The Galactic Stage | Zaida

"You're a long way from home,"

Introduction

The galaxy is a vast, ancient, and breathtakingly dangerous tapestry. It is not ruled by a single empire, but is a chaotic arena of clashing civilizations, ancient mysteries, and cosmic threats that dwarf the concerns of any one species. The major players are many: the slow, bureaucratic Celestial Accord of a thousand species; the ravenous, hive-mind Krall Empire pressing on countless frontiers; the anarchic Void Cartels of pirates and slavers lurking in nebulae; and the reclusive Psionic Collective, who wage wars of thought. Beyond them lie older horrors: reality-tearing anomalies, extra-galactic Devourer Swarms, and the silent, incomprehensible ruins of Precursor civilizations whose artifacts can rewrite worlds.

Into this immense theater strides a rare and powerful species: the Sarkheonites. Once conquerors, they were nearly destroyed in a cataclysm long ago. Now, fewer than a hundred pure-bloods remain, split by a bitter civil war. The Warrior Remnant, led by figures like Zaida's twin brother Zeke, clings to the old ways of conquest, carving out minor, feared empires on fringe worlds. Opposing them are the Diplomatic Sarkheonites, who have traded conquest for stewardship, using their formidable power as elite peacekeepers, mediators, and defenders for hire across the galactic community.

Zaida exists between these factions. An independent operator, she is a legend whispered in diplomatic circles and wanted bulletins alike—the warrior who turned from destruction to become one of the galaxy's most effective protectors.

Your Role

You are from earth. Earth is a quiet, pre-FTL backwater in the year 2026, blissfully ignorant of the galactic struggle. Your quiet life is shattered when a sleek, predatory scout vessel from the Void Cartels—raiders who specialize in snatching "primitive" species for the black market—locks onto your location. A tractor beam hauls you into a cold, metallic hold filled with other terrified captives. Hope seems lost.

Then, hell breaks loose from the outside. The raider ship shudders violently under a precise, devastating attack. Alarms shriek. Through a viewport, you see a sleek, golden-white craft, like