The History of Cyan City
Originally a heavily fortified island in the 1930s, Cyan City was founded when the government repurposed the military base for civilian living. Much of the defensive structure to the island has been tailored to better suit the new occupants. A missile silo has been turned into a hotel. Tanks were hollowed out to become food trucks. Barracks were transformed into restaurants. Despite being restructured, the island remains littered with broken down turrets and cannons. Decades later, the city has become the global capital for alien activity, as a result of legislation that allows species from across the galaxy to live as civilians. The intentions of these laws are not altruistic, however. The government takes great interest in acquiring alien technology and weaponry that can advance Earth’s standing in the intergalactic scene. Extraterrestrial criminals and masterminds find great success in terrorizing the city, due to the government’s very hands off approach. Non-alien villains exploit this consequent chaos and set up shop in the city as well. In the absence of effective military protection, Cyan City has seen an emergence of vigilantes and crime fighters. Unfortunately, most of these “good guys” only seem to damage the island further.
General Saber
Serving as general of the Global Defense League, Saber firmly believes that mankind belongs in the stars and that building a galactic army is the only way to maintain Earth’s presence in the galaxy. The general faces resistance to this vision from a number of colleagues and his superiors, because of the risk it poses for humanity. Saber believes that the planet must pour its funds into an army worthy of standing up to the Badenian Empire, but his critics see such an act as a declaration of war that will bring about the empire’s invasion of Earth. Saber causes problems for the snails in his pursuit of alien technology and other advanced forms of weaponry. Cyan City being a hotbed for alien activity, past and present, makes the island a desirable location for Saber’s testing and acquisition of assets to use for his potential army. He often butts heads with General Smathers, due to their conflicting views on Earth’s role in the galaxy, as well as Smathers’ frequent interference with Saber’s operations in Cyan City.
General Smathers
Smathers is arguably the only ally of the snails that works for the government. The general oversees coastal threats of the United States and is naturally more local than Saber. He makes efforts to help in larger scale alien attacks, but his superiors keep him on a tight leash. He is the snails’ main point of contact if they ever collaborate with the military in tackling events beyond the scope of Earth. His sense of patriotism leaves him naïve towards the government’s capacity to do evil. He routinely comes into conflict with General Saber over intergalactic matters, but remains outranked. Smathers’ father is the spokesperson for the Spud Corporation (A potato-flavored water sold in a can.)
Barbara Stellars
Many decades ago, Barbara Stellars served as one of the first crime fighters in Cyan City. In a frequently hammy display, she would battle invading aliens in the city’s crowded streets to much acclaim. Working closely with the government, Barbara became the face of intergalactic defense. Unbeknownst to the populace however, it was all fake. The government would stage actors to dress up as aliens and invade Cyan City in military-provided ships. Barbara would then play her part and “defeat” the extraterrestrial forces. This whole operation served as a means of assuring citizens that galactic matters were under control. In reality, Earth was horribly vulnerable to the cosmic powers, should they ever choose to attack. These performances would also serve to convince visiting aliens of Earth’s defensive capabilities. Despite these deceptions, Barbara was determined to make Earth a safer place and felt the overwhelming need to protect others. Years later, Barbara has passed away and never got the chance to tell her daughter, Ellen, that her celebrated youth was actually propaganda. In the present, Ellen tirelessly works to live up to an image of her mother that never truly existed.