Disclaimer: This is a non-profit work. The characters and such are the property of Squaresoft, except for some individuals and plot ideas, which I created originally. Other than that, this is wholly a Xenogears fanfic.
Warning:
READ THIS FIRST! I wrote this part before "Rebuilding," but I didn’t submit it first cause I don’t want my readers to fall asleep. If this is your first time to read "Rebuilding," I suggest you read the main part first, the one after this "prologue." This part just clarifies some minor details, which I didn’t explain later on. The reason is that I have the tendency to base my later stories on the previous ones I wrote, even those I didn’t have posted. I decided to submit this part to clarify what I had written later on, but this should be only for those who can stand "long narratives" and want to know the nitty-gritty of the story. You have been warned!
Okay, okay! I confess! I’m just trying to persuade first-time readers to read the main part first before this one. I DON’T WANT TO DRIVE POTENTIAL READERS AWAY! "Rebuilding" is much better than this one, I swear! I have no idea why I wrote the prologue this way, it just happened! … But if you still want to read this part first… I can’t stop you now, can I? ^^;; Oh well, go ahead then, but please don’t give up on the entire fic because of this part, okay? … Sigh, but despite everything I’ve said, I still hope you’ll enjoy the "prologue." I’d be more than happy if you survive through it though. (crossing my fingers and praying)
Yen
REBUILDING
The Prologue
To
begin anew…
written
by Yen
Version
(10/10/99)
After the fall of Deus, things had not been easy. None of the gears except the Contact Fei’s worked and neither did their ether powers since the Zohar Generator had been destroyed. On the other hand, the Seraph Angels created by Deus as well as the Reapers and Wells by Krelian continued to function. The former had a different source of energy other then from Zohar. They ran on the energy of the humans that had been made into them. Their very essence, their souls. The latter were not machines, but biological weapons created from human flesh and blood. Though they too, had lost their ether capabilities, they were still a strong foe to reckon with. One positive thing; however, was that once Zohar had been deactivated, Merkava had stopped producing Angels. Unlike Wels and Reapers, they couldn’t reproduce by themselves yet. It had become imperative that the Seraphs be dealt with less they evolved into something more dangerous and become more numerous.
Using Contact Fei’s Xenogears and old style weapons dated from before the Ethos discovered the gears, the surviving human race went to exterminate the remains of Deus and Krelian’s armies. Lady Elhaym, Dr. Citan Uzuki, the Wise Men of Shevat, Melchior, Balthazar and Gaspar as well as others studied what was left of Merkava and the Zohar Modifier. Lady Elhaym had gained the knowledge of Deus while she had been part of it and with it the technology know how. Their main task was to somehow make the gears work once more as well as their ether powers in defense of the Angels, Wels and Reapers threat. A solution suggested was for another Zohar Modifier to be built. Lady Elhaym had immediately ruled that out, stating that they would need resources not found on this planet. No, what they needed to do was to somehow cannibalize the old Zohar Modifier or get it working again. Fortune was with them. When the Contact Fei and his companions had defeated Deus, the power overload from the defeated Weapon had indeed returned to the generator. However, who ever built the Zohar Modifier had anticipated such a problem and made provisions for it despite the fact that Zohar was already considered as "indestructible." The power overload had burned the "fuse" of Zohar. Only a portion of the immense energy released actually reached the generator. It was not enough to destroy it, but it canceled the energy output of the Modifier, shutting it down. What they had was a slightly damaged but reparable generator that only needed to be jumpstarted. A week later, the Zohar Modifier was activated, but not before it was taken out of Merkava with the use of a lot of man and machine power as well as Contact Fei’s Xenogears.
With gears and ether powers restored, the Angels, Wels and Reapers became less of a threat. Protection from them became the priority instead of their extermination. The Lady Elhaym persuaded the population to help their enemies instead of destroying them. The city of Nortune was rebuilt first as of all the cities, it was the one not completely destroyed. Refugees from the Snowfield Hideout and other areas were transferred to Kislev’s capital. Generators like the ones used by Shevat and Solaris were constructed and utilized to defend Nortune as it was being relieved. It was then decided that the afterward King Bartholomew Fatima, Prime Minister Sigurd Harcourt and Kaiser Rico Banderas be placed in charge of the operation. The Lady Elhaym, Great Mother of Nisan Marguerite Fatima and the then Reverend William Lee Black handled another kind of rebuilding as well, that of people’s souls. The Lady Chu-chu stayed with them; at this a sad note must be added. She was the last remaining of her species. All others of her kind died when Shevat crash-landed into Snowfield.
To continue on, Dr. Citan Uzuki with the Wise Men of Shevat took over the development process. With the world just recovering from a devastating war, it had become imperative that new and better tools for agriculture, medicine and such be developed. The Contact Fei, Lady Emeralda Kasim and Lady Maria Balthasar were placed in charge of defense. Of all the surviving gears, it had been found that the Xenogears, Crescens and Siebzehn were the ones best suited to it. The Contact Fei’s gear had been endowed with great power. The Lady Emeralda Kasim’s gear with it nanotechnology components was only bested by the Xenogears. The Lady Maria Balthazar’s Siebzehn with her father Dr. Nikolai Balthasar's developments in human and machine interactions had proven that Solaris had been in the right to be interested in his work. It was the beginning of a new era.
