Latitude Zero
Latitude Zero (LZ for short) is the main base of operations for G-Force, located fifteen nautical miles south of Nilai-Kanai. Construction of the base was completed in 1969 while G-Force was under the supervision of Overseer Craig McKenzie, and since then has served as the defacto capital of Kanai since the apocalypse.
Layout[edit]
Latitude Zero was constructed upon a massive coral island located fifteen nautical miles south of the ancient city of Nilai-Kanai. While initially designed to serve as a forward operating base for scientist and military unities stationed within The Reactor, the facility has since expanded into a metropolis housing roughly 280,000 residents, namely G-Force staff (scientist, administrators, and armed forced) and their families. Latitude Zero's layout is divided into five concentric districts, each serving a different economic function. The outer rim of Latitude Zero consists of a protective ring of force field generators set up to protect the inhabitants of Latitude Zero against the native fauna of the Reactor as well as the extreme weather conditions that can occur within the area.
First Ring: Administration[edit]
The first ring serves as the administration district, housing the Overseer/governmental offices, the main command center of G-Force, the head post office, record office, as well as the united churches of Kanai.
Second Ring: Inner City Living Quarters ("Uptown")[edit]
The second ring consists of primarily of housing units for the residents of Latitude Zero. This district also houses numerous artistic landmarks rescued from the surface world; most notable of which is several intact sections of the Arc de Triomphe.
Third Ring: Military[edit]
The third ring serves as the military district of Latitude Zero. It is here where Guyferds are trained for combat, military vehicles are held, the Atragon-class ships are docked, and the Jet-series mecha are housed. The third ring also houses Latitude Zero's maximum-security prison.
Fourth Ring: Businesses[edit]
The fourth ring serves as Latitude Zero's main economical center. It is here that the vast majority of the Latitude Zero's businesses are located, including:
- Alchemist/Pharmacist
- Aquarium/Zoo
- Artificial Personality Studio
- Augmentation Clinic
- Banks
- Butcher
- Café
- Cartographer
- Casino
- Comic/Book Shop
- Cryonic Suite
- Drone Arena
- Enchanter
- Fairgrounds
- Fuel Station
- Gallery
- General Store
- Greengrocer
- Gym
- Healer
- Holovid Arcade
- Hospital
- Infosphere Café
- Inn
- Jeweler
- Library
- Livery Stable
- Maker Space
- Media Shop
- Museum
- Nightclub
- Observatory
- Office Building
- Pawn Shop
- Pet Shop
- Pub
- Public Transportation Hub
- Recycling Centrifuge
- Restaurant
- School
- Seer
- Sensorium
- Smithy
- Society Lodge
- Spellcaster’s "Tower"
- Stadium
- Stonemason
- Tailor
- Tanner
- Tech Repair Shop
- Tech Workshop
- Theater
- Therapist
- Transport Dealership
- Undertaker
- Woodworker
- Zero-G Arena.
Fifth Ring: Farmlands[edit]
The fifth ring houses the vast majority of Latitude Zero's crop farms. While most of the other cities around Kanai focus on growing crops native to the Reactor, Latitude Zero mainly focuses on growing specially engineered Emmer Wheat, Einkorn Wheat, Barley, Lentil, Peas, Chickpeas, Bitter Vetch, and Flax.
History[edit]
1960s[edit]
Construction of Latitude Zero began around 1966 following the assault on Area-G by agents of the terrorist organization, The Red Bamboo. Need for a more secure and habitable base for G-Force forced the U.N. to reconsider previously proposed options of expanding the forward base around the maw of Gigantis. Plans were put forward to relocate the forward base directly inside the esophageal channel, however the constant muscle contractions with Gigantis' throat proved to be a far too insurmountable engineering challenge for G-Force engineers.
By 1967, plans were put in place to build the new base of operations directly on top of the ruins of Nilai-Kanai. Dubbed "Project: Latitude Zero" due to Nilai-Kanai's location on the Reactor's equator, the plan was scrapped due to Nilai-Kanais' importance as an archeological site and as a habitat for numerous superfauna and ultrafauna. It was eventually settled to establish Latitude Zero on a sizable coral island located fifteen miles south of Nilai-Kanai due to its largely uninhabited ecosystem and geologically sturdy bedrock.
By 1969, construction had been completed on Latitude Zero. Consisting of little more than a standard military base, LZ comprised of a two-story operations base, a hanger and airstrip, a laboratory, barracks, and a post office.
1970s[edit]
By 1973, Latitude Zero faced its first major battle. Up on the Antarctic surface, the Seayomians and M Space Hunters launched a combined assault on the remnants of Area-G. With supplies and troops stretched thin on the surface, a handful of alien forces managed to make their way down the maw and into the Reactor. Overseer Craig McKenzie and Elias called upon Atlas to drive back the invading forces, who manage to at least chase the alien forces back through the maw. Upon the surface, Atlas continued to engage with the Seayomian and Space Hunter fleets.
