Five Star Stories
|
|
Vast majority of information taken from Gears Online (http://www.gearsonline.net/fss/)'s FSS section.
The Five Star Stories (The) is a cult manga series by Nagano Mamoru. The story of an alien solar system constitued of four stars, and of the God of Light, Amaterasu, the immortal emperor of the Greece Kingdom on the Delta Belune planete, destined to rule the whole Joker System. He and Lachesis, his bride and fatima, are the main characters of this epic story.
An anime movie was adaptated from the first volume of the manga in 1990 by Kadokawa.
| Contents |
Setting
Five Star Stories takes its name from the Joker Star Cluster where the stories take place. The star cluster is made up of four stars: Eastern, Western, Southern and Northern. The "fifth star" is a large comet named Stant that passes through that sector of space every 1,500 years pulling with it its own collection of orbiting planets.
In the distant past the Farus Di Kanon Empire, now commonly known as the "Super Empire", controlled all 4 solar systems of the Joker Cluster. They enjoyed a level of technology much higher than is currently known and sent explorers to the far reaches of the Joker Galaxy. Around the year 9000 AD (Ammon Duul) the empire collapsed due to internal strife. The explorers were called home and what remained of civilization focused mainly on survival. Much technology and knowledge was lost by the time the imperial families of Amaterasu, Fillmore and Hathuha gathered and established the JC era. JC stands for "Joker Calendar" and was meant to give a common frame of reference to all nations to help foster a lasting peace. The JC calendar was adopted but the dream of peace was never realized.
The first story of the Five Star Stories begins in JC 2988. At this time interstellar travel is common and fatimas are well established as necessary co-pilots of the fearsome mortar headds that dominate the battlefields. Warfare between nations is commonplace and few still hope for peace.
The Manga
So far, 11 volumes of mangas have been published since 1986.
The major story arcs of the manga are :
- Destiny Fate Lachesis (Book I)
- Clotho the Sleeping Witch (Books II & III)
- Traffics (Books IV & V)
- Wandering Atropos (Books VI, VII & VIII)
- The Chivaleries (Book XI and X)
- The Majestic Stand (Book XI, XII & ...ongoing )
Mortar Headds
Nothing is as destructive on the battlefield or as decisive to victory as the mortar headd. These mechanical juggernauts have no equal and are considered necessary for the success of any military campaign. They are usually 15 meters in height (measured from the shoulder to the ground) although some have been built as large as 40 meters. Unlike most sci-fi mecha, mortar headds are not merely humanoid vehicles that are built and disassembled as needed. Each one is a unique creation and highly prized by both its pilots and home nation.
Mortar headds are operated by a headdliner pilot and a fatima copilot (normal humans are not even able to make mortar headds move). The headdliner has complete control of the mortar headd's movements through manual controls and an electroencephalo drive that links to his/her helmet allowing the machine to mimic the movements of the pilot to a certain degree. The fatima, genetically engineered for the task, serves as the onboard computer system by mentally merging with the mortar headd enabling her/him to control weapon systems, scanning, communications, teleporting and flight systems (teleporting and flight systems aren't installed in every mortar headd). The combat effectiveness of a mortar headd depends on 3 factors: the skill of the headdliner pilot, the quality of the fatima copilot and the quality of the mortar head itself. In place of a fatima a more simple genetically engineered creature called an etriml can be used. Etrimls are similar organisms to fatimas but much simpler. Lower grade mortar headds are often equipped with etrimls instead of fatima cockpits.
Mortar headds are not only designed for battle but are also works of art. In a galactic society of knights and royal families a mortar headd serves as a representation of a knight's status and is a focal point for national pride. They are thus designed to be fearsome to behold on the battlefield and beautiful to see in parades and processions. Many mortar headds have intricate frescoes permanently fixed to their external armor plates and colorful designs worked into their paint jobs. If not destroyed in combat, a mortar headd can continue operating for hundreds of years and is passed to a successor after a headdliner retires from service.
Some mortar headds have shown evidence of being alive. On a few occasions mortar headds have moved on their own volition and more than once the fatima copilot felt the emotions of the machine through the mental link. The higher grade, custom mortar headds more often show these traits.
Creators of these awesome machines are known as mortar headd meights and are afforded noble status in society. The services of skilled mortar headd meights are eagerly sought out by kings and prime ministers to give their nations an edge in warfare. Mortar headd maintenance is performed by specially trained mortar head meisters.
Development of the Mortar Headd
The primary weapons in large-scale conflicts in the Joker Galaxy used to be the Prowler Fighter and the planetary bomber. These small airborne vehicles carried buster weaponry capable of destroying large areas of land and countless lives. As time passed the motivations behind the fighting began to shift from destruction to subjugation. The land, people and resources of rivals' territory became too valuable to risk destroying. New weapons were needed to occupy and defend conquered lands.
The first of these new weapons was the humanoid machine named "grand head." In JC 530 the grand head gave way to the machine messiah. This new weapon was powered by an ezlaser system - an external combustion engine that ran on solar light. These new "electric knights" were exceptional machines but extremely difficult to control. Their ability to maneuver almost instantaneously required the pilot to possess reflexes and coordination that could only be found in headdliners, descendants of genetically altered soldiers from the wars of a past age. These headdliners were capable of controlling the movements of the massive machines but the onboard systems such as radar and communications were too difficult to handle. Fatimas, genetically engineered beings closely resembling humans, were found to be capable (if designed properly) of having great computational abilities. When altered to include headdliner genetic material the new breed of fatimas were strong and quick enough to handle the load of systems operation for the pilot. In time, these formidable new weapons came to be known as mortar headds.
