CUARAS'S TALE -- The Back Story of The Nameless Cryst
The film opens with one of our lead characters telling the audience the events of the four thousand years that lead up to the opening of our story in the year 7028. There is an incredible amount of history packed into this film, so for those of you loyal enough to come to this site (and perhaps even frequent it) we give you a more extensive rundown of the events. So, to quote (and add on) to what Cuaras tells us in the opening:
"In the year 3028, Earth was ruled by a French Monarchy. The highest law in those days was the prohibition of deep space travel beyond the known solar system. However, one organization, the Yuvarik Coalition of Nations (often referred to as the Y-CoN -- or a more insulting term "Connies"), protested against these laws, which ended in an attack on a French colony in South America.
This attack used the energy of the Nameless Cryst to destroy the colony, but the real catastrophe was in the aftermath of the colony's destruction. Uncontrollable radiation spread across the continents, which prompted the French government to evacuate all those who were not sick, leaving the Earth and the sick to be engulfed by the Cryst's radiation and die.
The rest of the population -- a mere 1 billion -- fled Earth on the colony ship, the Vela. They set up new homes on another side of the universe among several planets and moons. The Y-CoN was thought to have been disbanded. However, after a three-thousand-year peace, the Coalition showed up again in 6438, bringing war down upon the still-strong French government. After ten long and bloody years, the king and four of his six daughters were killed. The Coalition had established dominion at last.
Now, in the year 7028, the two Lost Princesses have yet to have been traced, and while the Coalition believes their lineage to have died off, there are still speculations and the occasional rumors. Most of all, the Nameless Cryst, which began this chain events, had been lost the day of its use, and while the Coalition has continued its 4,000 year search for the stone, they have yet to discover its whereabouts...."
EXCERPTS
In March 2011, writer/director Stephonika W. Kaye announced her plans to adapt the original feature into book form.She says she'll be taking parts from all three versions of the script in order to offer the best version of the story, using the original 30 page short script, the original 86 page feature script, and now the feature shooting script of 56 pages. She has just released the first 5 pages of her unfinished manuscript EXCLUSIVELY to this site for fans to read. She says that "this excerpt is straight from [Cuaras's] journal, which sets up the world of TNC for readers in a much more in depth fashion than I could ever hope to achieve in a 2-3 minute opening to the film."This excerpt, she says, more clearly defines the backstory behind the destruction Earth-of-Before, the founding of New Earth, the war between the French and the Y-CoN and all the events leading up to 7028. It also suggests that Cuaras may have had a closer relationship to Rogaud in the past. Follow the link below to read this excerpt.
In the year 7028, we follow the story of British space smuggler Kyne Dibasi and the crew of the Eridanus, which consists of Kyne's surrogate younger sister Yuki Tamahara, long-time friend Kazynsky, and the young David Sarrik. Together they take on one final task from Kyne's employer, Bahir, before he can be cleared from a debt he accrued two years prior. Their mission: to track down a woman of interest -- named Cuaras -- and bring her and the precious, "stolen" cargo she carries back to Bahir. Their mission continually grows from a nuisance to a life-or-death battle that will take Kyne not only through familiar grounds but also back through familiar and painful memories from his past.
THE CHARACTERS
Below is a collection of photos and profiles of Nameless Cryst's leading and supporting characters.
"One thing you best know about me. I do not surrender."
Kyne Dibasi - A proper, British space smuggler with "ain't" as part of his vocabulary
A cocky and witty 24-year-old, Kyne abandoned his father and life of nobility at age 16. Now, he captains the Eridanus. Though it's clear that he is glad the Coalition forced the French to abandon their law against space exploration, it is also clear he holds a definite distaste for the Coalition. A fugitive of the Coalition, Kyne's only option for employment is to take on under-the-radar jobs like smuggling to make his living, which has given him quite the reptuation throughout the galaxy.
Proficient with several types of weaponry, he can hold his own in any fight. He is also quite the linguist, fluent in English, French, Russian, and Japanese. Though he at first comes off as arrogant and selfish, he has a good heart and unflinching loyalty to his shipmates. Having rescued Yuki five years prior, they quickly became surrogate siblings. CLICK HERE TO VIEW DIBASI'S WANTED NOTICE
"You always have a choice."
