YaHan Flashbacks

Ya’Han explaining the origin of the color shifts and how Purple became the Ruling Color.

The moment a Nylaan child is old enough to understand, they are told the legend of how the first High Sovereign came to rule several millennia ago. During the age of darkness, civil war raged over the planet, the inhabitants divided by geographical boundaries and beliefs of geographical superiority under the rules of the black-haired leaders of each region.  One day, a man with purple hair appeared and through various acts of strength and intellect managed to elevate himself to become the leader of both the red-haired warrior cast and the blue haired science cast which were scattered all over the world.  With those two casts now united under a single ruler, the momentum of the war shifted forcing rest of the planet to quickly fall in line.  With the warriors and scientists of different factions working towards the same common goal against their own factions, no one could stop them, not even the vastly numerically superior black-haired inhabitants.

According to the legend, everyone is born a commoner, one unworthy of being allowed out of the darkness. It is only through the display of certain specific skills that someone can elevate themselves to become a member of one of the casts.  This process is deeply embedded into the biology of the Nylaan people and is simply accepted as is, never to be questioned or researched.

From an early age, children work long and hard to prove themselves worthy of stepping out of the darkness and into any one of the casts. Only a handful are capable of mastering the requirements of multiple casts allowing them to display more than the black of the commoners and the color of their primary cast.

Members of the royal family are born with the ability to change their hair color to purple, confirming for all to see their lineage back to the first High Sovereign. The draw back is that the demands for our being able to change our hair to that of the other casts are far higher. Where a commoner might require less than a year to learn the requirements for a specific cast, members of the royal family usually require years of intense training and study to achieve the same.

Any Nylaan seen in public with dark black hair is immediately looked down upon, considered to be unworthy and a failure. It is why everyone tries their best to belong to a cast, and why those who cannot achieve this usually keep their eyes to the ground and avoid interactions with anyone who does belong to a cast.

On a world other than NYLA IV, a black haired Nylaan might actually draw more attention as they are looked upon as unworthy creatures that can be abused without consequences. Black haired Nylaans who manage to leave our homeworld usually do so as hard laborers on transport ships or stowaways. They are usually forced to stay onboard that vessel, so finding a commoner in a marketplace such as the ones we will find on MARKALA PRIME would hint to there being something not right.

As a green haired entertainer, you would be sure to draw attention. Nylaan woman of that cast having a well established reputation.  If you wish to take on such an identity I would strongly suggest that you practice your dance moves.

The red hair would grant you instant respect. Although it will most certainly cause many to remove themselves from your path, it might entice others to challenge you in order to prove themselves to others.  That said, usually a single well place disabling strike will be enough to end the battle before it even starts.

The blue haired science cast get their strength from their intellect. Think of Commander Maya and how everything single thing she does is deeply rooted in science, for a Nylaan though this would be both physical and psychological.  The only exception, which came through the war, was that those who have mastered the medical arts are able to be clearly identified through their white hair so as to avoid being targeted during combat.  As they are few of them, their skills are highly sought after, so I would not recommend it for this mission unless you are planning on getting very close to a lot of sick and needy people.

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Setting: Unspecified

Stardate: Unspecified

"You are the daughter of the High Sovereign, every place you visit, every event you attend is to be treated by you as a diplomatic high function," the tall standing man bellowed to the cowering purple haired child at his feet.  "You are my daughter and as such represent me, this family, this world and all of its people when you are out in public, and I will not allow you to disgrace this family."

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Setting: NYLA IV, Imperial Palace, Courtyard

Stardate: 13027.0530 (Ya'Han is 6 years old)

Although the light from the rising sun had not yet made its way over the protective walls surrounding the Imperial Palace, the darkness of the night had already begun to give way to the advancing new day. As the daughter of the High Sovereign, the youngest of 13 children, Ya'Han had been expected to remain in her room until a servant would come to assist in her morning routine. Of course, being the youngest also meant that she was the last of the children to be attended to, and the one wishing the most to be out of her room as quickly as possible.

Several servants had come to call the little girl by nicknames addressing both her size and swiftness. Of course, at that age there had been no way for Ya'Han to realize that such nicknames had been highly inappropriate for someone of her station. She would actually grin, as any happy child should, when she overheard these cautiously whispered nicknames.

The escapes were always short lived, but even after being discovered in the Imperial courtyard and brought back to her room, the youngest of the High Sovereign's children still found it within her to be happy with the early morning game she enjoyed before the rigorous training of the day began. In some ways, these early morning unauthorized outings had been the highlight of her days.

As much as she wanted to make her father proud, the 6-years old Nylaan girl had been too joyous about life as a whole to let any opportunity to enjoy it pass her by. Even if she could not directly see the rising sun, the warmth of its light had been enough to make her happy for the start of a new day.

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Setting: NYLA IV, Imperial Palace, Royal Guarden

Stardate: 14039.0715 (Ya'Han is 7 years old)

The path stretched out before her as she wandered, small bare feet barely making a sound against the soft, well-worn stone. She was seven, though her mind all too often felt far older. Today, however, there was no protocol, no perfect posture, no lessons, no plans. Just the lush greenery of the royal gardens and the soft hum of the world that passed by her in a way it never did at court.

Her mother’s presence from the moment she had appeared in hr daughter’s room was like the air around them, constant and serene. The unexpected surprise brought a radiant smile to both, and from then on Ya'Han never needed to wonder whether her mother was looking at her. The delicate weight of her hand on her own was more than enough to know that, in this rare moment, nothing else existed outside of her. Even her duties as High Sovereign’s daughter took a backseat on this special morning.

"Tell me," Na'Rin's voice was soft, yet steady, "what have you seen so far today?"

The way the words lingered, hanging in the air like the lightest of winds. It wasn’t just a question. It felt like a portal, an invitation into the quiet space between them. For once, there was no demand to give answers fit for any of her court instructors.

"The birds," Ya'Han said quietly, but there was a stillness to it, an understanding, as if everything had aligned in this rare moment of calm. "The bright blue ones in the trees by the fountain." She remembered their wings spreading out like flames as they lifted from their perches. The memory felt vivid.

Na'Rin bent closer, gently brushing Ya'Han’s purple locks from her face, her touch tender, warm. "And the flowers," she continued. "Do they remind you of anything?"

A flicker. A thought. Ya'Han’s hand extended toward the closest blossoms—bright and fierce, like they might burn the skin. She smiled. "The colors," Ya'Han said, quieter now. "Like the tapestries in the Great Hall. Some days, they make me feel like I could... escape, just to be free in them."

Her mother, for just the briefest of moments, hesitated. Then she knelt down, lowering herself to the soft grass beside her daughter, pulling her close. The surrounding air seemed to stand still, as if the garden itself had stopped to watch this tender moment of affection between a mother and her child.

"Escape?" Na'Rin's voice took on a softness Ya'Han had only ever heard in rare, vulnerable moments. "Ya'Han, my sweet girl, you will never need to escape, not so long as I am here. But..." She paused as fear claimed her breath. Forcing the faintest of smiles to touch her lips while doing her best to hide the sadness and swelling tears in her eyes. "If you dream of painting those flowers someday, I will make sure you can, should you desire it, no one will stop you, I promise you my sweet little Ya’Han." There was sincerity in her words, far more than expected, far from any obligations set before her. It was a vow of defiance against her own husband that she would never dare to voice aloud in his presence.

A flutter in her chest, the first small sign of something long forgotten. This... tenderness, this spark of being seen for what she was, rather than what she had to become. She was not the High Sovereign’s daughter in that moment. In those few heartbeats, in those quiet moments, she was simply her mother’s child.

Ya'Han nodded, hesitating only for a moment before whispering, "I'd like that. I'd like to paint them... the flowers."  In this fragile moment of serene peace, she couldn’t help but wonder... how long could the royal daughter stay in her mother’s warmth without being tethered again to everything they expected of her?