In the world of Five Star Stories the term "machine messiah" is reserved for relic mortar headds surviving from the distant past that contain technology much advanced over that which is available to Joker society.
Fatimas
In the battles that rage across the worlds of the Joker Star Cluster few weapons are as crucial as the fatima. Although they appear human at first glance, fatimas are humanoid creatures genetically engineered for a life of service on the battlefield. Fatimas are necessary copilots for mortar headds and mentally merge with the computer systems of these devastating machines to control weapons, communications and other vital processes. The mental merging is so complete that shock or strain experienced by the mortar headd during combat can be damaging to a fatima. Some fatimas have died after extended or particularly brutal battles. Fatimas are designed to have computational skills rivaling any computer.
Fatimas are thinner than humans with longer limbs and necks. Their chest cavities are smaller resulting in protruding joints. Although they appear to be frail they are markedly stronger and more resilient than normal humans. They are able to move as fast as most headdliners and can be deadly in personal combat. Most fatimas seen in the Five Star Stories are women but male fatimas are also produced as are child types that never reach physical maturity. Fatimas are not capable of producing children, perspire less than humans and require less food.
It is virtually unheard of for a fatima not to be paired with a headdliner. They call their partner "master" and serve with devotion until their master's death. It is said the best partnerships result when the headdliner and fatima are of opposite sexes. Although some powerful headdliners have more than one fatima, fatimas serve only one master. Upon the master's death, fatimas seek out a new partner. Fatimas pledge loyalty to their master and not to a nation or leader. A fatima's new master can be of any allegiance.
Those with the skills required to create fatimas are called fatima meights. They rank from one to five based on skill with five being the highest. Talented fatima meights are eagerly sought after by national leaders in order to give their own headdliners the opportunity to partner with the best fatimas. Most fatimas are produced in factories or workshops supervised by fatimas meights. They are expensive to produce and roughly half of them have to be destroyed due to defects that show after manufacture or during training. Those created by skilled meights are called masterpiece fatimas. These are created one at a time in a process that more closely resembles an artisan's workshop than a factory. Skilled meights are also artists who express their talents through the appearance and capabilities of the masterpiece fatimas they create. Four fatima meights who have been recorded in the pages of history for their superior skill are Drs. Chrome Ballanche, Morard Carbyte, Prisen Corks and Steel Koop.
Fatimas go through eight stages of development before they are ready to enter military service. A ranking system has been devised to rate fatima quality. Fatimas begin life in a liquid vat and usually remain there after the stage of development where humans are born. Training is conducted by computers while in the vat to ensure they are well-versed in engineering, physics and biology. After emerging, fatimas receive further training and have a memory crystal surgically implanted in their head. This crystal is used for merging with mortar headd computer systems. They then remain in their creator's house for 2 to 3 months before choosing a master (this is not the case with factory produced fatimas).
By galaxy law, fatimas must be subjected to strict mind control during their development. This mind control subdues their emotions and enforces several conditions:
- Only a headdliner may be chosen as master
- They may not harm humans unless ordered to by their master
- They obey only the orders of their master
- They must respect humans as better than themselves
- A new master must be found after the current one dies
- They may not attempt to pass themselves off as humans
Galactic law places further limitations on fatimas. They must wear colored contact lenses to obscure their eyes when in public. They may not reveal their flesh (some are concerned they will bewitch men with their beauty). Fatimas have no legal rights and cannot testify in court or enter public offices. When appearing in public they must wear capes that completely cover their bodies and mark them as fatimas. When fatimas are not accompanied by their masters it is legal to kidnap or kill them. Common citizens' reactions to fatimas usually range from distrust to outright disgust. When headdliners travel they keep their fatimas in their mortar headd dorreys and other places where they can remain out of sight.
Despite the fact that they are artificial life forms fatimas have personalities and feelings of their own. Many dream of being normal human women and leaving the battlefield behind forever. Perhaps because of their forced exclusion from society they develop deeper relationships when they can with headdliners and other fatimas. Unfortunately, many headdliners share the general view of fatimas as little better than animals and force their partners to endure a life of loneliness.
Fatima Statistics
Height: 155-170cm
Period of Maturation: 8-15 years
Production Cost: Around US$ 46 million but a black market exists as do private transactions
Life Span: 300-500 years, depending on quality
Necessary Caloric Intake: Minimum 200 kcal. per day in battle situations
MH Control/Data Processing Capabilities: Equivalent to a 128 bit computer, however memory is only a little better than Homo sapiens
Physical Strength: 200kg single arm clean and jerk, 500kg deadlift
IQ: 200 or more
Reaction Speed: 85% of the average headdliner's speed
Blood Type: Similar to Homo sapiens (MN, RH, ABO). The best meights develop superior types. The double epsilon model's (Lachesis) blood type is by far the finest to date
External links
- Site relating to FSS (http://www.gearsonline.net/fss/)
- Site of the Japanese Editor (http://www.toyspress.co.jp/fss/)
- major fansite in English (http://www.heika.net/html/fss.htm)
Categories: Manga | Anime