Galactic Express World

Earth is the third planet in the solar system and one of the more crucial habitable worlds of the Universe. Earth itself embodies the ideals of the human race it lives on. The Earth has been the subject of alien invasions and cataclysms throughout its known history. With many changes over the course of centuries, it had either become an ideal place to live with the finest to offer or horrid conditions that make people want to leave.

Earth History

Earth as part of its biosphere hosts large bodies of water including many of the oceans the surface is covered in. The planet features a breathable atmosphere filled with oxygen as well as many ecosystems including deserts, temperate forests, arctic areas, and urban developments.

Earth has been home to many civilizations and cultures with several extraterrestrial species stopping on the planet as a safe zone including the La Metalians and the Mazon. By the end of the 20th century, Earth had its first major encounter when La Metal came near the planet and started a massive swing of events that had Earth's scientists develop ways to travel to outer space.

These plans bore fruitful exploits including the Galaxy Express trains, a space navy, and ships of all kinds. Unfortunately, things began to take a turn for the worse on Earth as leading figures started to become complacent in their comfortable positions with many of them becoming lazy and corrupt. Most of them even ignored threats such as the Mazon and mechanized nobles that came to Earth and established domains so long as they did not distract them from their pleasures like golf. The general population was not much better, not appearing to care about things as long as it does not interfere with their safety. Because of this, many notable individuals had left Earth in disgust. Some of them however, chose to protect Earth from a distance due to a greater form of sentimentality.

Galaxy Express Company, Ltd.

Galaxy Express Co., Ltd. is the company of railway operators running the Galaxy Railway Express trains. It is mainly headquartered at Fate Station that resembles a gas nebula.

Galaxy Express Co., Ltd. was created to centralize the then privatized rail operators as done per collaboration with organic beings and the mechanized shareholders. The company evolved out of the original railway companies of Earth including the Japan Nation Railways before expanding into space. However due to difficulties in expanding beyond the local solar system, the company entered a partnership with with the Machine Empire to obtain further funding and technology. By the time of the Empire's fall however, the company had to change some of their policies.

The limited company is currently under the supervision of company president, Leila Destiny Shura. The company itself owns its own private military and police force to ensure that no harm comes to the railways and their passengers. To people outside the company the employees appear to be rather ruthless as they are known to eliminate any adversary and obstacle without mercy. This however is to ensure that no dangerous elements come upon the trains and the passengers as some incidents have been known to destroy planets. As such the Galaxy Express company take no side in conflicts due to their equipment and weaponry being above the average army. This gives the company an uneasy reputation as some of the inhabitants of areas even fear the passengers of the trains. The security is also known to false alarms that keep them away from planets that are originally part of their trips. There are also issues regarding class with the middle class passengers as well as the distribution of tickets particularly to the Andromeda system that are very expensive with some high class passengers often targeted for murder and theft.

Service

The infinite routes to just about every corner of the universe have different trains turn to those many areas. All routes are managed by the Galaxy Management Stations while following a strict regimen. The station staff rooms are often decorated with portraits of the founder and his child. Being started by the Japan Nation Railways, the trains and paths follow some aspects including: main line, branch line, general station, passenger station (referred to as Mankind Station), freight station, etc.

Management station are separated in each area and are all under a jurisdiction. However there are differences in rules and administration including the Machine Empire's share when bringing flesh and blood bodies over to Machine Men worlds. Regardless, all rules are strict with employees handling passengers very politely and their salaries are regularly payed large sums of money (often in the form of gold coins). Their primary responsibilities are the safety and handling requests of passengers when they are in their power. If a passenger is to die, the crew must take responsibility for that death regardless of who was the catalyst. The locomotive trains also follow an exception to the rules when needing to dispose of crew that have died in duty by going off course for a short while. Crews are also allowed to take a vacation once at the stop station at the endpoint with the vacation determined by the company.

If a criminal of a particular planet is on the train, the crew and passengers follow an extraterritoriality space law as there are no local authorities between trips, allowing the party to arrest or restrain. Even then the criminal is still treated as a passenger and are treated with care and respect.

The tickets used resemble the commuter ticket vouchers that display the words path as a tribute to the JR tickets.

If any accidents occur, a Space Railway Guard is dispatched to protect the passenger's safety. If threats such as Space Pirates are in any way involved, a special forces unit called the Grenadiers are dispatched. But if no help comes, it is up to the crew and passengers to do something as what happened during a stick up.