During the invasion, Latitude Zero would have its first encounter with Machai. Possibly drawn to the area by the sounds of conflict, Machai proceeded to attack Latitude Zero indiscriminately, bombarding the base with its biomechanical arsenal. G-Force soldiers were able to intervene to some extent, pestering Machai with arial support until aid arrived in the form on an unknown humanoid robot who assisted in evacuating Latitude Zero before engaging Machai in combat by altering it's own size. After driving back Machai, the humanoid mechanoid returned to the surface and vanished just as quickly as it appeared.
The following year of 1974, the Bilusaludo, lead by then Captain Kuromugal Centaurus launched an attack force of Kong-Class Mecha-Bilusaludo on Gigantis. Using intel gathered during the Seayomian and Space Hunter invasion attempt the previous year, Centaurus managed to successfully infiltrate Nilai-Kanai and engage in combat with Atlas and Hyperion. With the aid of radiation resistance technology from his home world, Centaurus was able to establish a handful of Bilusaludo bases around Kauai for an extended period. The following year of 1975, the Centaurus and his forces launched a direct assault on Latitude Zero, successfully managing to conquer the base with the aid of certain human agents. With their forces already stretched thin, G-Force sought out the aid of Pontus in reclaiming lost territory. By the end of the year, G-force managed to successfully reclaim Latitude Zero with the aid of their new ally.
In 1977, The Seayomians launched their second solo assault (their previous being 1963) with the space battleship, Daimakan. This time, Latitude Zero was able to successfully drive back the Seayomians with the newly upgraded Aragon-Class Gotengo.
1980s[edit]
In 1980, Craig McKenzie retired from Latitude Zero and Michiyuki Ashihara was assigned as the new overseer.
1990s[edit]
By 1991, Michiyuki Ashihara constructs the Super Dimension Calculator for Latitude Zero.
In 1992, Latitude Zero came under assault from rogue scientist, "Mad” Oniyama, who attacked Area-G with a bio-engineered monstrosity named King Berserker. The abomination proved to be an overwhelming opponent for G-Force alone, forcing Latitude Zero to launch the Gotengo to attack the rampaging beast with the aid of Atlas, Gaia, and Uranus. Even with their combined forces, King Berserker still managed to make its way to the maw of Gigantis. It was at this time that the same humanoid mecha from nearly twenty years ago made its reappearance. Using its size shifting abilities, the mecha was able to damage King Berserker from the inside, allowing G-Force and the Gargantua to wear down the beast. Following King Berserkers defeat, G-Force launched a counter attack on Oniyama's base in the Satan Atolls.
By 1995, Latitude Zero is once again attacked by a Gargantua, this time in the form of Tartarus. This time, Latitude Zero was able to drive back the hostile Gargantua with the use of the newly constructed Megalon-Class Maser Tank. Also during this year, Overseer Michiyuki Ashihara also completes work on the Archtype Universal Polymer Base which would go on to revolutionize how Latitude Zero supplied itself.
In 1998, nuclear biologist Dr. Nick Tatopoulos is assigned as the new overseer of Latitude Zero as Michiyuki Ashihara unexpectedly announces his retirement.
2000s to Current[edit]
In 2002, undercover Zodiac agents working within Latitude Zero manage to hijack the Telegian System and transports the Gargantua, Nemesis into the English Channel using LZ's experimental satellite relay.
In 2004: Latitude Zero receives its new line of Aragon-Class ships: the Rumbling, Eclair, and Karyu. As well as the Super Aragon-Class Gotengo.
In 2010, Dr. Mark Russel is promoted to Overseer of Latitude Zero.
In 2019, Zodiac operative Alan Jonah, infiltrates Latitude Zero with the aid of Dr. Emma Russel, wife of overseer Mark Russel. Utilizing Emma Russel's own invention, the ORCA, Alan Jonah was able to overwhelm Latitude Zero's forces by drawing hoards of Kanai mega- and superfauna to the base and disabling several key defensive measures with a computer virus. In the end, Alan Jonah managed to escape from Latitude Zero with an untold amount of classified research and several containers of equipment. Following Jonah's escape, Dr. Emma Russel attempted to reverse the effects of the ORCA to drive the local fauna out of Latitude Zero, in an effort to save her daughter from the rampaging wildlife, but was killed by Uranus who came to view her as a threat. This infamous event became known as "The Breach of 2019".
In 2021, Jet-Jaguar "JJ" is assigned as Overseer of Latitude Zero following the departure of Dr. Mark Russel.
2030-2050: Operation Final Wars is set into motion as the kaiju apocalypse occurs. G-Force dispatches its entire arsenal in an attempt to save and evacuate Magatama Syndrome afflicted humans to Kanai. Of the 700,000,000 humans left on Earth, only 7,000,000 humans are relocated to Gigantis.
Timeline of Overseers[edit]
- Craig McKenzie 1969-1980
- Michiyuki Ashihara 1980-1998
- Dr. Nick Tatopolous 1998-2010
- Dr. Mark Russel 2010-2021
- Jet-Jaguar 2021-present
