Here we are, ladies and gentlemen, the opening to Nazz'Tara of Kaijex II. As it stands now, it's almost twice the length of its predecessor, and a lot more intense. A lot's going to happen in this one; intrigue, explosions, betrayal, the works. Also, as I've said, there'll be a few people to help our intrepid crew out, including one I forgot to mention: A girl who shares her name with a bird (CN). But that's in the future. Let's begin.

"The beginning is the chiefest part of any work."
Plato, The Republic

Time is a relative term. One person's hour can be another man's nanosecond. And if there is anything everyone knows about time, a lot can happen in a short of amount of it, given the right circumstances.

It has been nearly four years since the long-exiled Princess Nazz'Tara, along with a group of friends, liberated the planet of Kaijex from its oppressive occupiers the Zygran Cooperate. Along the way, she found friendships she never had, a possible relationship in the skinny nerd down the street, and respect for her former would-be assassin, Katarn M'lotsa. Now as converted Kaijexian, M'lotsa is the head of the princess' honor guard. Most of the inner ring is in fact made up of the group that liberated the planet, including the prime minister, the head of the army, and heads of departments as varied as the arts and agriculture. Nepotism, whether intended or not, can stir even the most thankful of peoples restless and impatient. Despite these misgivings, the battered world has been recovering. Infrastructure has been restored, food and water is plentiful, and general morale is at an all time high. It was during this high point six months ago that Nazz'Tara landed on Earth, showing humanity that it was not alone in the universe.

Those same six months have been tumultuous on Earth. With the simple handshake Nazz'Tara gave the Secretary General of the United Nations, almost everything on the planet had been turned upside down. From religion to philosophy, to science and morality, humanity has struggled to adapt to their new place in the galaxy. First contact with Kaijex was only the first; the planets of Zardaz, Biser, and M'halla also sent diplomatic ships shortly thereafter. All four races now have a permanent presence on Earth with representatives in New York City as well as individual embassies scattered around the globe. On the whole, humans have had a guarded reaction to their new friends. While many see the possibility of a new era of progress, others see their very way of life under attack. Which side will win has yet to be seen.

Zygra, meanwhile, has been brooding. The stinging loss of Kaijex to a group of kids and a traitor has not yet left the Zygran consciousness. The lack of news from suggests the militaristic empire is busy licking its wounds. However, the Zygrans are as persistent as they are lethal. Rumor has it they are preparing for a new all out invasion, but the target is not known. It could be anywhere.

Three planets with little in common, yet all bound together by events in the future. Forces that Kaijexians, Humans, and Zygrans cannot yet see will soon decide how that future will play out.

Royal Palace, Kaltaran City, Kaijex

"Your majesty, I strongly advise against what you're planning to do."

"Oh, will you relax Rev? Nothing is going to happen."

Queen Nazz'Tara, ex Princess, dismissively pshawed her Minister of Public Relations. He is such a worry wart, this guy, she thought to herself. As one of the people who applied for the position a few months after the Occupation, Rev Cedei was certainly a talented man. He had been a broadcaster before the invasion, and as such, was the most qualified of the applicants.

"This is not the time to go frolicking across the galaxy, highness."

"Dude, it's just Earth. The cabinet can hold things down until I get back." Rev shuddered at the name of the planet, letting out a hoarse groan.

"Must you spend such time coddling those primitives?" the minister sighed.

"Look, Rev," Nazz replied as she prodded an angry finger at the Kaijexian, "humans may be kinda violent, ignorant, and... stupid, but I spent most of my life with 'em. Most of my inner cabinet used to be human, too."

"Hello," the midnight black prime minister replied with a small wave.

"That's another thing, your highness," Rev continued. "Your nepotism."

"Nepotism?" the girl replied.

"Yes, your choice of a cabinet. They're all friends from Earth except for the Zygran," Rev replied as she spit the last word out like a curse.

"You leave Katarn out of this. She's a good person."

"You appoint a war criminal as head of the honor guard?" the minister exclaimed. "What foolishness is that?"

"I need people I can trust where I need them, minister. Any other complaints about my government before I leave?" Nazz said with a slight growl.

"Oh, where do I begin?" Rev sighed in exasperation. "There's the matter of your head of agriculture..."

"Rolf's doing a great job. That's why you have a bit of a tummy now."

"Ignoring that... Your head of information..."

"Ed's colorful. You should have seen him on Earth if you don't like him now, dude. Everything was a monster coming to kill, eat, or enslave you"

"Your finance minister was a dirty thief!"

"Eddy was more of a cheat before then. Let me guess... You're about to tell me that Johnny's parks are an eyesore, Lee's running the army into the ground, May's going to blow up half the planet with the Science Ministry, and Jimmy has a bad taste of aesthetics around here."

"Among other things, yes," Rev said as he cleared his throat.

"Well, too bad dude. Now, I'm late, I'll see you later. You too, Double-D," Nazz added as she gave Edd a peck. The boy blushed the favor. "I should be back from Earth in a week at most. See ya then!" With that, she waved goodbye and boarded her personal yacht.

Aboard the Kaijex, Royal Spaceport, Kaltaran City, Kaijex

"Good morning, Nazz."

"Hey Katarn. How's my favorite head of the honor guard slash royal pilot today," the monarch responded as she boarded the ship. Formerly the Zygran vessel Trak'zrath, the ship had been refit, rebuilt, and redecorated. She could now carry thirty passengers as opposed to twenty-two, and was able to sustain travel for three weeks without restocking provisions.

"I'm all right," the former Zygran replied as she readied for take-off. "I take it some people still don't like me very much."

"Well, to be honest, your species did enslave us for fourteen years."

"I think they don't like how my duty is to protect and transport you. They're either jealous or worried I'll kill you," Katarn answered.

"I don't have any trust issues with you anymore, dude. You saved me, like, two times in a day."

"Yes, but I'm sure there's plenty that wished you had left me as I was to die," the girl replied as she made her checklist.

"No way. Do you realize how fat you would have made my hips?"

Katarn shot her a "too much information" look.

"Fine, fine, my comedic arts are too much for you," Nazz replied with a grin as she sat down beside her. "Well, I'm ready when you are." Katarn nodded, and with a few brisk sweeps of the console, the Kaijex lifted from its launchpad and slowly headed upwards towards outer space. Nazz was too busy peering down, however, as Kaltaran City vanished into an unspecific smear on the planet's surface. "That is so cool. I never get sick of that," Nazz said with a grin.

"Nor do I," Katarn replied. "Course set for Sol System, your highness."

"Good. Engage," she replied as she gave a mocking impression of Captain Picard. Katarn flipped a switch, and the Kaijex vanished into a space conduit, destination Sol System.

Imperial Guard Headquarters, Zygra

"She suspects nothing, Commander," a Zygran officer said as he dropped a folder on his desk. "Evidence suggests she's totally clueless."

"Excellent," the commander hissed as he opened the file. "This'll almost be too easy. Begin phase two of the plan."

"Yes sir," the officer replied crisply as he left the office.