Her mother's laugh, gentle and full of warmth, mingled with the breeze. The sound seemed out of place yet perfect in this quiet haven. "Then we shall see to it, my darling."

In her mother's eyes, there was no mask, no weight of royal expectations—only care. And in that soft gaze, something in Ya'Han felt light, freer than she had ever known before. Even amidst everything that would come later, the princess would remember this, not just the memory of what had been said or shared, but the emotions that she so rarely was permitted to experience.

She would carry it, hidden deep inside her, like a well-kept secret, whenever the weight of her royal world became too heavy to bear.

A soft echo of her mother’s voice still lingered in the air when a sharp interruption pierced the moment. "Your Highness, " a guard said with the utmost of respect as he approached though his tone carried little warmth. "The High Sovereign is requesting your immediate presence in the Grand Library."

Just like that, in a single heartbeat, the moment had ended. Na'Rin's soft smile gradually vanished into nothingness as she was escorted away, leaving the youngest daughter to be alone once again. A silent sigh of resentment escaped from the young Nylaan as she stared trough narrowed eyes at the guard escorting her mother away. Ya’Han understood that this had not been his fault, not directly, but still he stood as a physical representation of a set of rules that had deprived her of her mother’s love.

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Setting: NYLA IV, Imperial Palace, Observation Tower

Stardate: 14059.1445 (Ya'Han is 7 years old)

From the observation tower the entire Imperial city could be seen. The large, curved windows gave a nearly perfectly unobstructed 360 degree view. The youngest of the High Sovereign's daughters enjoyed behind here to look at the distant mountain range and ocean, especially at night when she would be able to add to this magnificent display the reflection of the stars on the gently moving waves. Of course, she had never been permitted to do this, reaching the top of the tower by sneaking out of her room and avoiding the patrols.

Today, she had been brought here by one of her instructors who had wanted to use the display that surrounded them as a way to further make the point he needed to pass on to the daughter of the ruler of NYLA IV. He knew that failure to make the young woman understand what he needed to explain would result in his life coming to a painful end.

"What do you see?"

The question had been simple enough, but the tone in which it had been asked hinted to there being more. Without knowing exactly what had been intended or required, the daughter of the High Sovereign decided to answer as best she could this based on the words used and not the implied idea of which she had no ideas about.

"The Imperial city," Ya'Han replied with nervousness, certain that as detailed as her answer would be, it would not be sufficient to meet the instructor's wishes. "From here I can see the Eastern Market Plaza as well as the freighter landing platform. Beyond the city's walls, the Imperial Mountain range as well as the Ancestral Ocean. If I turn around, I could see..."

"Enough," the instructor snapped in anger, indicating with little effort that the answer had been, as expected, far from meeting his expectations. "You claim to see, yet you show that you are blind. Everything that you see from this tower is under the High Sovereign's control. He is master of everything and everyone you see here and beyond. His will his supreme and that is what you must learn to understand."

"My father may be powerful, but he does not control the mountains or the sky," Ya'Han challenged, her youthfulness and naive understanding of the political world that she was an unwilling part of all too evident.

"You know nothing," the instructor growled in disappointment. "Should your father, the High Sovereign wish it, he could have the Imperial Mountains reduced to nothing but rubble. He could darken the sky so that none would ever again see the sun and stars and if he so wished it, the Ancestral Ocean could be drained to the very last drop. The sooner you realize that the High Sovereign is Master over everything that you see, hear and understand, the sooner you will be able to move ahead with your training and avoid becoming the target of his anger."

"I understand," the young Nylaan stated with distinct hesitation. "I think," she added. This had not been the first time that she had been told this, but something in her mind refused to accept these claims of supremacy. Ya'Han had been willing to accept that he was their ruler, a man of great importance and power, but she could not simply embrace the concept that his power over all was absolute. If so, why had he required the assistance of so many to do everything everyone claimed him to be responsible for doing?

"What do you see?"

The question was repeated but this time Ya'Han knew better than to give a reply based on her senses, instead she would need to formulate an answer based on what she had been told, what she had been required to understand.  "I see a world that belongs to the High Sovereign, my father, and which is shaped by his will. The people of the Imperial Capital, as well as all of the inhabitants of NYLA IV are his to do as he wishes with, and they are grateful for his benevolence."

"Well said little one," the instructor smiled. "Next time though, you will need to say this in a way that will convince others in your believing this.  Like your eyes that see nothing, your words equally said nothing. To say what is expected is not enough, you must believe it in your heart and soul. Your world is now and will forever be shaped by the will of your father, the High Sovereign and ruler of everything you will ever know."

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Setting: NYLA IV, Imperial Palace, Lower Level

Stardate: 14070.0445 (Ya'Han is 7 years old)

The youngest daughter of the High Sovereign had quickly learned that she could escape her room with relative ease at certain hours of the day. Although the Imperial Palace was heavily guarded and constantly patrolled by the hand-picked red-haired members of the warrior caste, their skills could not ensure that they covered every corridor and passageway all the time. Using those lapses between patrols, Ya'Han could sneak out of her room and into other areas of the palace.

Today, she decided to venture down into the lower level and see what secrets her father kept down there. Ya'Han was aware that there were several storage areas there but their content had remained a mystery, one that the High Sovereign seemed to wish to maintain from everyone. Of course, such a restriction only served to heighten the young lady's interest and curiosity.

Reaching the stair leading to the lower level had been relatively easy, the young Nylaan avoiding the patrols as she had many times before. Once she reached the bottom of the long and narrow stairway, things became a lot more difficult as the number and frequency of the patrols greatly increased. In order to avoid being detected, Ya'Han was forced once more to seek refuge in whatever room or alcove was nearest.

As she pressed herself as tightly as possible into one such alcove, her hand discovered a loose stone that, once it was pushed into the wall, triggered some sort of mechanism with a soft click. Leaning a little more into the wall to see what her hand had done, Ya'Han felt the wall against her back shift ever so slightly. With a grin dancing on her face, the young Nylaan turned to face the wall and using all of her limited strength pushed as hard as she could hoping that her thoughts and hopes would prove right.

It took some effort but the wall eventually slid back revealing the entrance to a set of secret passages that the youngest daughter of the high Sovereign would delight in exploring and use for years to come.

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Setting: NYLA IV, Banquet Hall

Stardate: 14074.2200 (Ya'Han is 7 years old)

This was not the first time the youngest daughter of the High Sovereign had snuck out of her room, but it would be the first time she would see one of her father's grand receptions. She had never before seen a Markalian and the knowledge that the Ambassador from their world had been here proved too much for Ya'Han to ignore. She needed to see what he looked like and to experience the glamor of these grand banquets that her older sisters had so often spoken about.

Hiding behind one of the support pillars on the second-floor balcony, Ya'Han could see all of the delegates, the servants as well as the green-haired entertainers. The sight was beyond mesmerizing and after a short while, the youngest sister even managed to pinpoint her oldest brother and sister in the crowd below. As the heir to the throne of NYLA IV, Ya'Kun sat next to their father, learning all that he needed to in order to one day take over. As the oldest sister though, Ya'Min's only task was to entertain their guests by dancing as only a member of the royal family could.

Ya'Han watched in awe as her sister moved with enchanting grace, her bright emerald-hair flowing through the air as if each strand performed a synchronized dance of their own. The youngest daughter wondered if one day she would be able to dance like that, a dream that she would all too soon come to wish she had never had.

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Setting: NYLA IV, Marketplace of the Imperial City

Stardate: 14111.1435 (Age of 7)

All 13 brothers and sisters had been dragged out of the Palace without any reason having been given, not that one had been required for the children of the High Sovereign to do as their father had demanded. Each child had been escorted by at last one guard, the older siblings deserving of more protection while her oldest brother Ya'Kun enjoyed the same protection as their father.  With a distinct air of pride about him, the eldest son followed in his father's footsteps like an obedient shadow, showing to the world his status as the next High Sovereign.