Terms of Use

The train paths are similar to the JR ways of the company's predecessors. However, it has a much more strict departure time and service and not following them is considered a taboo. Because of this more than a thousand rules are put in place but some seem contradictory to each other. For example, if a planet on a course path were to disappear due to events like natural disasters, this would cause a delay in arrival and departure often causing the need to turn back. However to ensure that passengers to get destinations, the train would need to get to the next destination within the required schedule. Other rules are not as malleable as ones that constitute a passenger being at fault such as not getting back on the train in time will be forced to stay on the location as the train will not come back for them. Missing a departure time means that a ticket is useless and passengers cannot buy new tickets for the same train at other stops. In Maetel's teachings to Tetsuro, every missed chance is the same as death.

Temporary stops and route changes are not recognized, but passengers have been known to make requests to stop at irregular stops if word does not get out and there is no evidence of visiting those areas. Most train landing ports are stopovers featuring hotels and bed & breakfasts for local businesses, although accommodations are often provided by the train. The 999 itself is a special case in that it is strongly encouraged to stay on the train as it is impossible to board again after leaving a passenger behind.

In spite of the strict service guidelines, passengers are well provided and some can even apply for refunds on their tickets within two years as long as it is valid. Validity periods differ depending on the seasons of the tickets and if a train's service has been suspended for more than five years, validity is extended.

Although passengers are often treated with the utmost respect, if they make risky decisions that threaten the car or the train itself such as traffic problems and counterfeiting tickets, a passenger can be expelled immediately by a conductor on duty. If tickets are ever stolen or copies are used, only the original owner can use them with the perpetrators punished to the point of death penalties by public security officers.

The rules can be humanitarian however, as if there is helpless victim the crew will help the person in need and provide for them special services if they are close enough and if it will not interfere with policies. Some trains also demand that these victims buy tickets in order to receive further services. The 999 also has a special rescue service to bring passengers back to their home destinations once the initial trip is finished.

On a separate note, as there are no other public transport services the Galaxy Express company has the sole rights with the only other alternatives being personally owned ships.

Important Locations

Galaxy Administration Headquarters The primary jurisdiction area of the Galaxy Express company. It was originally located on Earth until it was forced to move on new management to the planet Destiny. There are also command centers including 27866 that sent an alarm to 999.

Space Islands Administration A secret compartment administration station that has jurisdiction in the inner Milky Way.

Trader Administration A branch administration that oversees the trade business in the Galaxy company. Most trade is overseen on Heavy Melder with the administration working very close.

Andromeda Administration The administration station of the Andromeda System. Because it is located on Planet Promethium and because of shareholding rights, the station is under the influence of the Machine Empire.

Routes

The Galaxy Express line routes are numerous and intricate, Leiji Matsumoto even stated that they function similar to the blood vessels and nerve fibers of a human body. The routes feature many stops on numerous planets and habitable worlds, with some branch points in space, and a transfer junction point.

• Galaxy Main Line: Travels from Earth to the Andromeda System via the Orion-Pleiades route. This is the primary route of the 999.
• Galactic Center Line: Travels from Earth to Pluto with a Nike-Emeraldas branch point at Pleiades with the 111.
• Large Orion Line: 222 line traveling through the Orion route after departing from Venus.
• Iebia Branch Line: 330 limited express line.
• Magellan Line: 331 operated line until a dimensional accident occurred causing the train to disappear for eight years.
• Capella High-Speed Line: 333 operated route from Earth to Vega via the Capella.
• Procyon Main Line: 390 limited express line.
• Inner Galaxy Loop Line: 444 operated route circulating around the Capella line.
• Capella Tour Line: 507 limited express train line.
• Oberon Line: 550 limited express train line.
• Orion Macro-cyclic Line: 555 operated route that departs from the Orion System.
• Capella High-Speed Loop Line: 576 operated line.
• Alta Line: 637 limited express line.
• Aurora Loop Line: 659 express line.
• Magellan Contact Line: 666 operated express route that has its starting point at Nike, while moving from Venus through the Magellanic Clouds.
• Deneb High-Speed Line: Limited Express 701 line.
• Outer Galaxy Line: A mysterious outer space based line that travels through Orion, Pleiades, Earth, Octopus System, and an unknown Galaxy section. 777 goes through here.
• Aldebaran Loop Line: 888 Express train line that travels through the Emeraldas branch point through Nike, Orion, Pleiades, up until the Aldebaran trade point.
• El Alamein Star System Circulation Line
• Altair New Line
• Kaitos Sigma Line
• Mercaptopurine-Toriangri Line
• Trader Main Line
• Dorado New Line
• Regulus Main Line
• Alpha Centauri Line

