Prologue

For over three thousand cycles, the Or'ath had sought to eradicate Humanity from the stars. For, so different were the Or'ath that no common ground between the two races existed. The Or'ath, cold-blooded poison breathers from a dim star, calculating and cunning, using an unfathomable logic and reasoning, their methodical and even single-minded war of extermination was fought on a million different worlds, under the light of a million different stars. Tireless, remorseless, never ceasing in their endeavor, Humanity's battle seemed to be lost from the start.

Systems were awash with the unimaginable billions of tons of debris and the stillness of vast ruins, the silent testament to the power of the Or'ath and of the frailty of Man. Humanity was smashed, the remnants of his civilization were scattered out across the galaxies, smoldering, and radioactive ruins on a countless multitude of worlds.

Dust where once there stood a civilization.

Ash where once there stood man.

There went up a great wailing cry from the handful of survivors of all that was left of Humanity and then a great silence fell across the universe.

Out of that silence, the desperate call was answered.

Somewhere, when all seemed finally lost, and Humanity was making its last stand on a handful of scattered worlds, there rose from the shadows of deepest space a glimmer of salvation.

This then is the tale of Humanity and its war for survival against the Or'ath, the war that Humanity almost did not win. The war in which Man and his kindred ultimately came to near extinction, and eventually relied upon the greatest technological construct of all to defeat the Or'ath.

The Starship.

Humanity's greatest achievement was its last hope.