With the generators guarding Nortune, improvements in tools and machinery, the people’s high spirits, with the excellent governing triumvirate, as well as the vigilance of the security force, it was not long before Nortune’s population exceeded the city’s capacity. It had only taken a year before it was decided that Nisan should be rebuild next. It was decided that it best to rebuild the city closest to Nortune, because the threat of the Seraphs, Wels and Reapers remained though to a lesser degree. There had been concerns that the division in the governing body would not turn out well. However, all realized the need for expansion and growth. It was decided that then Master Rico Banderas, afterward Bishop William Lee Black, and Lady Emeralda Kasim with the Shevat council remain in Nortune while the rest went to re-colonize and rebuilt Nisan. Great care was made that the groups were kept in constant communication. It was not a time for a fatal error to be made.
Despite the presence of enemies abound, it must also be noted that allies had been made as well. The Solarians, once formidable enemies have become friends. Of note it must be made of former Gebler Commander Kahr Ramsus and his elite team of Elements. Once a great foe of the Contact Fei and his companions, Kahr Ramsus and his loyal group of Elements have been stalwart defenders of Nortune. Later on, they have been made into an elite security team under the code name Ramses whose main duty it is to protect the then governing body. Many people had consider it ill wise to do so. However, of all the years of service by Praetorian Kahr Ramsus and his Elements, there was never in record a failure or derelict of duty. Until now, of all the Ramses that had been formed and honorably discharged, theirs are the only unblemished record. To further clarify concerning the elite team Ramses, it must be mentioned that each team consist of a Praetorian and four Elements under command, fire, wind, water and earth. As soon as it was able, the governing body had established a military academy in Nortune known as Jugend. Sources say that too was the name of the military school in Solaris. The appointed Head Master Jessiah Black insisted on the name. Jugend is where Praetorians and Elements are trained. Soldiers and civilians had to be handpicked in order to be allowed into Jugend. Later when Jugend expanded, all military personnel were trained in Jugend, and being assigned to the Ramses Elite became a sought-after goal. Since then, that is how it works at Jugend.
Reestablishing Nisan took a while longer than Nortune. The delay was often blamed on the split of forces between Nisan and Nortune. It should also be noted, that in terms of technology, Nortune had the upper hand. A problem lay also in the lack of enough skilled workers for both cities, despite the increase in population. The presence of Angels, Wels and Reapers were also greater in number around Nisan, making it a greater challenge for the security force. It was hypothesized that mutated human beings were drawn to Nisan since it had been and still is a place of healing. Another problem lay in the fact that Nisan was a religious rather than a political establishment in all its history. The population that had gathered to rebuild Nisan disliked the idea of a political governing body. The then titled Master Bartholomew Fatima and Master Sigurd Harcourt found great difficulty in leading the people. A great majority of the population insisted on the Lady Elhaym, whom many considered as the Second Advent of Mother Sophia, to be their leader. Despite the Lady Elhaym's reluctance in the matter, the governing body appointed her as such of Nisan. Afterwards, things went more smoothly in rebuilding Nisan.
The Nisan Religion was also reestablished with the Great Mother Marguerite as its head. Among the many projects undertaken in Nisan, of special importance is the reconstruction of the Great Nisan Cathedral. It also was not surprising to see Wells and Reapers walking on the streets of Nisan. Though still mutated, they had been slowly healing via developments made in medicine and nanotechnology by the combined efforts of Dr. Citan Uzuki’s team and the Shevat Council. In Nortune, it had been difficult to help mutated humans due to animosity Kislev inhabitants had toward them. Only later, under Kaiser Rico’s rule, would this change. In Nisan; however, mutants were invited in and cared for. Though there were still those who attacked the city, the Contact Fei’s security force kept them at bay. It took twice the time with Nisan than it did with Nortune. The next city to be rebuild would be Bledavik.
By this time, Angels, Wels and Reapers were no longer considered a major threat. Thankfully, the Seraph Angels had for the most if not all of their population remain sterile. Wels and Reapers on the other hand was a far different picture. Many suggested that they be made sterile in order to limit their population. The Contact Fei and Lady Elhaym disagreed vehemently at this suggestion. Some say that the mutants simply be driven out and left to die. This was another suggestion hotly rejected by the senior members of the governing body. There remained a fear in the population that the mutants would one day outnumber the normal humans. It had been observed that some Wels and Reapers thrived and multiplied rather expeditiously upon receiving medication for their cravings of human blood and flesh. The issue concerning the Wels and Reapers became a highly debated issue. For a time, there was a fear that open hostilities would break out among the have and have-nots. It was then ruled that Wels and Reapers reproduction be carefully supervised and limited if deemed necessary. As always all mutants would be constantly treated in order to return them to normal. With these two and others, a law was also passed that everyone is a human being whether mutant or not. There would be no undeserved discrimination concerning the human form. Needless to say, the compromise left both sides unsatisfied. The problem concerning have and have-nots still has yet to be completely resolved.
The desert city of Bledavik suffered more than Deus’ attack. The desert had not been kind to the ruined city as well. However, the water was still there and so were the foundations of the city. Of the three cities, the rebuilding of Bledavik was the most light-hearted. Even the governing body no longer felt uneasy at the way it had become spread out. The Contact Fei and The Lady Elhaym together with the Great Mother Marguerite Fatima stayed in Nisan while then Master Bartholomew Fatima, Master Sigurd Harcourt and Lady Maria Balthazar proceeded on to the capital of Aveh. With Bledavik’s rebuilding came as well the reestablishment of the Republic of Aveh under the joint leadership of King Bartholomew Fatima and Prime Minister Sigurd Harcourt.
End Prologue
Yen