The planet Xortia is populated with generally mild folk who value nature and hard work, as well as lineage and tradition. Generally speaking, this leads to some dislike of Xortians who can't trace their family, who's pedigree is abused or live their lives off-world. This day and age, There's planet-side Xortians and Spacers, with the spacers less than valued by the rest of their race.

Xros is one such spacer. He has never lived on his planet of origin, never paid tribute to the trials of his ancestors. He knows their names only because he's read his genealogy. As well as all the other documents his owner must carry in order to claim him. His grandparents were enslaved long ago, possibly to settle dept, and service is the only life he's known.

When he was young and lived with his parents and their (thankfully benevolent) master, he 'trained' by caring for a little girl. Molly Rosalind became his friend and confidant, until he was sold and they parted ways.

Many years have passed since, and memory of that little girl was the only thing keeping him content with his life. The desire to reunite with her never tarnished. It only grew as he passed from owner to owner, manipulating and appealing where he could so he could keep traveling and perhaps someday return to her.

Until the day she purchased him.

His new owner, a vicious young woman and a space pirate by trade, didn't recognize the Xortian who read her stories at night as a baby. She saw only potential and profit. But he knew those eyes, that face. He couldn't recognize her smile, though for it had lost all it's innocence and been replaced with the toothy grin of an uncaring bloodthirsty wench.

But he would stay. Oh yes, he would stay. And serve her as he had sworn to do. At the same time he will soften her policies, provide mercy to her victims and reach every time he could to the small girl he once knew. Crow wasn't what Molly had become, only what she hid behind. Someday the mask would fall, and he'd see her smile...