幻象騎士團

幻象騎士團（日文：ミラージュ騎士団；英文：Mirage Knights），全名為東方第一幻象騎士團，簡稱「F.E.M.C.」，於星團曆2813年組成，是天照帝的直屬宮殿騎士團，以「血紅十字架」為標記，統御天照王國協的所有軍隊。成員多是天照王國協旗下國家的王族或貴族，是究加太陽星團內首屈一指的騎士，且在天照王國協的法律管轄以外。主力MH為「號角幻象」及「最強幻象」。

幻象騎士團分為右翼及左翼，一般在公眾出現的多是右翼成員；左翼成員則是星團內的恐怖分子或是懸賞的通緝犯，他們加入的原因多是怯服於天照帝的強大力量之下。星團曆3159年，天照帝展開大侵攻後加入的幻象騎士（即24號或以後）則沒有再分開為右翼或左翼。幻象騎士團成員如下：

幻象騎士團由右翼4號的弗克·U·羅格納所統領，他同時亦天照王國協所有軍隊的總司令。在星團曆3010年，左翼4號的斑鳩王子代替被迪斯·勃斯亞斯霍特所傷的羅格納成為總司令。

另外，幻象騎士團成員的Fatima，皆多為鉻·巴蘭榭博士的冠名Fatima。而巴蘭榭博士亦替他的Fatima加上了額外的精神控制，不能對幻象騎士團的MH交戰。

在天照帝退隱，並將政權交予尤龐得拉時，幻象騎士團亦一同消失。及後隨天照帝及天照王國協的人民乘上旗艦「威爾」開展找尋拉克西絲的道路。

Five Star Stories (ファイブスター物語, Faibusutā Monogatari^?) is a manga series created by Nagano Mamoru, building on his work on the anime series Heavy Metal L-Gaim. The story is staged at an alien cluster of four major planetary systems. The God of Light, Amaterasu, the immortal emperor of the Greece Kingdom on the Delta Belune planet, is 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 adapted from the first volume of the manga by Sunrise, released in 1989 and directed by Kazuo Yamazaki.

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 genetically engineered 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.

Manga

So far, 12 volumes of manga have been published since 1986.

The major story arcs of the manga are :

• Destiny Three Fates Lachesis (Book I)
• Destiny Three Fates Clotho the Sleeping Witch (Books II & III)
• Traffics 1 (Books IV & V)
• Destiny Three Fates Wandering Atropos (Books VI, VII & VIII)
• The Chivaleries (Book IX 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: Unknown. The only known fatima died of old age is Intercity, who died in JC 2997 at age of 687. Since she is one of the first four fatimas, the life span of later fatima are expacted to be longer, but no one knows how long at this point.

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