To humanity, the moon began as a goddess of the night, a loving sentinel of the sky, a haunting reflection of the brutal gaze of the sun. Later she became a siren, luring explorers, taunting them to leave gravity behind. Now, Luna has become a prison colony, a place where the resources for the ever-growing and always-ravenous orbital colonies can be found. And because few humans would agree to toil in the mines, even with the aid of Artifex, only prisoners and convicts, political or otherwise, will toil.
This latest history of Luna began during the Second Cold War, which started when China and the United States began a race to colonize this closest of all celestial bodies. The discovery of Z-G, anti-gravity technology, forever altered the fabric of society, as millions fled Earth for the Grange and many others plotted revolution on Earth. The only practical means of keeping the peace on Earth was to force the mass immigration of “malcontents” to the moon.
At first, Luna was advertised as a place of abundance, but quickly the facts become apparent on Earth. The moon was a dangerous and filthy world of tunnels and corridors. Food was bland and far from constant, death was forever at the door, and there were far, far more men than women. Fighting between convicts was the norm. It was here in the mines that the Cartel originated, and it was from the ranks of the trustees, the prisoners promoted to guards, that the first Corps of the Cestus Mercs arose. As the years went by, many of the convicts gained their freedom, but were not allowed back on Earth and were rejected admittance by the very selective Orbital colonies. Forced either to risk everything and venture to the Grange or to remain on the Moon, many chose the latter and began to create the unique Lunar culture so well known on Earth today.
They also became the first people to begin to view Z-G as a sport and to formalize duels into matches. Their pastime eventually become a system-wide obsession. Of course there are many discordant forces on this rocky orb, and while ostensibly a free and full member of the EGS, the complaints and resentment of the ’Loonies’ are legion. If revolution were to begin anywhere in the EGS, it would likely begin here.