Heads were held low and eyes kept to the ground as the royal family made its way through the streets of the marketplace of the imperial city.  Back then, Ya'Han believed this to be a show of respect for the High Sovereign and his family, but over the years that would come to pass she would learn that their reverence had been born out of fear, not admiration.

Scattered through the multitude of black haired commoners, Ya'Han noted the presence of a few blue and white haired individuals, but by far the second more common color had been that of the Entertainers.  Through the large windows of some of the establishments that at the age of 5 she had been still too young to understand, the youngest daughter could see green haired women swaying to music that she could not hear.  Although their movements displayed a certain level of enjoyment, the lack of a smile on their lips left Ya'Han puzzled.

As they continued their journey through the streets of the city, the purple haired little girl noticed that the same lack of a smile had been present on the faces of each and every green haired entertainer she had been able to see.  As intrigued as she had been though, her attention and focus had to remain on staying in line with the rest of her siblings.

As the royal procession reached the central stage of the marketplace, Ya'Han noticed a large gathering of green haired entertainers, raging in all size and shapes. There had been so many of them that they easily outnumbered the black-haired commoners surrounding them leaving the still innocent little girl to believe that the entertainers might have come to offer some sort of show to the High Sovereign and his children.

With his business in the marketplace concluded, the High Sovereign returned to the palace with his children closely in tow, the youngest daughter disappointed in not having seen the show she had expected.  It would only be many years later that Ya'Han would be made to understand that they had not been there to entertain the crowd or her father, but instead to be sold as slaves. To do so brought honor to the family not to mention secure their immediate financial future as green haired Nylaans were considered a prized and valued commodity.

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Setting: MARKALA PRIME, Capital City of Hundolu

Stardate: 15024.1315 (Age of 8)

The High Sovereign had come to MARKALA PRIME on some state business that none of his daughters had been made aware of, their only responsibilities had been to follow their father and not find a way to embarrass him.

The entire landing platform had been made spotless and the crowd that had gathered to witness this Imperial visit had been kept at bay by excessively tall fences and a security force that could have rivaled many armies.  One by one, the daughters disembarked from the heavily armored vessel that had brought them here in order of their age, the eldest being first right after the youngest son of their fathers.  To everyone watching it had been clear that the sons of the High Sovereign held grater status and importance, but to the daughters this had been how it had always been.

As the last of 13 children, Ya'Han was the last to step off the vessel, barely aware of the discussion that her father and the planet's master had already begun, but that had not been where her attention had been. This had been as far away from the Imperial Palace as she had ever been, and she wanted to learn more about this place and its people.

Why had the crowds been kept to far away? As perfect as her eyesight had been, the young daughter of the High Sovereign could barely make out the people beyond the fences.  In fact, they had been so far away that she could barely hear their calls of admiration for her father and his family, including her.  Maybe if she left for a few moments the crowd would be thankful in being able to see one of the High Sovereign's daughters up close, and being the last in the long line it had been possible that no one would even notice her absence.

"Ya'Han! Get back here," Ya'Jun ordered in as low a whispered voice as she dared to use, hoping that their father would not become aware of what had been happening.

"I just wanted to see these people and to give them a chance to see us better," the youngest daughter explained, her innocence still as fresh as could be.

"Don't be a fool. Why do you think there are so many guards out there? Why do you think that massive fence was raised to keep the commoners away?" Ya'Jun snarled while still keeping her voice as low as she could. Although not that much older than her younger sibling, the 13th daughter had been aware of the reality of their situation far more than her sister. "They are not here cheering in admiration, they are here wanting to kill father, and if they can't get to him they will be more than happy to rip you or I to shreds."

"Why would they want to kill us?" Ya'Han gasped in horror, "We have not done anything to them."

"It is not because of what you, me or even what father might have done," Ya'Jun explained. "The only reason they need is this," she continued as she took hold of her sister's long flowing purple hair.  "That color is the only reason they need to want us dead."

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Setting: NYLA IV, Beyond the Walls of the Imperial Palace

Stardate: 15295.1600 (Age of 8)

This was a special treat. With their father, the High Sovereign of NYLA IV off world on some secret meeting, some of the children had been permitted by their mother to enjoy an afternoon of frivolous fun. The majority were happy to enjoy the quiet stillness and solitude found within the walls of the palace, but the two youngest daughters were quick to jump at the opportunity to be something they rarely were given the chance to be. Children.

Na'Rin had not been a fool, ensuring that the girls would remain safe was her top priority if she was to not incur the full wrath of her husband. Therefore, the mate of the High Sovereign had tasked not one but eight guards, four for each girl, to keep an ever-vigilant watch on the daughters of their ruler.  As much as the presence of these guards made it clear that they would not be able to do *everything* they might have wanted to, just the fact that they were permitted to venture beyond the protective walls of the palace made this a dream come true for Ya'Jan and Ya'Han.

The forest found on the gentle slope of the mountain they had been taken to give the girls more than enough to play several games including hide and seek with. The trees gave the impression of being more alive than those found within the palace's walls, and even the air that filled their lungs tasted fresher, sweeter. Both Ya'Jan and Ya'Han could have sat by any of those trees and delighted in the feelings of being free, but the call of nature that surrounded them proved too strong for either sister to resist.

After several rounds of seeing who could climb the highest the fastest, the two girls decided to indulge in a game of hide and seek. Playing this simple game had always been difficult while inside the palace, but out here the possibilities were nearly endless, allowing the girls to enjoy this activity for several hours without rest.   As the sun began to set, Ya'Jun and Ya'Han decided to go at it one last time, the youngest sister being the one to hide this once again.

In the hopes of thwarting her sister's efforts in beating her ever decreasing search time during this latest round of 'find me if you can', the youngest daughter decided to seek out the most challenging hiding place possible. Finding refuge behind one of the large trees, which measured several meters in diameter, or amongst the branches of a smaller one, which she was able to reach, no longer proved to be enough. Ya'Jan had proven herself to be exceptionally gifted at this game and Ya'Han needed to find a location that would not be so easily discovered by her sister. She needed to find a location that would also be unknown to their protectors, so as to further ensure that her sister could not find her.

A quick survey of the forested mountain slope revealed some sort of burrow. The entrance appeared just a little too small but that was not going to be enough to stop the youngest daughter of the High Sovereign who was determined to find a hiding place that her sister would never be able to identify. Knowing that she had only a few minutes after slipping away from all four of the guards following her, Ya'Han began to frantically dig at the opening. The goal of this frantic effort was to make it large enough for her small frame to slide in feet first. With some well-placed branches and leaves, the opening as well as the girl hiding therein would be impossible to see.

Through the small spaces left between the natural camouflage placed at the entrance, Ya'Han saw her sister pass by more than once, Ya'Jun growing increasingly more frustrated with her inability to find the youngest daughter with each passing. The plan to hide in this borrow had proved to be a resounding triumph, at least until the eight years old Nylaan realized that she was unable to crawl back out.

Hit by a sudden jolt of panic, Ya'Han tried as hard as she could to set herself free, but her frantic efforts made the situation worse by collapsing the entrance of the burrow on top of her. Now unable to breathe, let alone scream for help, the youngest daughter feared that this would be her last day in this world. 

First, she started to cry as fears swept through her mind, but it was when she realized what would happen to her mother upon the return of her father that she began to calm down. Ya'Han could easily imagine the sweeping rage the High Sovereign would envelop the palace in and how he would punish his mate upon learning of the death of one of his preciously valuable trade commodities. For the sake of her mother, she needed to find a way out, or at the very least remain alive until someone else found her.

