I own nothing.
Earth was not the only planet able to sustain life naturally. There were in fact, several in various galaxies across 'verse after 'verse. Like the humans, they also left to expand and, in turn, there were many wars. This led to the victory over many by few-few who believed that if they were good enough to rule, they were good enough to become immortal and become the very gods themselves. They created fountain after fountain to obtain youth, grew garden after garden of golden apple, but none of them gave them the affect they were searching for. Their race dying out from old age and civil war amongst the conquered, they began to search the 'verses for someone or something that could show them the way.
A vaccine was created, believed to be the solution to all their problems. It wiped out more than seventy-five percent of their population, killing all children and almost the entire female population. All hope was lost until one ship ventured too far into one very small corner of the 'verse. They had never seen a human before. So similar yet so different. They were the perfect Guinea pigs for the experiment. Their new lab rats were transported to a larger ship where they were poked and prodded, drugged, tortured, bred. One of the tests had exemplary results. The vaccine-the vaccine that had once been a plague upon its people, was the Saviour of humankind. It was a symbiotic virus. One who was infected with it was impervious to all sickness, tissue regeneration was remarkable, and the aging process was all but extinguished.
The answering of questions led to the creation of new questions. How could this vaccine be used to their benefit? Further testing was required and a new boogieman arose along the rim: the Paleman, the Devilman would come and take you away if you did not behave. And he was indeed the devil. Though how one knew he was pale is hard for one to understand as these devilmen are light sensitive. With skin the color of Talcum powder, eyes of pink smoke, and teeth like razors they came to be feared more than Reavers. Those who were said to be taken by them were never seen again. How people knew how they looked, was a mystery for a time. Some said they crept into your dreams. Those people were right.
Some had knowledge of them from the beginning. Once they were stripped and cleaned and their senses expanded, they could feel the clammy white hands of horrific death close around their throats. They could hear their feral screams that echoed through the night. Worst of all they could see their intentions, the ways they planned to infiltrate and invade. Their intentions were thick sheets of ice that numbed the body and forced them into submission. No matter how they cried and screamed for help, no one would come. For what weight is to be found within the words of the insane?
Smoky pink eyes bored into their souls and refused to vacate. The Palemen saw them just as they saw the Palemen and the sound of the Palemen's fingernails screeching against glass went unheard for years, until finally, someone else heard them and believed.
A/N: am i ever a glutton for punishment. yeah, i'm in the middle of writing five other stories, but this came to me while i was asleep after a long round of call of duty and it is literally the stuff dreams are made of...except in my dream animal mother was there instead of jayne and he gave me a blueberry muffin to make me feel better...don't ask. but anyway, the initial dream is what sparked this whole thing and i was forced to ask myself "can i actually write this?" my answer. "probably not, but boy will have a hell of a time doing so." so here it is, the prologue if you will.