only to menace Earth and the Cislunar space colonies again in U.C. 0087-0088 under the leadership of Regent Haman Khan, then the acting ruler of Neo Zeon for Duchess Minerva Zabi, last heir of the Zabi Royal Family.
Five years later, Colonel Char Aznable led a second Neo Zeon War, attempting to create nuclear winter on Earth by dropping the massive Axis asteroid spacefortress onto the surface of the Earth. Fortunately for Earth's people, Colonel Char's plot was thwarted by Captain Amuro Ray and Colonel Bright Noah.
After Char's attempt to destroy Earth, the remaining military force of the Neo Zeon Empire withdrew to the Asteroid Belt. There, the remaining generals of Neo Zeon began to divide the colonies of the Asteroid Belt and Outer Solar System among themselves, in effect becoming feudal warlords, each waging war against the other in hopes of someday becoming the sole ruler of the Neo Zeon Empire.
In March, U.C. 0098, five Neo Zeon generals who once served under either Regent Haman Khan or Colonel Char Aznable vie for power in the Outer Solar System.
Generalissimo Hadrian Reglas is the Lord of Titan, a Neo Zeon colony established on the largest moon of Saturn.
General Napoleon Spector has declared himself the Viceroy of Jupitorius, having conquered and occupied the Jupitorius space colonies as the base of his Neo Zeon military domain.
Admiral Lara Constantinas rules the Neo Zeon as the Governess of Callisto, based on one of the largest of Jupiter's moons.
Field Martial Konrad Von Bach rules the Imperium of Deimos, from the Martian moon of the same name.
General Alexander Miguel rules the Principality of Phobos Neo Zeon from the other Mars of moon, named after the ancient Greek god of fear. A fitting name for the home of one of perhaps the most fearsome man alive in U.C. 0098.
In years past, the Archduchy of Zeon, in its various incarnations, had always put forth a united front against its enemy, the Earth Federation Forces. There had always, however, been an underlying rivalry among the Zeon leaders that the Federation seldom knew about, but always gained a significant advantage from. Historians generally agree that, had Prince Giren Zabi not assassinated his father, Duke Degin Zabi, which in turn compelled Giren's younger sister, Princess Kishiria Zabi, to summarily execute Giren in retribution, the Zeon Armed Forces might not necessarily have been defeated by the Federal Forces in December, U.C. 0079. Similarly, eight years later, the Axis Neo Zeon invasion began to crumble when General Glemy Toto led an insurrection against Regent Haman Khan. The infighting among the Neo Zeon leaders enabled the Earth Federation/AEUG Alliance to gain the upper hand and drive the Neo Zeon from Earth and battle them to the gates of Side 3.
Those Zeon internecine conflicts, however, pale now before the Neo Zeon civil war that has erupted among the warlords of Titan, Jupitorius, Callisto, Deimos, and Phobos.
The war started within six months of Colonel Char Aznable's death and the destruction of Axis Fortress. During the past five years, millions have died in the Asteroid Belt and the Outer Solar System. Most of these deaths have occurred in Neo Zeon or independent space colonies, but several hundred thousand citizens of the Earth Federation's Outer Solar System and Asteroid Belt colonies have also perished in incidents of "collateral damage" during the war.
For its part, the Earth Federation has elected to remain neutral in the Neo Zeon Civil War. The leaders of the Earth Federation Government have reasoned that it is beneficial to the Federation to let the Zeon busy themselves fighting each other in the distant Asteroid Belt and Outer Solar System; there is simply no need or benefit to be gained from intervening in the Zeon's internal conflicts.
Such is the status quo in the Asteroid Belt and Outer Solar System in March, U.C. 0098.