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Setting: DOLBAR, Botanical Garden

Stardate: 15314.1130 (Ya'Han is 9 years old)

While their father, the High Sovereign and his sons discussed the new trade agreement between their two worlds, the daughters enjoyed the colorful displays and aromas of the flowers that had been gathered from all over this world. As daughters, they had no need to being involved or even learning about the ruler's political dealings, their task being nothing more than to follow their father where he went and to make him proud by becoming a perfect mate for whoever was selected for them.

"It is hard to imagine that a people like the Dolbargy are capable of creating anything this beautiful," Ya'Jun said, the second youngest daughter said as she scrutinized the extensive flowery display stretching as far as the eyes could see in every direction around them.

"Watch your tongue," Ya'Rin, the next elder sister after Ya'Jun venomously spat, the two sisters holding polar opinions as to what they believed their roles in Nylaan society should be. "You would be wise to keep that offending appendage were no one can see or hear it unless you truly wish to have father cut it out once and for all."

Ya'Han instantly coward back in fear, all too easily imagining the scene as described by her older sister. The High Sovereign, their father, had never been known to be a patient or forgiving man, especially when dealing with his own daughters. His son's were granted an unparalleled level of leeway while the daughters where forcefully held to the strictest set of rules and expectations.

"I meant no disrespect," Ya'Jun quickly offered in hopes of calming her angered sister, her voice as gentle and sweet as could be. If anyone would report back to their father about what had been said or done by someone else, Ya'Rin had been the one to do it, but she also was the more gullible of all the sisters. "I was merely stating my observation in the fact that I find it difficult to comprehend how a race without any official gender classification is capable of seeing any sort of beauty. Would you not agree that our brothers are completely unable to appreciate any sort of beauty, this not counting the physical attributes of a woman showing off her skills or batting her eyes in a suggestive manner at them? I am making reference to being able to see beyond what is directly in front of them, to see beauty within and in something that has not yet been created."

Ya'Jun paused, trying to ascertain as to whether or not her explanation was being actually accepted or dismissed by her sister. Seeing some hesitation in the eyes of Ya'Rin, the 12th child of the High Sovereign decided to add some more.

"It would take an exquisite understanding of the unseen beauty of these plants to create the visual masterpiece that we are currently standing in the middle of. Something that in my observation can only be accomplished through the vision of someone who is either a woman or a man who considers himself to belong to that classification. Since the Dolbargy do not have any such official gender classification, I was stating my surprise that such true appreciation of beauty, as it would have been required for this display, is very unexpected from this remarkable and puzzling people. Do you not agree?"

"Can you imagine Ya'Kun or Ya'Del trying to create something like this?" Ya'Han joined in, adding her support, as little as it may count, to her sister's opinion. Over the years, the youngest daughter had learned to listen carefully to her next older sister who had a way of presenting the universe in a way that all too often challenged their father's views while still managing not to enlist his wrath, something that seemed reserved for the youngest and most vulnerable amongst them.

"You are right," the High Sovereign's 10th child eventually agreed, having accepted the explanation offered by the 11th child as an acceptable explanation for her earlier statement. "We do have a much better sense and appreciation for what true beauty is," Ya'Rin confirmed.

"Ladies," a gentle, almost whispered voice said calling the attention of all the sisters upon her. "You should never judge anyone by their appearance, by the color of their skin, by the texture of their scales or fur, and not by their gender or lack thereof. The universe is filled with endless wonders and to judge anything in this way will close your mind to the unique hidden charms that are all around you."

Ya'Han smiled; this trip had been one of the very few occasions where their mother had been permitted to come along. Maybe it was because the Dolgarby were a genderless race that the High Sovereign had allowed her to come, or maybe it was because he had not seen any need to keep her away in order to hide his after work and late-night celebrations. Whatever the reason was, the youngest daughter had been very happy to have her mother here with them, even if she chose to remain on the outskirts, barely visible or noticed by anyone.

It did not take too long for the sisters to return to their individual scrutiny of the surrounding flora. After all, this was what their father had required of them. They were to remain in this location and entertain themselves as best they could through admiring the various colorful flowers. This had been easy enough to accomplish for most of the daughters, but to some the call for adventure had simply been too great to be ignored. The youngest daughter had been able to fight back the urge to wander off, at least that was until Ya'Han felt someone taking hold of her arm to pull her down a small, unpaved path.

"Come," Ya'Jun said as she urged on her younger sister to venture down onto the pathway which seemed to lead to a distant building.

"Where are we going?" Ya'Han demanded, fearing that this course of action would land them both in trouble.

"Exploring of course," the older sister replied. "There is just so much I can take of colorful flowers that smell like our brother's shoes at the end of a long day. Come, wherever we end up has to be better than this place is, and I know you want to go just as much as I do."

As scared as Ya'Han might have been, she had to agree that the visit to the garden had quickly become boring, so despite her fears, the youngest daughter followed without offering any other objections.

Following some sneaking around the local patrols, the two sisters found their way in what appeared to be a hatchery of some sort, dozens upon dozens of eggs neatly and carefully cradled in individual nests. The size of the eggs, along with the medical equipment that accompanied each station, made it evident that these had not been for nourishment.

"Are these Dolbargy eggs?" Ya'Han gasped.

"What did you expect from a genderless race?" Ya'Jun chuckled back in a whispered voice.

The sisters quietly wandered through the aisles, taking special care not to touch anything, at least that was until one particular egg caught the full attention of the youngest daughter. The markings were unique, leaving the Nylaan girl to wonder if maybe this egg held some sort of special significance as compared to all of the others.

"Wonder why this one has different markings on it," Ya'Han asked as her hand slowly, carefully reached out towards the ovoid.

"You should not be here," a thundering voice said, startling both girls into quickly retreating back the way they came. As great a hurry as they were, the two girls still made sure not to touch anything as they rushed for the exit. To their great dismay, as soon as they once again crossed the door that had earlier attracted the attention of Ya'Jun, the two sisters collided with one of their father's Imperial guard tasked with their safety.

Although this meant that they no longer needed to fear whoever had been after them, the two youngest daughters of the High Sovereign would now have to face the wrath of their father for having left the location they had been instructed to remain at for the duration of the diplomatic talks.

Escorted back to their mother, the sisters remained as quiet as they could, trying not to draw the attention of one particular member of their family. If Ya'Rin was to learn of their escapade, it would be a foregone conclusion that their father would learn of this insuring his fullest wrath on all those he would consider as having been responsible.

"Where have you been?" Their mother asked the moment her eyes fell upon the two terrified looking girls, concern the likes of which only a mother could have for her children clearly visible on her features.

"I'm sorry," both Ya'Jun and Ya'Han said at the same time. "We wandered of and got lost," the second youngest added, having noticed their snitching sister in the corner of her eye.

"Please tell me that you did not touch or break anything," the mother begged, knowing that should they have actually broken something it would have made their little adventure an impossible one to hide, and only insured the severity of the punishment they would all receive.

"You have nothing to be concerned about your Imperial Highness," a Dolbargy dressed in scientific robes said. Althouh neither Ya'Jun nor Ya'Han had seen the man who had called out to them, it was a safe bet that he had followed them all the way back. "I can assure you that the girls have not caused any harm or damage."

"Thank you," Na'Rin gratefully offered, relief now visible on her face. "I am sure that the girls are also very grateful for your assistance in seeing them back where they belong."

"I am sure that their youthful curiosity has been more than fulfilled, at least for today," the alien offered smile before adding a low and respectful bow.

"May we have the honor of knowing your name in thanks for all that you have done on this day?" The mate to the High Sovereign inquired. Although she had no power in bestowing any sort of reward, knowing the name of the Dolbargy who had secured her daughter's alibi would go a long way to insure that the girls would remain safe. Plus, the mention of his name to the High Sovereign might lead to some sort of recompense to be given depending on how the situation was presented to him by his wife.

"My name is Soturemol," the Dolbargy replied, again adding a low bow to show his respect. "The honor was mine to have met such adventurous girls. May your stay here continue to be a safe and enjoyable one."