Space Orbit

To enable the complete operation of universal travel, the Galaxy company uses a special invisible rail laid throughout the universe. It consists of the Orbital Tube that surrounds the train with breathable air, allowing a window to be opened while traveling through space and act as shielding for the train (for the latter, it is also called the Shield Tube) and Orbital Ring that functions as junction points every 1.5 universal km and protect passengers from space pirate attacks. As long as the vehicle does not warp, the train run on the invisible rails as a form of predetermined trajectories. Inside the tubes is a three-way structure that are built to have the outside function like an upstream as well as allow emergency liners of SDF on either side of the express to ensure no outside forces can force out the train.

Trains

The Galaxy Express uses different trains for purposes including combat and transport. All trains feature a numbering system from 0 to 1000 with a generally three digit rule. Models 00X~099 are generally combat trains used by the SDF while models 100-1000 are generally passenger trains with the primary trains given nicknames along with their numbers. The cars of the trains regarding seating are given a grading system with at least three ordinary cars, two green cars, and at time a first-class car.

Machine Men

Machine Men is the colloquial term for people who have gained Machine Bodies. While most were originally human, the term Machine Men can also refer to mechanized animals and other species. At rare moments, it also includes naturally born mechanical people like the Metanoids.

Physiology

Machine Men's bodies are mainly technological, possessing machines for body parts and organs to function. Some are barely functional, made with scrap metal and weak batteries. Others are constituted from reliable and regularly maintained components. The most advanced Machine Men are built with nanotechnology. Most if not all Machine Men possess a matrix that stores their memories and consciousness, essentially acting as their brains and souls.

Behavior

Because their electronic brains are able to store a human mind (and sometimes possess back-ups) in an undying body, Machine Men are essentially immortal. Consequently, Machine Bodies, as well as the status of Machine Man, are a widely coveted thing. This tends to make Machine Men cocky, arrogant, and overconfident. Depending on the type of Machine Body as well as the mindset of the person in turn, Machine Men can thus be very dangerous. Some Machine Men however do not possess the destructive qualities that others do and are fully capable of coexisting with organic life.

Influence

Because of the amount of Machine Bodies made available via their initial creation by the Machine Empire, any person who can find or afford a Machine Body can become a Machine Man. However, due to the fall of the Machine Empire, the availability and prevalence of Machine Bodies varies by region. Worlds that were formerly part of the Machine Empire often host the greatest concentration of Machine Men while still holding to the Empire's ideals. Because of this, many Machine Men choose to act as a ruling class, over toppling the rule of organic lifeforms and of Machine Men with inferior-grade Machine Bodies.

However in some communities, including La Metal, Machine Men and organic life have demonstrated the ability to coexist and even to outright reject the way of the Empire.

Machine Empire

The Machine Empire (also known as the Mechanization Empire) is the succeeding empire of La Metal after the planet's artificial sun was beginning to fade. Lead by Queen Promethium, the empire casts aside all things organic and uncontrollable, this lead to many of its citizens being mechanized. This includes cyborgs, androids, and other robots.

The Empire was founded under Queen Promethium to help her people survive the harsh conditions. Unfortunately, the mechanization process was flawed, Promethium herself having lost her fear of death strove to create an empire with the same principles. To this end she forced many of La Metal and Heavy Melder citizens into the mechanization process while enslaving any remaining organic lifeforms as a fuel source. To this end, Promethium was betrayed by her family including Maetel. While the spread of the empire was prevented, the Empire remained for many years on its home planet of La Metal. Very soon the spread of Machine Bodies as well as the process to manufacture them was spread out from La Metal to increase the number of Machine Men in subtlety.

Government and Culture

As the largest empire in the known universe, the Machine Empire's influence is on a galactic scale. Most of the empire's conquest and planets are in the Andromeda Nebula with many of their citizens mechanized. As stated by the Conductor, worlds under the Machine Empire are built for the sole benefit of Machine Men. Humans that still have flesh and blood bodies whether local or visitor lack any rights, with some places allowing for abuse, slaughter, and hunting for sport. However there are still areas in the Andromeda Nebula that the Machine Empire does not have control of with settlements of regular humans stationed there lead by a Prime Minister.

