Nextuus- An arid planet on the far edge of Humanity's interstellar territory. This dusty planet has little to offer, other than a sizeable reserve of a useful mineral known as vaichon. Vaichon forms as a crystal, and grows readily in underground caverns across the entire surface of Nextuus. These crystals are natural amplifiers used in conjunction with energy production, and are highly sought-after. Tales on Nextuus tell of a vaichon crystal that grew to gargantuan proportions in an undersea cavern, far from the mining operations of man. Legend has it that this crystal, known as the Ocean Crystal, was used to destroy a powerful force that was attempting to overtake Nextuus long ago. The Ocean Crystal was shattered into tiny fragments, all save for one large piece, the Ocean Shard. It is believed whoever used the crystal originally hid the Ocean Shard deep within a cave. Its location was told to no one. Randall Lockheed, along with his crew and a pair of stowaways, has abandoned his plane in the desert. Now he and his associates are being hunted by the Nextuus Planetary Defense Force and the dangerous NIX organization. The mysterious Waywachrie are still trailing them as well. Safe for the moment, Lockheed takes stock of his situation, and attempts to learn what he can about his strange would-be hijackers. Meanwhile, the NIX starts to follow up on Lockheed and his crew, to determine where he may be going...