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Setting: NYLA IV, Imperial Palace, Courtyard

Stardate: 15325.0530 (Ya'Han is 9 years old)

The youngest daughter of the High Sovereign woke up before the sunrise feeling a sense of loss on this day. Since their return from DOLBAR, she had dreamt of beautiful flowers and even more breathtaking landscapes, but last night her dreams had returned to their usual mundane sorts.  Whatever joy she had managed to bring back with her from their most recent off-world visit had completely vanished, leaving the young Nylaan feeling sad, depressed.

Over the last few days Ya'Han and her sisters had spoken, in private of course, about asking their father if they would be able to return to that wonderful world. Of course, their plan never went beyond that of their discussing it amongst themselves, none of the High Sovereign's daughters wishing to anger their father with such a selfish and undeserving request.

The sister did their best to hold on to the memories and feelings they shared from that journey, but it was not to last. As she had done so many times before, Ya'Han escaped from her room and made her way to the courtyard where she could enjoy the start of a new day.

"Not quite the same as on DOLBAR," Ya'Jun said, not quite sneaking up on her younger sister.

"No," Ya'Han agreed. "It is like the color is missing in these flowers, and yet they are the same ones we found on that world."

"Maybe it is because unlike their cousins here, those flowers on DOLBAR were free," Ya'Jun said, the older sister always having a way of expressing thoughts and opinions that made her younger sister think beyond the limits imposed on all of the daughters.

"How can freedom change the color of a flower?" The nine-years old, purple-haired Nylaan asked, knowing that voicing such a question would never have been permitted by their father.

"How can freedom make the air smell sweeter? The light of the sun feel warmer? The water from a spring taste more refreshing? It's all up here little sister," Ya'Jun said gently tapping the side of her head. "It's all up here and one day, maybe you will come to understand this, hopefully before it is too late."

"GIRLS!" A servant bellowed as she quickly rushed to the sides of the two daughters of the High Sovereign. This had not been the first time they escaped their rooms before a servant could help the girls with their daily routines, and the smiles visible on their faces hinted that it would not be the last. This did not change the fact that the servants could not stop them and always were in a panic the moment they discovered the rooms empty of their occupants.

"Time for us to return to our captive lives and lose a little more of our colors," Ya'Jun stated as she turned to meet the rapidly approaching servant, who seemed terrified as if her life depended on finding the girls as quickly as possible.

Before joining her sister, Ya'Han glanced once more at the Dolbargy flowers set at the foot of the towering protective wall of the Imperial Palace, the words of her sister echoing with repetition in her mind. The concept of freedom was not unknown to them, but it was labeled as the cause of conflicts and wars, as people gave a higher priority to their own needs over those of the common good as stated by those in charge. Luckily for the daughters, the burden of leadership and diplomacy would never be theirs to be concerned with, their only task being to solidify alliances through marriage and childbearing.

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Setting: NYLA IV, Imperial Palace Courtyard

Stardate: 16031.0630 (Age of 9)

In the early morning as the sun rose over the horizon and its light bathed the Imperial Courtyard, most girls of the age of 9 would have been dreaming of cakes, dolls or of running barefooted through a wide-open field. As the daughter of the High Sovereign, she had not been permitted to have such simple and pleasant dreams, nor had she been allowed to still be in bed by the time the sun could be seen over the walls surrounding the lavishly decorated courtyard.

Each morning required Ya'Han and her sisters who had not been yet married off, to be in the courtyard for physical exercises.  Some days the youngest daughter wondered if this had not been one of the reasons why her sisters all seemed to be more than willing and anxious to be given to a man to marry and serve.  For her though, this training had been just another of countless other demands placed on her time and body, demands that she had no say in whether she wanted to participate in or not.  That said, of all the activities she would be forced to take part in, this one had likely been the most enjoyable.

"Deep breaths Ladies," the aged instructor calmly reminded the four young girls standing with their eyes closed, their faces warmed by the rising sun. The woman the sisters only knew as Nan and been their own mother's trainer long before she became theirs, a fact that only made the young Nylaan girls that much more willing to listen to her wisdom and guidance.  "No matter what role you will be asked to take throughout the day, be it a member of the Warrior or of the Medical cast, your ability to control your breathing will always permit you to rise above your emotions as the sun does over this palace."

The moves had become natural to them, not requiring any thoughts to repeat them in perfect sequence and unity. Having been created by mixing specific and unique moves from every cast, only the daughters of the High Sovereign were permitted to learn and practice this. Although it had never been meant to be anything more than a display of physical balance and harmony between the casts, the dance had over the years become a tool for meditation as well as a reminder to the daughters of their need for control over all things.

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Setting: NYLA IV, Imperial Palace Infirmary

Stardate: 17064.1310 (Age of 10)

The youngest daughter of the High Sovereign stood with her back against the wall, her left hand wrapped around the doorway to ensure that her escape route remained open. All children of royal blood were required to earn the respective colors of each discipline that shaped their society and Ya'Han had worked long and hard to claim the white hair of those involved in medicine. It was repeatedly explained to her as the number of failures continued to increase that as a dedicate mate she would be expected to attend to her husband's every need. These needs would include medical ones, that she liked it or not.

This would be the latest in a dozen or so attempts for her to pass the set of tests allowing her to display the reward her father expected to see dawning her head. Each time she failed, his anger mounted and the youngest daughter feared that another failure could very well be her last. As much as that outcome helped to focus her thoughts, it also served to fill her with fear an anxiety, so much so that her hands shook because of it.

"Ya'Han! I need you here and now! This is not a game or one of your other meaningless tests. If this man dies, you fail!"

The royal physician was a man of passion, a man who gave everything he had in everything he did. Ya'Han suspected that this was part of the reason why he had been selected by her father to hold the position he now held. The fact that he was loyal to the Sovereign to a fault further secured his position. When she came to stand next to Sho'Kal, the youngest daughter was shocked by the sight displayed in front of her. All of the previous tests had been performed on peasants, most of them being criminals who had been made to suffer her father's fury. This time though it would a member of the military she would be working on.

"He was injured during an assassination attempt against the High Sovereign, and now you need to save his life as he did that of your father."

Ya'Han's breathing quickened, as did her pulse. The soldier had proven himself to be a hero as far as his father was concerned, and yet his reward was to have his life placed in her incompetent hands. The odds of saving that man's life lessened with each second she delayed acting. That was when Sho'Kal took hold of the daughter's chin to force her eyes to meet his.

"His life is yours. Wait and he dies. Act and he might live. Either way, you will be the one to report to the High Sovereign to inform him of the outcome of what will take place here. You have all of the knowledge you need; all that is left for you to do is to show everyone that you are capable of putting that knowledge into action."

The nervous purple-haired girl nodded her head. However scared she might have been about failing to save this man's life, she was even more terrified as to what would happen if she were forced to face her father with the news of this man's passing. So, calling upon everything she could remember of her previous lessons Ya'Han began to work.  First, she needed to stabilize his condition and stop the bleeding that had already completely stained the sheet that covered his upper body.  A quick inspection of the cuts on his chest showed them to be numerous but none appeared to be life-threatening. That is when the young Nylaan noticed a terrifying truth.

"He's missing an arm!" Ya'Han stated in a trembling voice, the appendage having been violently torn from where it should have been.

"That would explain why he is bleeding as he is and why he is in such pain. What will you do?"

The calmness and detachment of Sho'Kal's voice hinted that he would not help more than he was right now. This was her test and she needed to prove herself worthy, both for her patient's sake as well as her own.

Minutes flowed into hours as the High Sovereign's youngest daughter worked without a second's rest to save the soldier's life. It mattered not who had done this or even how the injuries had been inflicted, all that mattered was for her to save the man's life so that she could report the accomplishment to her father.

