「あの日見た星の名前を私たちはまだ知らない。」
"We still don't know the name of the star we saw that day."
We looked up at the avians that soared above - and invented airplanes,
thus conquering the sky;
We then looked beyond the clouds into the star-studded space - and invented spaceships,
pushing our dreams towards the dark horizon we yearned to reach...
The moment we opened the forbidden door to a world that we were not prepared for,
The seed of greed began to grow, sealing our fate to an impending doom...
OVERVIEW
Humanity's space exploration project had been progressing slowly but surely - it was predicted that half a century later, more people would be able to take their first step beyond our blue planet and venture to the nearest natural satellite, the Moon. This was what the general public knew so far. To them, it meant little compared to the highly entertaining political dramas that were going on among superpower nations, from territory disputes to increased military presences...to the ongoing nuclear talks that apparently weren't going anywhere.
Not that the Earthlings were any better than their squabbling leaders.
Beneath their (un)watchful eyes, a handful of extraterrestrial beings had infiltrated amongst them. They seemed no different from humans- unless one accidentally hit the wrong button, no one would be any wiser of who they really were. This wasn't much of a concern for them, either. They were here for something far more dangerous than a race whom they could easily kill in three seconds flat.
No, they were here for an escaped entity that was from somewhere even further away, even older than themselves - a parasitic race who brought forth destruction wherever it lands, leaving these planets to waste and eventually erase them from the universe forever. Maybe some of them were after the humongous bounty that would probably make her the richest person in the entire galaxy, but there was another catch: this alien possessed an ability that could multiply that money beyond what numbers could show you, or you could simply become the god of the world.
The power to warp reality.
The chase had brought these greedy souls to a planet whose technology was considered ancient in their books, where its inhabitants were weak, useless creatures living in a mundane world built upon a peaceful facade. They were probably wondering: why would she choose Earth as her next target? What was the Queen's true goal?
A dying vision. A strange dream. A meeting that set the wheels of an apocalyptic destiny into motion.
Let's raise the curtains to the stage where the end begins.
Which takes them to Yokohama, Japan on the Planet known as Earth.
LORE
The Interstellar Union of Systems (IUS) is a galactic power of independent planets that are bound by a unified council of power held by the interstellar representatives. Planets included in the union include Eden, Xandis, Zuon, Iros, Centauri, Ooirx, Eridanus, and Solari.
Terran is the universal term for the branch of humans to colonize the eight core planets of the IUS. Due to genetic coding, advancement of medical science, and interstellar effects these humans age similarly as Earthlings but to a degree slower that occurs after pubescence. They slow to a rate where they age to a ¼ ratio to the normal ratio. Thus it takes 4 years for a Terran to age—thus the average lifespan of a Terran is 260-350 years of life.
Earthling is a interstellar term used to denote the native humanoid species of planet Earth - they are better known as homo sapiens, or simply "human beings" in their local tongue. Rank wise, they are at the bottom of the power pyramid: weak physical structure, vulnerable to radiation, unable to survive in vacuum condition are only a few examples from the endless list of how useless this race is compared to the rest in the entire galaxy. However, there are two which are noteworthy: extremely high adaptability and survival instinct - do not underestimate this glass cannon species, because you'll never know what their cunning mind has planned for your torturously painful death.
Levikyrian is a nomadic alien species from Levikyra, rumored to be a lost space colony and till now no one has any idea where this place is. This parasitic alien race feeds on the life force of any star or planet they arrive at to survive, eventually leading these lands to complete waste and erasing their existence from the galaxy forever. They have been greatly hunted not just for their uncontrollable destructive power, but also for their ability to warp reality - now they are considered a dying race, with only a handful of royal bloods left wandering across the stars.
Interstellar Combat Weapon Shuttle (ICWS) - or better known as "StarRider" - is a mechsuit made from advanced nanotechnology, often cybergenetically woven into the skins of the pilots complete with a neural implant installed to summon the system mentally. On startup, the suit only consists of the base frame/armor and basic, standard weaponry, nothing exceptionally fancy save for the color-coding to differentiate the mech of respective pilots - customized external augmentations can be equipped later if needed.
Okami Squadron is the interstellar team of mech pilots, soldiers, and mechanics from the IUS and its subsequent colonies. Led by a veteran commander of a Star-Rider with field experience in mechanical engineering, traditional close quarters combat, and accurate ranged combat— the squadron fulfills a very vital role in solving interstellar crisis’s and delicate infiltration operations.
Meiran Science Frontier Academy is a fictional, semi-private specialized institution located in the Central District of Minato Mirai 21 in Yokohama, Japan. This school houses three academic levels, from elementary to tertiary. As its name suggests, most subjects taught in Meiran are Science- or Math-related, though students can opt to take up Art-based courses as a supplementary. The school does not use the conventional enrollment method of going through a paper entrance exam - instead the test is practical, and often they are notoriously difficult to pass. Because of this, Meiran is also known for a school that only takes in the elite of the elites.
NOTES & TROPES
General
Deconstruction
Mind-Screw? or Mind-Screwdriver?
Riders
Battle-borderline-Unwanted Harem
Color-Coded? Instant Exoskeletons
Scientific Aging
Terran Pilots
Levikyrian
Reality-Warping Berserker
Walking Black Hole
Dying Race
Deconstruction
Mind-Screw? or Mind-Screwdriver?
Riders
Battle-borderline-Unwanted Harem
Color-Coded? Instant Exoskeletons
Scientific Aging
Terran Pilots
Levikyrian
Reality-Warping Berserker
Walking Black Hole
Dying Race
TRIVIA
- Levikyra - the mythical planet where the parasite alien race is from - is derived from rearranging the word "Valkyrie".
- StarRiders is initially just the English name I came up with for the Japanese title Hoshizora no Riders, which literally means "Riders of the Starry Sky". In my original plot plan, the term "Rider" was conceived by MC in the story, to show how the suits can fly at high speed (almost like riding the stars).
SUMMARY
