Synopsis

Several hundred years into the future, mankind has developed the ability to travel among the stars, and terraform barren planets with life from Earth. Using this ability, they colonized the galaxy with the human race.

But unfortunately, the institution of slavery was revived. Its common victims: Poor men, unable to pay their debts. Lawbreakers. Innocent children kidnapped from their homes...

Most planets became members of the Alliance, embracing any and all forms of technology to the fullest. Tempted with the idea of becoming extremely wealthy, many entered into the trading industry. They started becoming corrupt, and greedy, using technology for their selfish ends.

Now, war threatens to break out between them and the Nabateans, a group of warriors dedicated to old ways of their ancient ancestors, honor, strength, courage and the martial arts.

Meanwhile, a third group exists on the planet Kalanna; people who possess amazing super-human abilities, yet live a simple life by choice.

The Mal-Tier, a group that once held control of the Alliance, seeks to regain their power by trying to invent and obtain technology engineered by studying the genes of the Kalannians. But their ultimate goal is to discover an ancient device with the power to destroy many worlds... the terraformer itself.

Each one of these groups with conflicting interests discovers that one person is the key to their survivals.

One simple slave has ties to them all, and holds their destinies in her hand.

Prologue

Explosions rocked the surface of the planet and the ground trembled beneath the enemy's onslaught. The villagers scrambled about in random directions searching desperately for cover. Aram carried his young daughter in his arms, running toward the caves some distance away.

He descended the hill and made it nearly halfway across the Great Plain when a space-fighter landed between him and his goal, cutting off his means of escape. In haste, Aram reversed his direction, heading back towards the village, but it was too late.

The hatch of the fighter slid open and several armed guards burst forth. "Halt!"

Aram half-turned toward the attackers for a moment and then decided to make a run for it. With great burst of speed, he made one last effort to widen the distance between them. As a bolt of energy stung his back, he fell to the ground on his side, paralyzed.

His daughter climbed out of his loose grasp. "Father! Father, what's wrong?"

"I'm sorry, Sonya-Anita. I failed you." Aram could hear the approaching footsteps of the armed contingent as they advanced upon his fallen form.

"Foolish dog!" the gruff commander spat. He motioned for some of his men to go on into the village. "Did you really think you could run from us?" He chuckled and then turned to the small, frightened figure huddled near her father. "And you..."

"Leave her alone!" Aram demanded. He tried to will himself to move, to summon his strength, but failed miserably.

"Shut up, scum. I'll do as I wish! You." His eyes settled upon the little girl. "You would make an excellent slave. There are those that would pay quite a high price for you."

"No, please," he begged. "Take me instead!"

The commander responded by kicking the helpless man, rolling him fully on his back. He yelled in pain, still limp and unable to move.

The commander snapped his fingers towards the guards remaining with him to take the child. As they dragged her kicking and screaming toward the ship, Aram was powerless to stop them.

"Sonya-Anita," he yelled before she could be taken out of earshot. "Remember the Treasure! No matter what happens, remember Him. Pursue Him! He will be with you always! He has promised! Remember!" With tears streaming down his face, he fought to make himself heard, as his voice dropped to a whisper. "Remember..."

The commander laughed as he peered over at his face. "No, my friend," he mocked. "We will see to it that she forgets everything about your pathetic religion. She's a slave, and that's all she'll ever know."

As Aram heard the men returning with other children taken captive, he felt sick to his stomach. Yet he found the courage to stare directly into his enemy's eyes with such intensity that the man visibly recoiled. "I hope that she does indeed become a slave... to the Treasure."

The commander then smiled and shook his head, "Not a chance." He spun around and strode off into the distance toward his ship.

Aram heard the whine of the engines as the fighter ascended up into the atmosphere, until it vanished from his sight. "Dearest Treasure," he prayed. "Watch over her. Guard her with Your infinite mercy and grace."