Cuaras XLIV - The beautiful and bold Frenchwoman
22, ginger, and ruthless, Cuaras [Kwar-uh] is the center of everyone's attention, as she is in possession of the precious cargo that both of Kyne's enemies (Bahir and Rogaud Loore) are after. She is quick to make decisions and has unbreakable resolve in the face of adversity. Though proficient in the ways of the universe, she has quite an old-fashioned way about her.
Her mother having died at the hand of Rogaud Loore's cohorts, she has been on the run alone for 6 years. A fugitive of the Coalition, she is designated as Subject Four and wanted alive. When she encounters Kyne Dibasi, she recognizes him from long ago and begs his help.
18 and energetic, Yuki was orphaned at a very young age, and when she was on the verge of starvation, Kyne found and took her in. Since then she has looked to him as a big brother and has learned all she knows about guns, ships, and the universe from Kyne. She has a keen interest in science and navigation and has thus become the Eridanus's co-pilot and navigations officer.
Yuki blames herself for Kyne's current predicament, as her kidnapping on their last job prompted Kyne to trade over most of his stolen cargo in order to free her, a detail that Kyne left out of his report to Bahir.
"You fool if you think you the only one who lost family to Rogaud Loore."
Algerov "Zyks" Kazynsky - The quiet Russian fellow
An unkempt, 25-year-old Russian with brown hair and goggles, he is Kyne's long-time friend, who serves as the ship's mechanic and medic. Only able to speak in broken English, he reads English children's books in his spare time to practice. Since he only speaks when necessary, not much is known about his years before he first met Kyne. However, it is known that Kazynsky's older brother, Lavik, was Kyne's best friend until he was shot down in cold blood by Rogaud Loore.
Knowing the truth about his brother's death 4 years prior, Kyne having hid the truth for some time, Kazynsky is out for revenge when Loore's name is brought up in discussion of their new mission. Now, he must choose between remaining loyal to Kyne or avenging his brother's death.
"Welcome to the end of your universe."
Dr. Rogaud Loore - The mysterious Coalition scientist
At 28, Loore has a deep greed for the Nameless Cryst and its power. Obsessed with completing the work his father abandoned -- turning the Cryst into the ultimate power source -- Loore will do anything to find and obtain it. And old adversary of both Cuaras and Kyne, he chases them across both land and space to steal away Cuaras's cargo, which he knows to be the precious Nameless Cryst.
Having once been a distinguished scientist of the Coalition, Rogaud has since become a renegade from his former employers. Now, Loore is without rules and consequences of the government. His run-ins with Cuaras have left him crippled, but he refuses to give up his scheme, which, if successful, would make him "like a god."
"We are shadows because of him."
Bahir Hashin - Kyne's ruthless employer
Of Middle-Eastern descent, Bahir once commanded a special unit of the Coalition under the charge of Rogaud Loore. After the Ul-Borta Purge, however, he left his service and formed a smuggling corporation with his brothers-in-arms from his Y-CoN unit. Kyne was also enlisted but soon turned on Bahir and left the corporation to live his own life.
Bahir hunted Kyne for two years and once he found him, he forcibly contracted his services for two years as payment for Kyne's debt to him, a past that Kyne refuses to talk about. Bahir gives Kyne one last assignment (after Kyne screwed up the last "last" assignment), which Bahir promises will clear him from his debt. This last assignment is to find and bring Cuaras and her stolen cargo back to him. CLICK HERE TO VIEW HASHIN'S WANTED NOTICE
"Do you think one person can make a difference?"
David Sarrik - The new addition to the Eridanus crew
Coming from a life of poverty and a tragic past that saw his entire family (save his sister) murdered, this 19-year-old has been promised a seat aboard the Eridanus by Kyne, his childhood hero and friend. Kyne frequently refers to David as the "kid" or the "klutz" due to his youth and his uncanny ability to trip over even his own feet. From the first moment he steps aboard the Eridanus, he becomes smitten by Yuki.
Throughout David's first days aboard the Eridanus, he is exposed to secrets of long ago and helps in the fight against Rogaud Loore's schemes. David, who seems ignorant and innocent at first glance, has a huge heart and sense of justice.
"It won't be long now."