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Setting: NYLA IV, Imperial Palace, Dance Studio

Stardate: 19188.1 (Age of 12)

She danced alone in the center of the large room, her purple hair swaying as if being moved by a mystical wind, her body seemingly floating to the sound of music that only she could hear.  The mirrors lining the entire length of the inner wall reflected the soft red shade of the Nylaan sky which could be seen through the open archways of the outer wall.

Her eyes had been kept closed as her body moved without effort. Even at the tender age of 11 Ya'Han had already endured countless years of training and it showed.  Strength, agility and control could all be seen in abundance with each and every move she made, and yet the dancing girls displayed no signs of fatigue or even effort.  As complex as some of the moves had been, they came to her with ease and simplicity, appearing beyond perfect to an untrained eye.

The silence that reigned through the room was suddenly shattered by the sound of a wooden stick crashing against the dancing girl's shoulder, the force of the impact having been more than enough to break her concentration and send Ya'Han to the floor in excruciating pain.

"Keep your shoulders straight," the instructor bellowed in disgust. "No one wants to see you slouching. You are the daughter of the High Sovereign and your performance as a dancer will reflect on your father, OUR RULER.  Your father, his guests, and in time your future husband need to see perfection, nothing less. Now, AGAIN!"

She could not cry, if she did her punishment would have been a thousand times worse.  The shape and size and of the wooden stick had been perfectly set to inflict as much pain as possible without leaving any marks, for that too had not been permitted.  The instructor had been tasked to teach the ruler's daughters, and any mark he would leave on his students would have been taken from his flesh a hundred times over.

Ya'Han forced herself back onto her bare feet and started over, painfully aware that the stick had not been far from her delicate skin, and that the instructor knew all too well how to use it to motive the High Sovereign's daughter to do better than she thought possible, to become more than the best her father demanded.

To the tune of a music only she could hear, Ya'Han resumed her training focussing on every aspect of her body and its motion through the large empty room.

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Setting: NYLA IV, Imperial Palace, Banquet Hall

Stardate: 19294.1 (Age of 12)

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Setting: NYLA IV, Imperial Palace

Stardate: 20235.1 (Age of 13)

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Setting: Freighter #1

Stardate: 20241.1 (Age of 13)

Sitting at the back of the dirty cargo hold, the young fugitive held her legs close to her shivering body. There had been two reasons for this posture, the first having been to help Ya'Han keep warm as there had been limited heat in the room she had been put in for the journey. The other had been to offer some level of protection from the men who had allowed her onboard.

Her need to escape quickly had been greater than her need to find safe travel arrangements. This had caused the runaway to make several hasty decisions, one of which had been to select that specific ship over any other.  No questions had been asked by the crew and the ship had been small enough not to draw the attention of the patrols.  Truth be known, Ya'Han figured that no one would have ever expected a daughter of the High Sovereign to be inside such a rundown trade vessel.

From the moment she had stepped inside the ship Ya'Han had felt distrust towards the crew.  There had been something about the way they walked, they way they spoke, and most important the way they looked at her that had instilled that feeling.  Not having had any other alternatives for her escape though, she had been left with no other choice but to make due with her feelings.

Since this had been the first time the youngest daughter of the High Sovereign had ever felt this way, Ya`Han did her best to dismiss it as having been nothing more than a childish fear.  During her travels away from her home world though Ya'Han would learn in the harshest of ways to trust that feeling more and more beyond any other.

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Setting: Freighter #1

Stardate: 20249.1 (Age of 13)

It had been eight days since she had boarded this freighter, eight days since she had felt solid ground beneath her feet, eight days since she had been able to enjoy doing anything but sitting during the day and fearing for her safety during the nights. It had been eight long days and nights that her hair was made to be as black as the emptiness that surrounded the ship, an emptiness that reflected how she felt inside.

Escaping from the Imperial palace had been the only way the youngest daughter could save herself from marrying that Ferengi troll Daimon Ardax and the wrath of her father following his learning of her disobedience.  Forcing herself to display the hair color of the commoners had felt strange, almost sickening, but it had been the only way to insure that the fewer possible questions would be asked as to the reasons for her seeking to leave NYLA IV.

Over those eight days, the daughter of the High Sovereign became more accustomed to the solid black color of her hair, no longer finding it a distraction when a lock would fall into view. She knew that in time she would come to accept this as being a reflection of the person she had chosen to become, an outcast from the royal family, an insult to the proud name and legacy of her family. As much as she might have regretted having become such a failure in the eyes of her siblings, the young Nylaan had no other choice but to act as she did.

Maybe one day she would be able to reclaim another color for her hair, but for now, the black of the commoners would be hers to claim as her own without any respite. Despite being cold and hungry, the self-exiled daughter of the High Sovereign found some way to be grateful about one thing. In the cargo hold of this freighter, there were no mirrors or reflective surfaces for her to accidentally look into and see the extent of her fall. Of her own free will, she had descended into the darkness that had been her one and only way of escape, and that would become the reality she would have to learn to live with, hopefully for more than a few miserable days.

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Setting: Freighter #3

Stardate: 20312.1 (Age of 13)

It had been 71 days since her escape from her home, 71 days spent in hiding in cargo holds of whatever freighter she could find her way into. This would be the third such place, and it appeared to be just as dark and grimy as the previous two. The one difference this time around was that she was not alone.

Another Nylaan had been in the cargo hold, her black hair filled with tangles indicating that her journey had been just as rough if not more so than her own. Their eyes met on several occasion but neither said a word for reasons that were their own. The youngest daughter of the High Sovereign feared saying something that might hint to her lineage, so she remained perfectly quiet, hoping that the other girl would not be able to recognize who she was without her having her hair the color that was hers to display by blood right.

As time passed, Ya'Han felt a growing need to speak to the other girl, even if only to strike up a short and innocent conversation. Tomorrow would be her 14th birthday and she hoped that not spending that day alone would make her running away from everything she knew a little easier to handle. The problem was that the other Nylaan distinctively appeared to be just as scared if not more than she was, not giving the impression that she was in the least bit interested or willing to acknowledge the presence of someone else in the cargo hold. Although they shared the same location, it seemed that they would be doing so in a self-imposed solitude.

Later that night, Ya'Han was awakened by the sound of a member of the crew staggering into the cargo hold, the man clearly being intoxicated by the way he stumbled about while singing. Without hesitation, he made his way to the other Nylaan and began forcing himself upon her, ripping the clothes off her body without caring that they were not alone in the room.  A few moment later another man entered the room, this one easily recognizable as the ship's Captain.

"What are you two doing?" He demanded, visibly upset by what he had discovered.

"Captain? I came in here to make sure they were not tampering with the cargo when that one attacked me," the crewmember explained pointing an accusing finger to the other Nylaan girl. "I thought she was asleep, so I paid her no attention but when I got close enough she reached out and took a solid hold of me. That wench even suggested that she would show me a good time if I granted her a little more food."

"Is that true?" He bellowed, causing her to move back in order to save herself. She was so terrified that all she could do was to frantically shake her head 'no', trying as best she could to cover herself with her now torn clothes.

Ya'Han watched in silence, certain that the Captain would not be so easily fooled by the lies of his crewmember. The daughter of the High Sovereign was shocked when his hand flew through the air to strike the girls across her face.

"I am speaking to you! Did you attack one of my men?"

"No!" She cried. "I did not, he attacked me. I was sleeping, and he forced himself on me."

The Captain paused and looked around the cargo hold, knowing that there was another somewhere in the shadow-filled darkness. When he say Ya'Han, his attention quickly shifted onto the black-haired daughter of the High Sovereign.

"Is it true? Did he attack her?"

Fear caused Ya'Han to be unable to speak or even make the slightest noise. Her eyes darted from the dark-haired commoner from her own world to the scruffy looking crewmember back to the displeased Captain. If she collaborated the girl's story, it was very likely that the drunken man would seek revenge at some point later during their journey. If she on the other hand confirmed the false story provided by the sorry excuse of a man, the girl would be made to suffer the consequences for something that she had not done. In the end, only the sound of her silence would be the answer she would give.