Capital Government

In the capital city, Queen Promethium leads the empire as the monarch, yet her reign is more similar in function to a dictatorship. To make the empire appear more benevolent, Promethium sends out a guide (namely Maetel) to bring selected individuals in need of a Machine Body to La Metal. Once there, that person once given a Machine Body and goes through the mechanization process is considered a citizen of the empire. This gives them unlimited resources, wealth, and a fear of not dying by homicide. However, Promethium enforces behaviors and if the patron rejects the offer, they are to be publicly executed.

Even then, the process is not as benevolent as it appears to be. The mechanization process forces citizens to remain under Promethium's control and act as mere components for the empire at large. In a way this makes them slaves. Some iterations even have the now dormant human bodies used as a fuel source for the empire. This prevents mechanized citizens from getting their old bodies back and empowers the Machine Bodies of the capital. At times their memories are altered to serve purposes including what was done to Faust. Even in spite of the long life granted by Machine Bodies, there are some citizens that commit suicide because of their living conditions. While the instigator is Promethium, it is not uncommon for citizens to blame Maetel for bringing them to La Metal in the first place.

Humans not under their control also do not conform to Promethium's laws. At times humans and machine men live together without worry. Some citizens unhappy with their living conditions can even start a coup d'etat on worlds with no watchdogs. When this happens, laws are more strictly enforced through the military forces.

Military

In spite of the utopia-like settings, the empire does have a military that has the technology and resources to destroy an entire planet. The home setting also houses a powerful defense force. As stated in films, most of the soldiers are Machine Men dedicated of eliminating any rogue humans. One of their most powerful weapons is a wave motion cannon that could destroy an entire planet such as Blue Melon. The cannon's use on their own soldiers also shows the military's will to sacrifice their own people if it means preserving their utopia at any moment. Space fighters are also commonly used. Many drafted passengers also serve as the vanguard, mere cannon fodder for the empire.

Law

On the Machine Empire's territories, national laws are only given to machine men and when an individual anti-machine action is taken, the perpetrator is to immediately executed, even if the perpetrator is mechanized. This law is considered 'disturbing' even to Machine Men as it is the only official way to end their existence even with their seal of approval. The reason why 999 even transports passengers to La Metal is because of an established law which prohibits taking hostages and forcing them to take Machine Bodies. This however is to make the Empire appear benevolent by giving the illusion that getting a Machine Body is a choice, with the above explanation showing that people that reject the offer are executed. Although some colonies do force mechanization behind the capital back such as on Cosmo Wine.

Influence

While not all in-universe planets are under the Machine Empire's control, some of the empire's dominating ways and the Machine Men elitism has certainly spread throughout the cosmos. Even Earth which is two million light years away from the capital is no exception with Machine Men owning land and treating human hunting as sport. Also due to the expensive nature of Machine Bodies, these Machine Men are seen as the pinnacle and most elite of citizens, causing much disparity among Machine Men and regular humans.

Metanoids

Metanoids are mechanical lifeforms found throughout the Heisei era Leijiverse. Compared to Machine Men who are mechanized humans, Metanoids appear to be naturally mechanical or more advanced than their counterparts. They serve as a major antagonistic force, but their members are not specified in the series they appear in only implied. Their appearances are only confirmed by creator Leiji Matsumoto or the creative teams behind their appearances.

Appearance and Functions

Metanoids vary by appearance and abilities. Footsoliders are primarily composed of a liquid metal. Metanoids knights and queen Darqueen on the other hand appear more humanoid including exoskins covering a mechanical body. Others such as Hardgear just look like highly advanced robots. All metanoids are powered by a Helium-3 heart, allowing them to function for a very long time. Abilities and functions differ, but almost all are capable of combat and communication.

Behavior

The majority of Metanoids that appear in the shared universe have generally influenced major political powers for their personal gain including Ruda, the hand of Afressian Empire queen Baraluda as well as Hardgear for Queen Promethium. Most serve directly under their queen while aligning themselves with anyone that could be beneficial to their empire until their purpose is served. Since they are machines, many Metanoids have a hard time communicating with organic lifeforms. Not all of the Metanoids are conquerors however as there are several defectors who grew attached to different factions including Ruda and Metalmadonna.

Trivia

• There's a very loose time loop going on in this world.
  • One shouldn't think too hard about it. The Rule of Cool is how to go with this.
• Space Pirate Captain Harlock is THE MAN.