Colony X-18999

Colony X-18999 (also designated L3 X-18999) was a space colony in the L3 Colony Cluster that appeared in Mobile Suit Gundam Wing Endless Waltz and Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Episode Zero. Funded and constructed by Dekim Barton’s Barton Foundation, the colony was originally planned by the United Earth Sphere Alliance as a military colony. During the Mariemaia Incident in AC 196, the colony was occupied by the Mariemaia Army, had its reconstruction budget diverted to manufacture approximately 500 Serpent mobile suits, and was intended to be dropped onto Earth as part of Dekim Barton’s “True Operation Meteor.”

Overview

Colony X-18999 represented the Barton Foundation’s long-term planning—a purpose-built facility constructed under Alliance auspices but always intended for Operation Meteor. Its citizens unknowingly participated in weapons production whilst believing they were legitimately using reconstruction funds, demonstrating how extremists could exploit well-meaning populations.

History

Construction (Before AC 189)

The colony designated X-18999 was funded and constructed by Dekim Barton’s Barton Foundation. Originally, the United Earth Sphere Alliance planned to use it as a military colony. Construction was scheduled to be finished by AC 189.

The Barton Foundation’s funding of a military colony gave Dekim control over a potential weapon—a colony that could be dropped onto Earth as part of Operation Meteor.

AC 188 riot

In AC 188, a riot led by Quinze Quarante took place at X-18999. However, Dekim Barton was the true mastermind behind the riot. His real intention was to lure out and kill Odin Lowe, Heero Yuy (politician)‘s assassin.

Dekim had hired Lowe to assassinate Brigadier General Septum of the UESA. After completing this mission, Lowe was lured to X-18999 where Dekim killed him. The military base inside the colony was then destroyed by Lowe’s assistant, a nameless boy who went by the pseudonym “Odin Lowe Junior” (later Heero Yuy).

After the riot, the UESA closed its base at X-18999, repaired the colony, and paid the citizens full reparations to compensate for the damages caused. This left the colony without military presence, exactly as Dekim intended.

Post-Eve Wars reconstruction (AC 195-196)

After the Eve Wars, the citizens of X-18999 secretly allied themselves with the Mariemaia Army, though they didn’t fully understand the implications. They diverted the reconstruction budget given to them by the Earth Sphere Unified Nation into constructing Serpent mobile suits at production facilities within the colony.

Over the course of one year, approximately 500 Serpent units were manufactured using the reconstruction budget. The citizens believed they were legitimately using these funds, unbeknownst to them that X-18999 had become the colony that filled the main part of Dekim Barton’s version of Operation Meteor, which would have resulted in the death of the colony’s entire population through colony drop.

Mariemaia Incident (AC 196)

In AC 196, the colony requested the ESUN to increase their reconstruction subsidies. Vice Foreign Minister Relena Darlian arrived at the colony for negotiations. Unbeknownst to her, the meeting was actually a trap laid by the Mariemaia Army, and she was captured and held hostage.

Dekim Barton intended to drop the colony onto Earth and place his granddaughter Mariemaia Khushrenada as a figurehead ruler. This plan paralleled the original Operation Meteor—using a colony drop to devastate Earth, followed by military occupation.

Trowa Barton infiltrated the Mariemaia Army under the alias “Ralph Kurt” and attempted to assassinate Dekim but was stopped by Chang Wufei. Heero Yuy, Duo Maxwell, and Trowa used their Gundams to stabilize the colony, preventing the colony drop.

X-18999 and its population were saved from their intended demise through the Gundam pilots’ intervention. The colony’s drive shaft and structural integrity were preserved, allowing it to remain habitable.

Post-incident reconstruction

In AC 197, Quatre Raberba Winner and the Maganac Corps helped finish the construction of X-18999, ensuring the colony’s citizens could rebuild without the shadow of the Mariemaia Army’s manipulation.

The Winner Family planned to melt down the remaining Serpent units into Neo-Titanium and use them to reinforce colony walls throughout the Earth Sphere, transforming weapons of war into tools of protection.

Infrastructure

Military base

The colony originally contained a United Earth Sphere Alliance military base, which was destroyed during the AC 188 riot and subsequently closed by the Alliance. This infrastructure later facilitated mobile suit production.

Production facilities

During AC 195-196, the colony’s reconstruction budget was diverted into creating mobile suit production facilities. These facilities manufactured approximately 500 MMS-01 Serpent units over the course of one year, representing a massive industrial undertaking disguised as reconstruction.

Drive shaft

Like standard colonies, X-18999 featured a central drive shaft running through its length. During the Mariemaia Incident, the Gundam pilots stabilized this drive shaft to prevent the colony from being dropped onto Earth.

Behind the scenes

Colony X-18999 served as a plot device representing the dangers of manipulation and extremism. Its citizens, believing they were participating in legitimate reconstruction, unknowingly built weapons that would have been used to kill them through colony drop.

The colony’s designation “X-18999” evoked prototype or experimental status, fitting its role as a purpose-built weapon disguised as a civilian settlement.

Appearances

Colony X-18999 appeared in:

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing Endless Waltz (OVA)
Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Episode Zero (manga)
New Mobile Report Gundam Wing (novel)

External links

X-18999 on the Gundam Wiki