A tale of two sisters.
Tamaran is a lush tropical planet, where the air is sweet and the skies shimmered with a golden glow. It was also home to the remarkable race called the Tamaraneans. Tamaraneans are beautiful, golden skinned, humanoid people, known for their tough membrane and strong bones, and of course their fiery red hair. Tamaraneans are often led by their emotions, especially their passion for love, it was told by the great goddess X'Hal that love helped feed Tamarans vegetation and thrived the planet. It was also believed that the goddess X'Hal was the one who gifted the people of Tamaran with the power to convert ultraviolet radiation into energy for flight.
The tale begins with a young couple who where madly in love. King Myand'r and Queen Luand'r where betrothed since before they were born. The arranged marriage forced the two to spend many of their days together where a friendship formed, and later a romance. The love of the King and Queen flourished the kingdom and love and happiness was felt all around. And with that love the happy couple used it to conceive a baby.
But complications occurred, the Queen was oddly ill throughout the pregnancy. She became very weak and was unable to leave her corridors. The King never left her side, fearing something might happen in his absence. And then on a stormy night the Queen went into labor two months before she was due. Hours and hours went by with no progress; the Queen was in agony and already so weak, there was fear that she might not make it through this. But then, just like that… there was the sound of crying… a baby crying. The King and Queen were rejoiced to have gotten through this ordeal and couldn't wait to see their new baby daughter, but that all faded as they looked at the doctors expression as he stared upon their newborn. And it seemed his expression was justified as they look down upon their child and gasped at the infant's drastic features. Her hair was black as night, something unknown to Tamaraneans. Her skin lacked its golden hue and seemed faded; drained of its color. Her green eyes seamed dull and lacked the natural vibrancy.
The new princess's features where definitely alarming, but the King and Queen loved her nevertheless and named her Komand'r. But even though the King and Queen found it impossible not to love their own child the people of Tamaran found it very easy. Her appearance alarmed them and left them with uneasiness and even fear. It saddened the King and Queen at how their people shunned their daughter, and they only hoped that the rejection wouldn't have a longing effect on her in growing up.
By the age of two the King and Queen could easily see that it wasn't just Komand'r's appearance that was different, but her behavior was as well. She was bitter and quiet and seemed to lack compassion for anyone or thing. Her coldness and hatred didn't help how the people saw her, so her parents decided to keep her hidden within the castle. It wasn't long after that did the Queen find out she was pregnant once again.
Unlike the Queens first pregnancy that seemed to drain her with each day that passed, this one seemed to rejuvenate her. Any sickness she felt didn't last long, it certainly didn't last the whole pregnancy like the first time. And then one morning as the sun began to rise from the horizon, showing the promise of a new day the Queen gave birth to their second daughter.
She was epitome of optimism and beauty, Princess Koriand'r. Her skin glowed vibrantly, her soft lushes hair shined a bright red, and her green eyes glowed blissfully with cheer; she was perfect. To celebrate the birth of the new princess there was a feast held at the castle. It was a celebration where everyone could meet the new baby and rejoice in the hope she symbolized. But there was one who didn't take part in the celebration, Komand'r. Komand'r watched from a far, jealousy in her eyes as everyone adored, cherished, and loved over her sister. Something they never did for her…
Komand'r felt a lot of things towards her sister, anger, hatred, but mostly jealousy. She was jealous that the people liked her more. She was jealous that her parents showed more affection towards her. She was jealous that she was prettier than her. But most of all, she was jealous that Koriand'r could fly while she couldn't.
From before she was even one year old, Koriand'r could fly remarkably well. Komand'r often found herself watching her from her bedroom window as her sister flew around outside the castle with her mother, something she never got to experience. Because of the pigment of Komand'r's skin she is unable to harness the ultraviolet radiation into energy for flight, and there for was forced to watch as others would take to the skies, something she was never able to experience.
The older the girls got the more Koriand'r sought after her sister's attention. Komand'r was her older sister and even though she felt nothing but hatred for her, Koriand'r felt nothing but love. Komand'r often stayed in the shadows, watching with disgust at the happiness and kindness her sister shared with everyone.
Koriand'r easily made new friends especially with animals, and would often bring home creatures she found outside the castle. One day while her family was out, Komand'r walked down the vacant halls of the castle when one of her sister's pets approached her. Komand'r had rolled her eyes at the creature before continuing on her way, but the pet was persistent, obviously wanting to play and continued to pester her. The more the animal tried to get her attention the more enraged Komand'r became, until she just snapped. A servant who was passing by spotted the child on top of the animal, beating it to death. Komand'r had gotten way too much enjoyment out of ending the creature's life and the result alarmed her parents greatly, forcing them to keep a close eye on her. In the end they told little Koriand'r that her pet had run away.
No matter how much observation her parents put on her it couldn't stop Komand'r's new fascination with beating animals to the brink of death. And it was only a matter of time before she would go after something else, like the thing that she hated the most; her sister... Koriand'r refused to take the hint that her sister wanted nothing to do with her and continued to approach her, wanting her companionship. One day Komand'r had snapped once again and found herself unable to hold herself back from jumping her sister and beating her bloody.
The King and Queen knew they needed to do something, Komand'r was only getting more violent, and with the birth of their third child, Prince Ryand'r, they decided it was time they sent their daughters away. Many Tamaranean children are sent to the Warlords of Okaara to train and become the great warriors Tamraneans are. Even children of royalty must learn how to fight properly, and the King and Queen hoped that maybe this expedition would help Komand'r channel her rage. And so the princesses left their home hoping when they return they will be the great warriors they were destined to be.
