Los Signos del Zodiaco

Aries

Dates: March 21 - April 19

House: 1

Word for Guardian: General

Word for Zodai: Major

Color: Red

Element: Cardinal House, Fire

Strength: Military

The Constellation: The Ram constellation has three colonized planets and a small sun, but only the largest planet Phaetonis has breathable atmosphere, and it's thin. The planet's porous, making its gravity weak, though walking on the surface is possible with the aid of an air mask. Phaetonian cities are sheltered under high-tension fabric domes, held aloft by air pressure like giant inflated beach balls, and their buildings squat like bunkers.

The People, Personality: House Aries brings Military strength to the Zodiac, so it makes perfect sense that its people are brave, bold, competitive, battle-ready, aggressive, boastful, and natural leaders. Aries is the most ancient House in the galaxy: There's evidence that human pioneers colonized Aries first, before spreading to the other Houses.

The People, Physically: Arieans are the most physically fit people in the Zodiac. Their complexions range from dark pink to wine tones, and the average height for both Ariean men and women is six feet.

The Technology: When an Ariean turns seventeen, she is considered an adult and is issued an Earpiece-a small device Arieans get pierced into their right ears. (Seventeen is also the age at which every Ariean commits two years to the army.) The Earpiece functions similarly to a computer, only its images aren't projected as holograms: They're screened inside the person's mind, where no one else can see them. Since Arieans are masters in the art of war, troops need to communicate with each other discreetly in the field.

The Government: Phaetonis is a wild and rowdy place ruled by a junta of warlords. The black market flourishes there, and local militias wrangle for territory. The historic capital city, Marson, is ringed by a gargantuan slum. The Ariean Guardian and Zodai were marginalized when the junta seized power. Now Ariean generals employ their own astrologers, and so do the warring militias. The whole House is under martial law, and soldiers-not Zodai-keep the peace on Ariean planets. Though the soldiers are often the ones disrupting it. The universal corruption and high crime rate may explain why Aries is the most militarized House in the Zodiac-and the most impoverished.

The Guardian: General Chanz Eurek-Once a great warrior, General Eurek is now little more than a figurehead, living under house arrest.

The Weapon: Majors in the Ariean army go to battle wearing their Helm: a warrior's helmet that, in addition to protecting one's head, also provides a polarized, panoramic view of the battlefield and alerts the wearer of any incoming attacks or problematic vitals. The Helm's advanced optics also allow Arieans to zoom in on the horizon and identify threats as well as friendlies. It can also tap into the visual feeds of other soldiers in the wearer's regiment, and take control of larger weapons like tanks, airships, and homing missiles. Advanced technology aside, there are still plenty of stories about Arieans in combat using their Helm as a blunt object to batter their enemies.