"See, even that one refuses to speak," the crewmember added. "I'm telling you Captain, you were way too generous by allowing both of them on board. They are nothing more than a waste of space and a drain on our limited resources."

"Get out!" The Captain ordered as he glared at one girl then the next. Once the crewmember was gone, the man in charge moved towards the other Nylaan, leaving Ya'Han to hope that he might provide her with new clothes or maybe even apologise for the behavior of his subordinate as well as his own. Instead, he stroke the girl with the back of his hand once again before grabbing her by the dark hair in order to drag her out of the cargo hold.

"I did nothing wrong," she pleaded through her tears. "Please, tell him," she begged of Ya'Han who could not find the strength and courage to say what she had seen.  The girl's pleas continued well after the door to the cargo hold had closed behind them, the sound of her terrified voice piercing through the large metallic doors.

Ya'Han cried as she came face-to-face with her own feelings. It would have been easy enough to help, to say what she had seen, but instead she had simply given up on trying to change the situation.  The Nylaan who knew little of the outside world beyond the Imperial palace hid in a corner between two crates hoping that the other girl would understand why she had said nothing. This had been the third freighter she had found her way on and each time she had been abused enough to make her wary of saying anything that might go against the members of the crew. The best she would be able to do was to be here when her friend came back, and help her with whatever emotional and physical scars she would surely return with.

After several minutes, Ya'Han heard several strange sounds. This had not been the first time she heard these, allowing the self-exiled daughter of the High Sovereign to guess as to what it was. The first noise hinted that the ship had dropped out of warp speed and the next seemed to be the opening of an outside hatch. A cold chill swept through the black haired Nylaan as the possible explanation for this came to mind. What she heard next confirmed her greatest fears as the sound of something, or someone, repeatedly hitting the outer hull was heard making its way down the side of he cargo hold. Seconds later, only silence could be heard just before the freighter jumped back to warp speed.

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Setting: Freighter #3

Stardate: 20313.1 (Age of 14)

Today, the daughter of the High Sovereign currently sitting in a cold and dark cargo hold turned 14. This day was meant to be a time of joy and celebration as the girl she had been up to this point became a woman in the eyes of her people. Today, the announcement of her betrothal to Daimon Ardrax would have been publicly announced, sealing the trade agreement between the Ferengi and her homeworld of NYLA IV. All of her needs would have been taken care of in return for providing her new husband with the companionship and all of the personal attention he desired. As an official representative of her father, every moment of her life from this point on would have been set, lacking in nothing with maybe one exception -- freedom.

Ya'Han made her choice, choosing freedom over a life of servitude as an object to be admired and used by whomever her new husband deemed worthy of experiencing her charms and skills. She decided to take control of her life and to venture into the dark and cold unknown away from her father, her family and everything she knew. That freedom though came at a price that she was still trying to fully understand.  The world beyond the Imperial Palace was cruel and unforgiving and she learned quite rapidly that any show of emotion could prove deadly.

The other black-hair Nylaan who was in this cargo hold with her the day before had been dragged out by the ship's Captain and tossed out of the nearest airlock for having accused one of the crew members of trying to have their way with her. Ya'Han had seen everything but it quickly became evident that showing any signs of emotions would have meant hr sharing in the poor girl's fate.

As long as she said nothing, as long as she showed no outward emotional reactions to anything happening around her or even to her, the odds of her survival would remain fair. The lesson had come at the price of someone else's life and she owed it to her memory to practice what she had learned to the best of her abilities.

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Setting: Federation Starbase PARASIDIO, Guest Quarters

Stardate: 24081.0745 (Age of 17)

According to what she had been told, the quarters that she would now be staying in had been small and barren. Memories of her time in the cargo holds of the countless low-end freighters filled her mind as she walked in for the first time causing her to actually come to a dead stop in the doorway. The location that she had been looking at had been a great many things, but small and barren had not been how she would have ever chosen to describe it.  With each new step she finally took, the ebony haired woman grew increasingly concerned that a terrible mistake had been made. The quarters into which she had been escort to had almost been a match for her own room back in the Imperial Palace on NYLA IV.

With complete disbelief, she cautiously wandered from room to room, finding it hard to believe that this location had actually been offered to her. She could not remember how many people she had been forced to speak to, not that *forced* had been at all accurate, but she could recall how everyone seemed more than happy to help and listen to her story. She even discovered that some had been willing to provide her with a caring shoulder when she would no longer be able to hold back her tears.

It had taken several days, maybe even a week or so before she had been cleared and allowed out of the starbase's infirmary. The countless bruises that had been easily discovered over the entirety of her body upon her arrival had proven the accounts of the type of brutal treatment she had received during her travels. Maybe those had helped to sway the opinion and sentiments of those she had been asked to speak to, or maybe it was just that this Federation treated people far differently than the Ferengi Alliance of the rule of NYLA IV.

That was all in the past now. She no longer needed to be scared of the slightest move caught in the corner of her eye. Here she would be able to truly rest and plan the rest of her life away from her father and of the Ferengi troll he had wanted her to marry.

When she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror of what would be her bedroom, Ya'Han ran her fingers through her ebony hair, brushing it as she had done since her escape from her home. Basic toiletries had not been considered when she had finally decided to leave, so she had become accustomed to brushing her hair using nothing but her fingers.  While in the infirmary though, someone had used a brush to make things easier, and now she found that she missed the sensation.

That was when she noticed something that made her smile. The same brush, or one made to be exactly like the one that had been used then, had been left in front of the mirror.  With some hesitation, she carefully pulled the stool out and set herself in front of the mirror, brush in hand gazing at the reflection of a scared young girl looking back at her, not appearing so scared anymore.

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Setting: EARTH, San Francisco, Starfleet Academy

Stardate: 25004.1100 (Age of 18)

As if being on an alien planet had not been difficult enough, walking onto the grounds of what would become her home for the next 4 years, if all went well, had proven to be quite an emotional shock. The lavish flora had been quite a welcomed change from the dark and slimy walls of the various freighters she had been onboard to escape Ferengi controlled space. As far more pleasant as the Federation starbase she had finally made her way to had been following the freighters, the Academy grounds had been heavenly in comparison. Still, as grand and beautiful as everything was, the black haired Nylaan could not help but think back to the exquisite garden of the Imperial palace that she had left behind.

She had escaped for a reason, several in fact, so it would serve no purpose for her to keep looking back to a past she would never be able to return to. EARTH had become her new home thanks to the help and generosity of many, and her success would be the greatest thanks she would be able to offer them in time.

Today would be dedicated to her orientation, to meeting those she would come to call friends, a luxury that she never truly had before today. Once all of this would be done, she would be able to relax and look ahead to her first day of her new life as a Federation citizen and a Starfleet Cadet.

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Setting: EARTH, San Francisco, Starfleet Academy, Combat Training Gym

Stardate: 26118.1500 (Age of 19)

A little over a year ago, the determined black-haired Nylaan had taken her first steps as a member of Starfleet, far away from everything she knew and everything she feared. As physically and mentally demanding as the classes were, the past that Ya'Han did her best to keep hidden had prepared her in ways that she could not fully realize. Spending hours studying had been nothing new and having an Academy professor watching her every move was again something that she had gone through many times before.

The one problem she did have was in the field of physical training. As the daughter of the High Sovereign of NYLA IV, her body had been conditioned to be soft, sensual, and able to charm with swaying moves that came with the greatest of ease. In order to earn her red hair, Ya'Han had trained a great deal, and she still had the bruises to show for it, but the daughters of the planet's ruler were never meant to be warriors. So now, as a hopeful member of the Security forces for Starfleet, her earlier education had proven quite insufficient in this specific field for her to meet the requirements of her current training.

