Alien Redemption Prologue

The Clans of Kalquor series has gotten to the point that readers who pick up a new book without having read the ones before it get a little lost.  To remedy that, Alien Redemption will have a short history at the beginning to bring newbies up to speed.  Still tweaking, but this is what I have on that so far:

            The Kalquorian Empire was and still is a civilization of great importance to the Galactic Council of Planets.  The fierce but intelligent species has been at the forefront of technological, medical, and scientific breakthroughs for centuries.  Their military might has never been in question; even their ancient enemy, the opportunistic race of Tragooms, hesitates to attack a Kalquorian force half its size. 

            However, Kalquor’s survival is in jeopardy.  Centuries ago, the Empire faced its most implacable foe ever.  The force that threatened this great people was not one that wielded weaponry.  It could not even be seen with the naked eye.  It was a virus.

            This virus struck the home world of Kalquor, wiping out a substantial number of its people, particularly the females.  Symptoms included massive bleeding of the body’s major organs, along with those of the female reproductive tract.  Damaging the x-chromosome of the Kalquorians, the virus’ effects went beyond death.  The majority of women not killed outright were rendered infertile, and daughters born to those who could bear children were not guaranteed the ability to do the same.  The virus altered the very DNA of the entire race.

            In an effort to keep their race from going extinct and prevent fighting amongst the men, family groups called clans were formed.  Each clan was made up of one female known as the Matara (childbearer) and a representative of each of the three breeds of male:  the Dramok (leader), Imdiko (caregiver), and Nobek (protector). 

            Despite their efforts, the numbers of Kalquorians continued to decline.  So few children were born that extinction was thought by many to be inevitable.  Despite all their medical expertise and attempts to find compatible species to mate with, the Kalquorian culture seemed destined to disappear.

            A little over a decade ago, a scout ship from a small, isolated planet no one knew of flew into the Galactic Council of Planets’ space.  These newcomers, searching for a new planet to house the overflow of their ever-growing population, called their home planet Earth.  It was immediately remarked upon how incredibly similar they were to Kalquorians.  The doomed race took note at once, and hope was restored.  It was theorized that perhaps the Earthers were the fabled Lost Tribe of Kalquor’s ancient ancestors.  

            Earth, however, was not as enthralled with their potential distant cousins.  Ruled by a government based on fanatical religious beliefs, Earthers were taught they were God’s Chosen, made in his wondrous image.  They looked upon Kalquor with hostility and outrage when the beleaguered inhabitants of that empire suggested compatibility testing for purposes of interbreeding.

            The leaders of the Kalquorian Empire, feeling they had no other recourse, decided the time had come to seduce Earther females and convince them to come to Kalquor.  Women on Earth were treated as lesser creatures and second-class citizens by their government and religion.  The Kalquorians, with their near-worship of women, hoped they could entice these lifebringers to join their clans.  And if the women would not be seduced, Kalquor was no longer above the distasteful necessity of abducting them outright. 

            Almost 2000 Earther women went to Kalquor, putting the Empire and Earth at each others’ throats.  Then the unthinkable happened:  an Earther woman joined the aliens’ ruling clan, making her Kalquor’s empress.  Earth immediately declared war.

            The fighting was horrific, with Earth’s greater numbers slowly overwhelming Kalquor’s more advanced technology.  With their already dwindling numbers reaching crisis stage, the Empire was desperate to find a way to win the war and secure their future.  They staged an invasion of Earth itself.  Earth’s answer was to set off nuclear explosions beneath its own major cities, devastating the population and dooming the planet.  For the insane leaders, it was better to die than be conquered.

            Most of Earth's survivors have been rescued by Kalquor.  The Earth females have been given the option of living on colonies with their own kind, hopefully to salvage their species; or they can live on Kalquor and join clans in order to continue the alien culture.  Many, still terrified of their recent enemy, opt to remain with their native species.  Others, traumatized by their experiences under Earth’s tyranny, have dared to start anew with the Kalquorians.  There are still too few to guarantee Kalquor’s survival, and they are held by most of the alien men in the highest regard.

            But not all Kalquorians are happy to have the Earthers among them.  Some are determined to see Kalquor go extinct rather than mix the races.  And still others nurse emotional wounds from the war, wounds that still bleed and demand that their former enemy bleed in return.

             Bleed and die…