The Federation

The Federation or Federal Government (連邦政府) is one of three groups featured in Cannon Dancer.

Overview

Federation flag

The Federation is the singular entity ruling over the entire world in the latter half of the 21st Century, in what is called an era of absolute control. Described as an overbearing capitalist government, it oppresses its people and crushes any artistic values while touting false "freedom". The Federation is European-centric, with its capital and center of power located in Prague, the Federation's Capital City.

The Federation runs a ruthless administration that's been compared to radical fascism, having stamped out all freedom of expression and thought in the populace, as well as prosecuted any and all dissenters and opposition, with people ending up either executed or put to work in forced mining camps. There are also implications that the government secretly takes advantage of religious groups as a way to control and oppress the population.

One such group, a cult named Slaver, rose in influence and power and eventually managed to form an armed force and take over the city of Agadan in the Persian Gulf, setting up their main temple in its center. Unable to deal with the group, Kirin of the mercenary group Teki is contracted to eliminate them, setting the story into motion.

Structure

Jack Layzon

Main article: Jack Layzon

Jack Layzon is the only government official introduced, working as the Federal attorney general (Director of Judicial Affairs in English). He is the client who hired Kirin to eliminate the Slaver cult taking over his city, although it is later revealed the mission was a trap that gave Layzon a legal excuse to arrest the cultists. Having no further use for Kirin, Layzon betrays him and leaves him to die in the desert of Cabil. Kirin, however, survives the ordeal and hunts Layzon down to get revenge for the betrayal.

Law forces

What appears to be a police or law enforcement force directed by Layzon is made up of special soldiers known as the Black Commanders. These special agents wear flight-capable black armor with machine guns installed on the arms. Highly skilled, they attack from the air, maneuvering at high speed while relentlessly firing at enemies. During the Slaver raid, they are seen using large blue airships, possibly equivalent to a police aircraft.

A secondary unit of Foot Soldiers appears as the crew of one of the government's battleships, with its members wearing lighter armor and normal rifles. It has been noticed that soldiers serving the Slaver cult's army use the exact same equipment and weapons as the soldiers working for the government.

Elite Foot Soldiers and Black Commanders are seen as part of the personnel serving the defense of the capital city, fighting alongside a number of defense machines. The Federation also owns a warship fleet stationed on the Indian Ocean and atleast one submarine.

Related concepts

Flying Ore

Flying Ore in the Forest of Memory

A very valuable mineral for the Federation, the Flying Ore (飛鉱石) is a special kind of ore found underground that is capable of creating its own anti-gravity force, forcing things trapped in its proximity to spin around them rapidly. The existence of the Flying Ore is what empowers both the Federation and Slaver, having found uses for it as a source of power. The mineral is normally found underground, with a big vein located in the depths of the Cabil desert, where political opponents of the government are forced to mine it.

Kirin runs into large chunks of the mineral during his travel through Cabil, where he uses them to push himself upwards into the higher levels of the underground cavern. He also finds a single crystal floating at the center of an old room, where he is attacked by the first member of Teki. The gravity force can catch and pull him into orbiting around the ore whenever he jumps. A few more Flying Ores are found floating in mid-air at the Forest of Memory, where Kirin can use them to reach platforms high up in the area.

Crystals

Crystals (クリスタル), also unofficially called Anti-Gravity Crystals (反重力クリスタル), are possibly one of the products created from refined Flying Ore. These are smaller, rhombus-shaped transparent crystals with a central core and a line of green orbs orbiting them like a belt. When jumping into them Kirin is propelled upwards at great speed, usually in a straight line. These crystals are found in most stages, often used by Kirin to move across large vertical areas with ease or to reach higher platforms his normal jump can't.

A Crystal in-game

Crystal official art

Rebels

The five men

As explained above, political dissidents and anyone opposing the Federal government are arrested and either executed or sent to forced labor camps to work mining out Flying Ore. Five prisoners are found on Kirin's visit to the underground mining complex at Cabil. These rebels dress similar to pirates and were originally planned to appear in the background shoveling and mining the ore.

After defeating the first Teki, Kirin finds them in the process of stealing a Federal submarine and a large drill. They receive Kirin with open arms and help him cross the Indian Ocean to reach the mainland, and Kirin assists them in taking down a Federal battleship pursuing them.

Trivia

• A world-governing Federation is present in the backstory of Submarine Commander. This ruling power was apparently eliminated after the worldwide flood that put most of the land underwater, with the game's main antagonistic force, the Federal Fleet (連邦艦隊, known as the Federal Forces in English), being its only survivor. This Federation was apparently founded by the United Nations, as they are at one point described as the "strongest fleet in the history of the United Nations". The Federation in Cannon Dancer is also in absolute control of the entire world, and is shown to have a fleet of warships and atleast one submarine, making it another likely reference to Cannon Dancer in Submarine Commander, alongside several others.