~Proglogue ~ Part of me doesn't know where to begin this story. In truth there is no real beginning. For a start, my name is Suncerayer. I was born the son of a scientist, so it would only be natural that I take up the calling as well. My head tells me that it is the right thing to do, but my heart says something more. I've been working day and night with the Crystals. That is when my mind isn't occupied by other things, and here's one now, Commander Kie's daughter. “Suncerayer.” She said my name in such a sweet voice. “What are you doing here? Did my father send for you?” “No,” I said nervously. “I was told you were on your way here. I was hoping to run into you.” “Why?” she asked with a little laugh. “I have no lessons with you today.” “No, no, it was about something else,” I said nervously. In the past week or so I found myself being more nervous around her. “Could you meet me on the beach at sunset, our special place?” She hesitated which made me even more nervous. When she did start to speak, I almost wished she didn't. “Well, Suncerayer, I don't...” “Please, Rea, it's important,” I said. I know I sounded desperate, but I really needed to see her tonight. “Alright,” she said and smiled. She left my sight as quickly as she came. I slowly walked down the long hallway when I was sure she was completely gone from my sight with no chance of coming back. I made it to the rear exit, but I was abruptly stopped by one of Commander Kie's officers. “Well, if it isn't my favorite science geek,” he said. “Trey, enough with the jokes,” I said rolling my eyes. Trey was a fair officer, but he could be a bit difficult to be around. He was simplistic in many ways and today I had no time for him. “I'm late.” I tried to pass, but he had blocked my way. “Well, you're going to be even later,” Trey said and I looked confused. “Commander Kie requests your presence.” “What for?” I asked as Trey dragged me back down the hallway. Trey wasn't a true Sadian like I was or even Commander Kie, but he looked like one. His mother and father were both hybrids, but his line managed to retain their blue skin. I just wondered how many more generations it would take before our race lost it completely. Rea was proof that we would. Her skin was a different hue, it was softer, her hair more fine. Plus, her eyes were the color of the sands on the beaches. There were others born like her, but they didn't come close to her. She had a strange beauty all her own. Most of us living on this plain were either true Sadians or Sadian hybrids which bore the look of true Sadians. Many thought of her as ugly, but not me. It pained me to hear others speak ill of her. Did we not come here to find a new home, not to conquer it but live in harmony with those who already claimed it for their own? It is not the Sadian way to kill, only to defend when necessary. Trey and others like him had different ideas. Perhaps they had reason to. What I learned from the Crystals was incidents of great savagery. I still haven't figured out if it was here on this planet, our home planet or somewhere else. I'm still a novice at reading the Crystals, but I hoped one day to master them.