Erathyl - an insane braken exile living on one of Thunisk's moons, Wyse. The man had been banished from his home and his life as a general after he caused the death of his own daughter, and he found the moon and a small underground complex where miners worked. Joining up with them to take his mind off his ruined life. However, his mental state deteriorated, and he soon used force to take over the colony and set up a deal with the Chylian Entourage for a large load of synaptic inhibitors which he used to make loyal guards to keep the workers in line. Over the past few years, his mental state has deteriorated furthur, and the populace of Wyse has grown - among the slave workers is a TL marine named Melissa Consair, and among the brainwashed guards are two associates of Alex Reese of the Crimson Nova, Thomas Campton and Nikanna Capemasters. Melissa in particular, being a militarily-raised young woman, has attracted Erathyl's attention, and though he beats her for misbehaving and punishes her just as harshly as the rest of his slaves, he harbors an unconscious connection between Melissa and his dead daughter, and will not kill her. After Kathra, Kiril, Eryk, and Jere's harrowing escape from Khursinhi following the Syrani War and the destruction of the Kora'Chi and Syrani Palace, the Noor siblings and Eryk joined up with the Crimson Nova and her crew roaming the Free Pirate Confederacy and the various backwater worlds beyond the reach of the Dro'Xaren Ephex or the Terran League. Kiril, on a short leave from the Nova, ran into an old friend from Syrani - Azan Rakari, the captain of the Na'Kaliama and the man who helped Kiril find Kathra after she ran away from Khursinhi to chase Saal'Ku. While the two talked, Kiril decided to accompany Azan on a short run the older renjiri was about to make, not telling Kathra or the Nova crew where they were headed due to the anticipated journey time of a mere few hours. However, things went from good to bad rather quickly. Azan's run, apparently to drop off a load of supplies for a Federation of Sirius colony on Thunisk, was a trap. The call had been a lure by Erathyl, who was looking for more workers. Ambushed and brought to Wyse, Kiril and Azan soon fell into a deep despair, lifted only by meeting Melissa Consair and fostering a hope of escape. However their plan goes awry and Melissa is captured and knocked unconscious, then left for dead on Wyse's freezing surface. Kiril braves the treacherous climb out the back of the complex and the dangerously low temperatures to try and save her, only to find himself too weak to carry her back. With no help in sight, Melissa fading fast and Kiril not far behind her, hope fades quickly. Jeez I put my characters through a lot. Don't worry, they've gotta survive this, I've gotta kick their #sses another couple dozen times, but they do live happily ever after eventually.