Okaara was a planet that had died many eons ago. It was a rocky husk on the outside, but inside there where tunnels and caverns, perfect for training. Many children are excited to train with the Warlords of Okaara, but Komand'r wasn't just excited, she was elated, she couldn't wait to fight, or more… to kill… The children were taught that killing is nothing, anyone can kill, but to achieve peace is the greatest goal that can be reached. Between right and wrongs there can be no compromise on the field of battle.
The first year the princesses where taught to appreciate all that was around them, to know what was worth fighting for. And when there was no escape from battle then they learned the art of warfare. Every manner of fighting was taught to them. They were taught how to love our friend and to hate our enemy. They learned of compassion and compromise. But they also learned that when they failed there was only one recourse, war, and in war there can be only one way out, victory.
In combat training the sisters where frequently pinned against one another in a match that was often neck and neck. Komand'r was stronger than Koriand'r but often let her anger get the better of her. Koriand'r had learned what her sister had been holding in all these years, and what she truly thought of her. She finally gave up on trying to gain Komand'r's affection, understanding it was a lost cause.
The sisters returned home older, wiser, and stronger. But only one truly learned what the Warlords where trying to teach. Now that the girls had matured they were able to join the royal counsel, but that only revealed what each of them had learned on their journey.
There greatest enemy the Gordanians have been trying for years to learn their weaknesses and conquer their planet. They have yet to win, but cease to give up, and every year they get smarter. But the King refuses to let them get the upper hand and always stays two steps ahead of them. But as he discussed this at the royal counsel, Komand'r interrupted in an outburst, demanding they stop acting like cowards and go to war. Fight, kill, and conquer, and forever show that they are the superior race. The king shut down the idea immediately, reminding her that they are peaceful people and only fight if they have to. And if they go to war now the fatalities would be vast and not worth winning over. Komand'r disagreed and demanded they either go to war now or wait until she is Queen. And to this the King made the decision that he had been dreading for years. He declared that Komand'r was heartless, ruthless, and full of hate, and unfit for the throne. And right then and there he declared that Koriand'r was better fit to be Queen, and was now next in line to be grand ruler. Komand'r was enraged and told her father he would regret this decision, before storming off vowing they had not seen the last of her.
Weeks went by with no word from Komand'r as the royal family mourned the loss of the princess. When on a day like any other, the skies went gray as Gordanian warfare came with a vengeance. Somehow they had gotten past their defenses and were attacking. The Tamaraneans where unprepared but fought anyway, but the Gordanians knew all their secrets, Tameran didn't stand a chance.
Tameran, once thriving with life and color, was now gray and reeked of smoke and singed decay. Paradise was lost, burned beneath the char and rubble. But the war had finally stopped, because a truce was made. A truce that demanded a terrible sacrifice, a sacrifice of the princess… The king had refused at first, but Koriand'r knew there was no other way. The young princess was given to the Gordanian ruler as a slave in order to save the place she called home.
Koriand'r stood, her head sunken in sorrow as the Gordanain ruler thoroughly inspected his trophy. And as if it couldn't get any worse he then showed her who suggested she be the sacrifice in this treaty. Koriand'r wasn't surprised to see her sister emerge from the shadows, an evil smirk on her face. Komand'r betrayed her people, siding with the Gordanains, giving them all their secrets, and insisting the Gordanains take her sister as a slave. And in return she got to stand next to the Gordanain ruler and watch as her sister was humiliated.
She was objectified, abused, and shamed. Her innocence was lost, along with any hope she had with things returning to the way they once were. But that was about to change, another truce was made between the Gordanins and their enemy the Psions.
The Psions where intelligent creatures, unlike the Gordanains, but that didn't mean they where any better, some would even say they were worse. They were scientists and experimented on any living thing they could get their hands on, and to protect themselves the Gordanains gave them two Tamerain princesses.
The Gordanains had betrayed Komand'r just as she betrayed her people. The Psions took the sisters back to their ship and immediately started their experimentation. Tamerains were known for their ability to convert solar energy into power for flight, but the Psions wanted to know the extent of their ability, and see how much energy they were capable of converting. They strapped Komand'r and Koriand'r into one of their high-tech machines and blasted them with high levers of energy. The Psions where surprised to see how much energy the girls were able to endure, but they had not considered how much energy their machinery could withstand, and before they could turn the machine off it exploded.
Koriand'r had woken up mixed in with the rubble just as her captors stormed into the room, determined to restrain her. In her weakened state, Koriand'r managed to raise her hand and was surprised when energy exploded from her palm. It had seemed the experiments the Psions did on her turned her into a living solar battery. After Koriand'r regained her composure she found her captors were either dead or unconscious; she didn't care to find out which. But when she came across her sister's body lying on the ground she could see she was still breathing. For everything she has done to her and her people, Koriand'r knew she was justified in ending her sisters life but found herself unable to do so, and so left her there to seek her faith, whatever it might be.
Koriand'r left the Psions ship and flew around the unidentified region of space. She knew if she returned to Tamaran it would break the treaty that was made. So she wondered around the galaxy, hoping to find a planet she could receive sanctuary at and if she was lucky call home. But she didn't get far before a Gordanain ship chased after her, determined to bring her back to the Psions, thus to not break their other treaty. This forced Koriand'r to hide at an unfamiliar planet called Earth.