"R'n D'kth or Radiance as the Humans call it is seen by many of my kind as a poor imitation of our original home-world Kn'nth. However, it is not meant to be an imitation, only an alternative. I have heard many call it the toughest planet in the World of Progress but harshness of life is not important to those who live there. They do so only so that Kn'nth does not become over-populated. That is the true toughness of the planet, living so far away from our true home planet."

M'thk, Operative Shaktar, currently working for Diversity, the Department of Racial Employment.

Situated in the Eradini Septi system and closer to Static than the Shaktar home-world Kn'nth, Radiance is a desolate rocky planet where 100 mile an hour winds ravage across the landscape, battering the few areas of plant-life that all of the planet's life is so reliant on. Radiance, so called because its natural rock radiates heat and light from the system's A class sun, is a harsh unforgiving planet where everyday survival is a constant battle.

Originally settled in 609SD, Radiance was a controversial choice of planets for settlement. Not because of its harshness but instead because of the decision of which race to settle on it. Following discussions with Lord Shahanti, High Priest of Kn'nth and all Shaktar it was decided that it would be necessary to set up colonies of Shaktar on other planets and worlds so that Kn'nth did not become to over-populated in future years. Radiance had been picked by Diversity because it was capable of sustaining intelligent life and although life would not be easy there Lord Shahanti looked to his people for volunteers. They were told that their new life would be hard and that to survive they would have to adapt to the planets strange composition and lack of wildlife.

Knowing that they were leaving behind a lush, rich world to one of stark contrast few Shaktar wanted to volunteer to what many referred to as an exile from all that was important to them rather than a new chance to aid the Shaktar race. However, Lord Shahanti's word had been spoken and in the end a little over 3000 Shaktar volunteered to start life on Radiance. From these 2401 were chosen and formed into 7 tribes of 343 Shaktar. They would be the founding tribes on the new Shaktar home world although the number of tribes would increase as the population increased. The remainder of the volunteers were not chosen due to frailty and old age, although most were secretly relieved that they had not been chosen.

In the 609SD the great Foldships Njord and Loki arrived to transport the chosen to Radiance. Among them was the younger brother of Lord Shahanti and the Lord's greatest advisor. Drth'n Sh'ntth had been one of the first to volunteer for Radiance and although Lord Shahanti had tried to talk him out of it he was determined that if those going to Radiance could not have their Lord present then they would have to put up with him instead. As equipment and supplies were loaded onto the Foldships a large crowd of Shaktar gathered to wish good luck to those who they would most likely never see again, such was the distance between the two planets. As the two spacecraft folded away the crowd slowly dispersed, as if taking time to realise that for the first time in their history there would be a whole planet of the people who would group up and live under a sun that did not share its light with Kn'nth.

"Today should be a day of rejoicing for our fellow Shaktar who have made this sacrifice for the benefit of our planet. However, I will go to sleep this night thinking that our world will seem a smaller place with out them here."

Lord Shahanti, 609SD, on the departure of the future colonists of Radiance.

"Although this is a sad day for all of us, we leave with the greatest challenge that any Shaktar have ever faced. We will show that it is not your planet of birth that makes you Shaktar but instead what is within your heart. We have been given R'n D'kth, 'that which shines with the light of the Gods' and we will make the most of it as any Shaktar in our position would."

Drth'n Sh'ntth, 609SD, talking to the volunteers from Kn'nth on their departure to Radiance.

Radiance: An Overview of the Planet

Radiance is the third of the seven planets in the Eradini Septi system. The Eradini Septi system is adjacent to Static's system and as such is one of the furthest systems from Mort. The sun of Eradini Septi is an A class star and as such appears white on Radiance. Radiating heat and light throughout the spectrum, the sun quickly heats up all of the planets in the system, although few planets can retain this heat well. The majority of the planets have circular orbits although the furthest planet has an elliptical orbit. There are also vast quantities of comets that orbit the sun some with orbits of over 10,000 years.

Covered almost completely in rocks, Radiance has gained its name following its investigation by a team from Diversity who named it after the strange nature of the rocks. Because of the crystalline nature of the rocks covering its surface Radiance reflects the sunlight and heat during the midday sun to the extent that it is very hard to see anything. This causes great fluctuations in the planets temperature between night and day, as the rocks do not retain any heat during night-time. This constant change in temperature also causes powerful winds to sweep across the desolate landscape, which pick up dust from rocks and help to further scour the planets surface.

Although there are no seas on Radiance there are still signs that water was once present over most of the surface. Great channels have been cut into the rocks, some miles deep and all leading to large open areas that must have once been seas. Nowadays there is no surface water and yet life is still in existence here. Underground streams still flow, leading to vast water filled caverns and sometimes through aquifers to the surface. Where these streams arrive at the surface, live is quick to flourish. In these areas plant life flourishes as do the many lizards and mammals that are reliant on them. Most of the plants are low level bushes, that huddle close to the surface to protect themselves from the wind. There are some areas of plant life, normally on the windless side of a hill, where taller trees grow, extending to a height of a hundred feet. These areas are rare, but tend to be where the majority of life is concentrated.

It is amongst these plants that the great Saurians of Radiance live, eating the vegetation, whilst the younger ones fight amongst themselves. The majority of animal life here is either blind, or can only see in black and white. The reason for this is that the sunlight radiated from the surrounding rocks, tends to permanently damage the retina of the creature. This can be prevented if excursions outside are limited to a few hours everyday and not when the sun is at its zenith. Most of the animals have adapted additional senses, or vastly improved their existing ones. Most of the larger ground based saurians rely on smell to locate fresh plants and also hearing to detect possible dangers. These Saurians tend to have thick armour and long necks so that they are protected whilst eating the plants from the highest trees. Because of their size, they tend to eat only at night times, preferring the coolness of nearby caves during the daytime, rather than the extreme temperatures of the day. Most of these giant saurians can store food and water as a fatty deposit underneath their skin so that they can go for many days without food or water. This is normally only used when they are trying to locate a new source of food, crossing the giant plains of Radiance.

Staying nearer to existing food sources are the smaller saurians. These tend to be lithe, agile creatures that use echolocation and a keen sense of smell to find food. Most of these creatures are bipedal, whereas the larger saurians tend to be quadrupeds. They tend to be scavengers, eating any plants, animals or dead flesh that they can get hold of. They are also very territorial, hunting in small packs to protect themselves from any larger scavengers. Mostly these creatures stay out of sight during the day time, preferring to attack at night, when their echolocation gives them the greatest advantages. Amongst the highest sections of the trees several types of Saurians have adapted to a more avian structure, allowing them to glide vast distances in the evening winds, and travel from one fertile area to another. As with the land based Saurians, they use echolocation to navigate although their eyes are good enough to see motion (even though they only really see a few colours). They tend to prefer flesh for food and have been known to land on the backs of travelling Saurians, penetrating their thick skins with their needle like beaks to get some food on their journeys.