Mars

Rumored to have been officially called "Colony SOL IV", the fabled Martian Colony supposedly established by the Union has never been substantiated in the decades since Liberation, and has faded into nothing more than rampant conspiracy theories, unsubstantiated rhetoric by sketchy authors and the religious appraisal of benefactor cults and transcendent fascists.

Rubin Locke is believed by most theorists to have been involved in the creation of the colony, as is one Aaron Leonard, of Kyivan fame. Leonard is held to have been the founder and key scientific developer, while Locke was responsible for many of the security and architectural achievements.

With virtually no evidence to back up any of these claims, the following is nothing more than rumors and myth, and believers in the 'mythical city' are often ridiculed and lambasted by more historically-minded officials.

## The Rumors

Supposedly, Mars was the joint-venture of City 17 (Kyiv), City 8 (Tokyo) and featured heavy assistance from City 492 (Brisbane). Although this may explain heavy unmarked financial burdens within all three cities during the later waning years of Union society, no records have ever substantiated the claim of a Martian colony, and most experts agree that the funds were instead being directed towards vanity projects, defense spending to contain domestic insurgent cells such as the Eurasian Liberation Army, and monolithic domestic infrastructure such as the *Oceanic Border Protection Wall*.

Theorists have pointed to the considerable increase in spending on space programs after 2017, but given that much of this money has been traced to have instead provided certain industry kingpins (such as corrupt members of the Worker's Union), it is unknown whether these bribes were intended to keep said bureaucrats quiet or instead, the whole point of the "spending increase" was to pay them off for a larger scheme. Tanegashima Island was allegedly one 'launch point' for these space-related ventures, but as the island has since vanished under mysterious circumstances, no physical proof remains. Nor have the deceased generation one transhumans found within *Ōsumi Archipelago* displayed any connection to the myth.

Although the 'SOL-IV ASSIMILATION PLAN' has made the rounds on several intranet forums, it's largely been considered an eloquent hoax.

Rubin Locke's disappeared in 14 AL alongside **Jiroaki Kudo**. An entire aerial Urban Defense Department division was rumored to be involved with the myth. Given Tanegashima's dubious status, it is claimed that he orchestrated an invasion on the island to seize it for unknown means connected to the mythical colony. Zaibol, UTCE and East Lambda consider Mars to be devoid of any traces of the Union, and officially view those who speak out on the 'subject' lunatics at best. Most 'believers' are found within Kytheria, benefactor cults and Free Russochina.

Much like the ancient site of *Area 51* and *Tanegashima* itself, the supposed 'Martian Colony' is viewed as the 'lost city on the horizon', a mythos of untold technology thought lost, the prestigious loyalist elite biding their time in cryogenic facilities, preserved for their eventual return, and the slow re-armament of an augmented invasion force to take back Earth.