kind , ▁but ▁their ▁primary ▁intention ▁by ▁some ▁of ▁its ▁members ▁is ▁the ▁destruction ▁of ▁all ▁those ▁who ▁dwell ▁on ▁Earth . ▁To ▁this ▁end , ▁the ▁Empire ▁uses ▁hum ano id ▁battle ▁machines ▁called ▁Metal ▁Arm ors , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁gig antic ▁mass ▁driver ▁can non . ▁ ▁Origin ally ▁intended ▁to ▁send ▁lun ar ▁material ▁to ▁Earth ▁orbit ▁for ▁later ▁retr ieval , ▁the ▁Mass ▁driver ▁is ▁re config ured ▁to ▁launch ▁small ▁meteor ites ▁towards ▁the ▁home ▁world . ▁By ▁the ▁time ▁the ▁story ▁takes ▁place ▁many ▁bomb ard ments ▁have ▁already ▁taken ▁place . ▁The ▁Earth ▁Alliance ▁became ▁the ▁Earth ▁Federation ▁military , ▁unable ▁to ▁comp ete ▁with ▁the ▁G igan os ▁military ▁might , ▁man ages ▁to ▁ste al ▁three ▁prototype ▁Metal ▁Arm ors , ▁called ▁the ▁Dragon ars , ▁with ▁plans ▁to ▁reverse - engine er ▁them ▁with ▁the ▁help ▁of ▁ex iled ▁G igan os ▁scient ists . ▁However , ▁the ▁ship ▁carrying ▁the ▁Dragon ars ▁( pos ing ▁as ▁a ▁refuge e ▁ship ) ▁is ▁ch ased ▁to ▁a ▁neutral ▁col ony ▁by ▁G igan os , ▁and ▁an ▁attack ▁is ▁st aged ▁to ▁retrieve ▁them . ▁ ▁K aine , ▁T app ▁and ▁Light , ▁three ▁friends ▁and ▁E FM ▁tra ine es , ▁are ▁on ▁the ▁col ony ▁during ▁the ▁attack , ▁and ▁find ▁a ▁dying ▁G igan os ▁sp y ▁who ▁gives ▁them ▁three ▁dis ks . ▁ ▁Ch ased ▁by ▁G igan os ' ▁weapons , ▁the ▁tri o