Prologue: The families

The prince looked up as the guard entered. "Your highness!" The guard said, saluting him. "The King requests you presence in the throne room." The young prince didn't say anything. He stood up, placed two fingers on his forehead, and vanished, leaving the guard to walk back. Instant transmission was a technique reserved for the royal family. The guard shook his head in amazement at such a technique.

The prince reappeared in front of his father and mother in the throne room. The courtiers behind him jumped reflexively and backed up. His father lashed out at him. "Why did you kill your guard?"

The prince sighed. "He was insolent." His father opened his mouth, but he prince cut him off, "Not just once father. I remember your lessons on not wasting men. After I let his first insolence slide, it only increased."

"Hmph." The king said. "Well, alright. Just don't make it a habit."
"Yes father." he said. He gave a small bow and turned to leave.

"Not just yet son." His mother called. A small smile touched his lips. The rumors were right about him. He was cold, through and through. Only one thing could thaw him, and that was his loving mother. "You father has a mission for you." The smile left his lips.

"You are going to lead a team to Chikyuusei in the Sol sector," his father said. "There are some half-breeds there. Two of them. They cannot be left unchecked. You will find them and bring them back. If they won't come, kill them."

"Who is this team?" the prince asked.

"Three elites. And your sister" His father replied with a slight frown. "Mardon, Lete, and Parse. They will met you at the loading dock in thirty minutes. You will be going in a seven person ship, complete with the newest version of your mother's gravity machine. You will keep training on the way there, and you, personally, will train the two half-breeds on the way back."

"But," he said with a grimace. "Why is the princess coming?" He left the rest unsaid. Yes, his sister was a warrior, but she was not an elite in any way.

"Because now that she has reached legal adulthood she needs diplomatic experience," his father said. "Leave." the princess had turned sixteen, their age where a female was considered an adult, only a week before.

"Yes King," the Prince said as he bowed yet again. "Good-bye, mother." He smiled at her, placed two fingers to his forehead, and he disappeared. The king looked at the spot where his son had been standing only a moment before.

"When did the boy get so soft?" he growled so silently, his wife had to strain to catch his words. "Calling you mother like that, right here in court." His wife looked at his and shook her head in disbelief.

"If he is getting so soft, why are you sending him to Chikyuusei?" She asked her mate, just as quietly. "My home planet is notorious for its 'softness'."

"Quiet, woman," the king said, unwilling to admit he hadn't thought of it. "Do not question my actions."

"Especially not when their wrong, hmm?" the queen retorted. The king smirked.

"Right."

Many solar systems away, a young girl with black hair was sitting under an oak tree with her uncle. They both had dark hair, dark eyes, a warrior's physique, and were quite young, him being maybe eight years older than her.

"Uncle!" the girl said once she stopped laughing. "I think I should go home now. My father will be worried." She got up and stretched languidly.

"Right," he said, also getting up. "Oh, tell your dad hello for me, I might not get to see him until the budoukai. I plan on doing some training at kami's. It's the only way I'll be able to stay ahead of you, warrior woman!"

"Don't call me that," she said, sticking out her tongue. Before he could respond, she took off into the air, too far ahead for him to reply. Both were laughing as they parted, unaware of the chain of events that had been set in motion to bring them billions of light years away from everything they held dear.