"Cadet Ya'Han," the combat instructor sighed as he looked down at the woman who had been knocked down onto her back. "You have to keep your guard up. When it comes to close-quarter combat, you have to be ready for strikes that may come from your blind side. Being distracted, even only a little, puts you at risk. Should you be engaged against someone with a blade, such a distraction could cost you your life."

"I am sorry," Ya'Han said as she returned to her feet. What the Cadet lacked in physical skills she made up in sheer strength of will, something that every instructor had noted about this particular student.

"You have the moves, there is no denying that, but your focus is not where it needs to be. This is not some sort of dance routine that you can just go into and repeat as needed. In a fight, you have to keep your eyes on your opponent and your mind several moves ahead. Look at your opponent and learn to anticipate their next strike or action. Pure strength and speed will only get you so far in a hand-to-hand fight; you also need to be smarter than your opponent is. Sooner or later you will come up against someone who is stronger and faster than you are, so you have to use your head in order not to end up as a smug on the ground."

Stardate: UNSPECIFIED

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Setting: MARKALA PRIME, Trade City of Kololu, Underground Chamber

Stardate: 32003.1220 (0905 local time)

With her hands tightly held in shackles and chains, the green haired entertainer had kept her head down, allowing for her long loose hair to hide her true identity from Ze'Kon.  Like any self-respecting bad guy, both he and his associate had divulged their pain, going into rather specific details which they would be able to use to stop them. That was if they could find a way to free themselves from their bonds before being disposed of as had been described.

Listening to Ze'Kon and his associate talk about the manner in which the Federation would be implicated in the assassination of her father had been far more upsetting that the actual death of the High Sovereign.  As a Starfleet Officer, such a reaction had made sense, but something about the way she felt bothered Ya'Han. However much she might have hated the man who ruled the world of her birth, however much she had wanted to escape his demanding and cruel grasp, he had been then and remained even now her father.

As much as she had learned to fear her father, Ya'Han realized that her keeping her identity hidden from Ze'Kon had been because she feared him even more.  As great as the High Sovereign's rage could become, the 13th daughter had rarely seen his anger directed to others outside of the royal family and those who had been tasked with serving them.  As the curious little girl that she had always been, she had witnessed on more than one occasion the large scale cruelty that her father's aide had been capable of. The countless screams of his numerous victims in the night had been more than sufficient to forever condition the woman to respond as she was to his presence.

"We should get this over with and dispose of them now," Ze'Kon suggested, the icy coldness of his voice hinting that if no one else had been available to do as he had said, that he would be more than ready to do the deed himself.

"They are yours to dispose of in the manner and time of your choosing," Morten stated with detached respect that had been present in his voice from the very start, the man doing whatever he had been asked to do as if the immediate outcome had not been his concern in the slightest. "Our agreement simply states that once they are dead, their bodies are mine to use to ensure the successful conclusion of our plan."

The aide bellowed in laughter. "I guess that means I will have to keep their bodies somewhat intact, at least enough so that their likeness can be placed on record for later identification by the Federation and its puppets," Ze'Kon added as he took hold of Sonja's face into his hand, squeezing it with such force that the CEO could barely move as she tried to free himself from his grasp.

"Leave her alone!" Shar'El ordered. "She won't scream, not the way you like to hear your victims do. If you want to torture someone, use me." Sonja and Jayson turned to look at the Commander, impressed by the sacrifice that she had been willing to make while realizing that she had likely scanned his memories to use something that would ensure his leaving their Chief Engineer alone, at least for the time being.

"You have spirit," the aide said as he launched a single powerful blow into the shackled woman's abdomen causing her to gasp in pain.  "I will make a deal with you. You will be the first to die, but not before Ya'Kun and Ya'Han are here so that I can show them how to properly break a slave. It will also serve to show that I am not one to be taken lightly, not now and certainly not once the High Sovereign is dead."

Having heard the name of her eldest brother as well as her own, the green haired woman finally looked up to met the aide's gaze just as he had been ready to strike at Shar'El once again. The hesitation of his second attack against the bound undercover officer showed that he had seen something familiar in the Nylaan woman's features. With his hand still high above his head, ready to come down with as much force as he could call upon, Ze'Kon moved closer to the entertainer.

"This cannot be," the man said as he slowly lowered his arm to take hold of the woman's face as he had that of Sonja, although this time he had done so in an almost loving and caring manner.

"Don't you dare touch her you filthy..." Jayson demanded in an uncontrollable rage enlisting Ze'Kon's immediate reaction.  As the back of his hand struck the male Starfleet officer's jaw, a long string of blood flew through the air leaving no question in anyone's mind as to the strength and experience the aide of the High Sovereign possessed.

"Is it really you?" Ze'Kon questioned, looking deeply into the Nylaan woman's eyes while he caressed her cheek with the back of the same hand which had seconds before silence Jayson. "Could it be possible? What follies would have made you chose to come here of all places?  I beg of you your Highness, abandon this unsavory color," the aide said, not as a suggestion but clearly as a direct request, one that the green haired woman knew he would not ask so kindly again if she refused.  "Claim your birthright and prove this old man that he is not dreaming."

Terror flowed through her body and mind, so much so that she had been unable to stop shaking.  Doing as he had asked would ensure her suffering more than she could have ever imagined, but refusing to do as he wished would result in possibly even more pain as he tried to force her to comply.

"SHOW ME!" He suddenly screamed as he shifted his hold of her face from the caring and tender one he had to a rage-filled hold that threatened to shatter her jaw.  As fast as her Nylaan biology permitted it, Ya'Han's hair changed from the green that she had been displaying to the color that had been demanded from her, the color that declared her to be of royal lineage, as well as the woman Ze'Kon, had suspected her to be.

"It is clear that you know her," Morten said as he came to stand right next to the robbed man. "Care to introduce us?"

"Mister Morten," Ze'Kon replied with a smile as he released his hold on the now purple haired woman. "Meet her royal Highness Ya'Han, the youngest child of the High Sovereign who somehow managed to escape our world at the tender age of 14. Many, including myself, had come to believe her to be dead when the efforts to locate her were unsuccessful.  Her leaving created a great many problems back in the Imperial Palace which eventually led to her sister Ya'Jun to follow in her footsteps. The poor child could not withstand her father's rage in the manner that her younger sister could."

"I'm sorry," Ya'Han offered close to tears, the hardships that her sister had endured being the only thing she regretted. There had been a lot more than she had wanted to say and explain, but she knew that her words would have no sway in whatever her father's aide had planned now that he had discovered who the bound woman actually was.

"Your Highness," Ze'Kon acknowledged in a condescending manner. "You have nothing to be sorry about, in fact, we are all very glad for what you did as it allowed for what will come to pass to happen quicker than it would have had.  As for anything else, you should not worry about it, your lives were forfeit the moment you set foot on this planet.  Your only concern now should be as to how I will dispose of you, personally, I would love to see just how much pain and suffering you can endure."

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Setting: NYLA IV, Royal Chambers

Stardate: The future as seen in a vision created by the Engine of Creation

"She is gone," another familiar voice said, this one kind and passionate.  "I am sorry that your return home is too late. She missed you, from the first day you left.  She even managed to get news of your progress at that EARTH Academy, but after your graduation she was unable to get any news as to where you were. It was as if you had vanished from the universe.  This hurt her, more than you can imagine, so she turned her attention to your sister.  She tried her best to protect Ya'Jun from your father's rage, but the day your sister followed in your footsteps and ran away, it was just too much for the Queen. She fell into a deep depression.  When news of your conflict with your brother Ya'Kun, the pain became too much for her to bear, so she retreated to the mountains, away from the palace, her husband and her children.  I visited her regularly, almost daily, and to her credit she never gave up hope of one day seeing her family back together again. That both you and your sister would return home.  Her departure made it just that much easier for your brother to allow his ambitions to take control of his actions, a rebellion encouraged by a dark-souled woman named Morgana."