Duugar - Loore's right hand man
A trained assassin and Rogaud Loore's most trusted man. Since his first assignment in Loore's guard several years ago (even before Rogaud met Kyne), Duugar has become his highest ally. A cold and callous man, Duugar seems unaffected by death and shows no mercy. Nothing is known about this assassin's past, and he follows any order given to him by Loore ... no matter how illegal.
When Loore's obsession over the Cryst brings them back to Kyne, Cuaras, and the second Kazynsky brother, Duugar despenses all his energy into helping his employer in obtaining it, and he will kill anyone who gets in Loore's way.
"Didn't think I'd see you 'round this place again."
Zafrii -- A woman from Kyne's mysterious past
Home to Ul-Borta City on Kathlitaya, Zafrii now owns the shipyard her father once ran. A family friend to the Sarriks, she once also knew Kyne and the Kazynsky brothers, having sold several ship parts to the latter throughout their earlier years. Over the years Zafrii has cultivated a strong yet sometimes cold demeanor in order to survive life after the Ul-Borta Purge, which made the living conditions in her sector even worse off than they were before the calamity.
When Kyne must hunt down Cuaras, it is this British woman from whom Kyne reluctantly seeks assistance. It is obvious there is much history between them, possibly a romantic one, but Kyne is not as up for reminiscing as she is.
"About damn time you realized what you did to people like us."
Damein Sarrik - The older sister of David and a very bitter woman
It's obvious that this woman has some issues with Kyne Dibasi, always ready to be the reminder of what Kyne did in the past, and though she never directly states how Kyne ruined her life, it is clear that she has never forgiven Kyne ... and that she possibly never will.
When Kyne comes to pick up her brother, David, to take to the skies with him, Damein takes this last opportunity to put Kyne in his place. Though she loves her brother, she cannot stand to look at him anymore, an unkind reminder of the family she lost. As such, she sometimes snaps out at him in anger. She now readies her things to make for Vegas Major where she will take up a new job and a new life far from the reach of the past.
PLACES & ITEMS
"Radiation brewed and spread and killed millions ...
then billions."
EARTH -- a world long dead
Earth saw worldwide destruction in the years 3028-29. Once the richest planet of the Sol system, it has since been reduced to a barren wasteland. "Earth-of-Before" as it is now called, is a planet that many of the New Expanse refer to in poetry and prose as the long lost home of the human race. Always a beacon of hope and majesty in these works, its surviving images and artwork inspire generation after generation.
"Only one billion made it to New Earth."
NEW EARTH -- richest planet of the New Expanse
New Earth and its three moons were terraformed for human life in the years 3036-42, and on April 6, 3042 the remaining one billion humans began settling its wide plains, mountains, and deserts. New Earth was found in the Mouldre system and in the 4000 years since its first cities were built, it has become and remained the central hub of human civilization and is surrounded by several nebulae.
"All of this over a 4,000 year old rock?"
THE NAMELESS CRYST -- an ancient artifact
This ancient artifact was the very tool of destruction used to wipe out nearly all life on Earth-of-Before. The Cryst (short for "Crystal") is named the "Nameless" Cryst due to the fact that no living soul (presumably) has ever laid eyes upon it, and no one knows of what elements the Cryst is made. It is truly a mystery to the universe, a stone that can cause the greatest of catastrophes ... but perhaps it could also hold the key to unlimited, wondrous power for the benefit of humankind.
Whatever the case may be, the current owner, Cuaras XLIV, will do all she can to keep it out of the hands of those that would use its power again. Cuaras will enlist the aid of Kyne Dibasi, a known smuggler, in her plight to keep it out of the hands of renegade Y-CoN scientist, Rogaud Loore, who wishes to unlock the Cryst's energy for the domination of the new human galaxy.
"Some things my mother told me, others she didn't."
CUARAS'S JOURNAL -- a journal of many secrets
Passed down to Cuaras XLIV by her late mother, this journal is one of two possessions she never lets leave her sight. This journal, having been passed down through the generations of her Cuaran ancestors, contains all the secrets of the Cryst that each Cuaras has discovered. The XLIV will continue the long tradition of taking note of anything worthwhile in this journal. The only difference in the XLIV Cuaras, is that she also writes of her many adventures, one of which will be her adventures with Kyne and the crew of the Eridanus.