1959, Earth time.
The air of Limados was alive. It danced with blue sunlight, and an effervescent mist covered the purple palm jungle as far as the eye could see. The wind surged with the music of the crimson ocean, and the skies were home to birds of every shape and size. The whole world was a paradise, and to an inexperienced space traveler, it seemed to be the most uniquely beautiful planet in the whole universe.
The three women who were walking across its surface, however, were struck by how familiar it all was. It seemed, at least to the human of the trio, Dr. Christine Jenner, that,
“We can’t get away from purple!”
Ygwa, who was a Lunan, let out a low, melodious laugh, hacking away some of the mauve brush with her machete as she did so. “We have only traveled to two worlds with purple foliage, doctor,” she said. “But I have spoken often enough of the lavender forests that covered the home of my ancient ancestors that you may have imagined you visited it.”
“That’s probably it,” Christine replied. “I’m fascinated by your stories of the ancient Sisterworlds. It sounds like your forefathers—excuse me, foremothers—lived such strange and colorful lives there. I’m intrigued by what you’ve told me of their mystical discoveries, too.”
“Those planets certainly sound much more enticing than the two purple worlds we’ve seen. Indirmog was bad enough—but Kolith was particularly irritating.” It was Iyosanda, Queen of the city of Uhmaon, who now spoke. “I only hope our business here doesn’t form a foul trilogy, and taint all purple planets in my eyes.”
Of all of the three travelers, Iyosanda was the most unique. Like her companions she was humanoid, but only from the waist up. Her body below her belly stretched out long and serpentine, and instead of just two legs, she had dozens. Furthermore, while Ygwa resembled a human woman, despite being of extraterrestrial origin, Iyosanda was not a human, instead bearing a resemblance to mankind’s primate predecessors, such as Oreopithecus. While she had no genetic relationship to humans, her ancestors had ruled over the Earth before the forebears of humanity arrived from the distant world of Tcho. On the nameless world they had adopted after their exile from Earth, Iyosanda’s people had evolved and mutated until they developed the centipede-like form that she possessed.
