He, their elected leader, was a strong, ruthless, and smart man, though he always came across as simple. Just a man trying to survive in a harsh land with little other than his own strength. He always had a reputation for being cruel and ruthless, but they got the impression that he would never commit the atrocities which were constantly being whispered about them. He had never even been in a fight or knew of anyone who had, just people whispering about the deeds of his people, his 'followers.'
They were a nation of men, hunched and stubborn with armor plated skin, and bodies to match. The luster of a focused mind shone in the dullness of the otherwise brutish exterior. They were called Miners and they were rumored to have found a way to extract the metals and other such treasures from the land itself, as well as the alien ruins which filled the land. They were relentless in their work and didn't eat or sleep when working to achieve their goals, and they were efficient in their goals.
He was the head of the Miners. He had risen quickly to the position with his leadership ability and strength, an ever growing presence in their orbit, and now the absolute center of their civilization. They had thrust him into power without a fight. The Miners obeyed without question and none would dare to question him.
He was not a cruel master and even ordered many of his warriors to train the new slaves to live on their new home, to not forget their worth as men. Still, their commitment to the Miners was absolute and they were becoming better and better at the roles they were given. They were growing popular and respected. He was the first citizen to offer a mine to those who wanted to work instead of be slaves, and with the selection of the workers he saw as most fit, they would soon have the most efficient and profitable mines they could manage. Yet, it all came at a huge cost.
Nervous whispers were passed among the people as rumors of raids and slavery riots began to spread among the lesser slaves. They were given little to no protection and were easily kidnapped and sold at a high price. The Colonies always had an over abundance of men, but they still weren't enough to watch the mines and catch the slaves in their raids.
His people had recently discovered a strange new planet and had been on it for about a year now, though nothing much was known about it. It seemed like a planet of endless gold and exotic metals, but it was also supposed to have aliens of some sort, who looked like nothing other than humans. They were rumored to have allowed their planet to be taken over by aliens, but this seemed unlikely given the large number of humans who still lived on the planet and the small number of aliens found there so far. Regardless, it was becoming clear that this new planet, this new life, was a dangerous and deadly place for a human to live.
It was also clear that the new planets were filled with stronger and more aggressive life than could be found on the old Earth. It was believed that most of the colonies were destroyed by stronger pirates and fighters, who sometimes were proven to be from other planets, and other times from the colonies themselves. The humans were not the fortunate ones.
Mercy was a big part of the Miners beliefs and they spared many slaves if they believed they could be trained. It also turned out to be at the optimal time, as noble and brave warriors were turned into slavers as a savage form of punishment. Battle hardened soldiers would be sent out to colonize new planets with little training or time to prepare, and soon became the scum of their galaxy, raiding and enslaving at will.
There were stories of Miners who left their planet only to find their loved ones dead, or worse, turned into some kind of alien zombie that could only obey and serve. It was a good thing they didn't know what they were in the time before they returned to their homeworld, as they learned that they were dead and brought back by their own people as a terrible army against the aliens of their homeworld. They were defeated and their souls freed, but they had burned the planet nearly to the ground.
It had always been clear that a race with too many warriors would have to find new ways to keep and protect their people, but the Miners never envisioned it as such. He called them tribes and followed their lives closely, but now he had to keep them unified in a way he had never done before.
One night he sat in council with the others to discuss this new and strange problem which was beginning more and more frequently. The new world was a mystery and it was becoming clear that the way his people went there was a way to an unknown death. They were afraid that more of his war-like tribe would leave and become pirates once again, but with so few now and the danger of the ships found, they could barely afford to maintain the five they had ships now. It made perfect sense to send them to the new world to search for new resources.
He sat at the head of the room and spoke first, ''Let us assume the stories are true. It is good to recruit a stronger and more skilled crew. The Earth is full of beautiful women, and it seems that the women who work in these new colonies are at least as good as our own. Why not begin a practice of taking at least the hair and skin of a beautiful girl to replace the gray of our own? It could bring back the spirit of our people. If a Skin Surgeon can take hair and skin from the women, we will be fine. We will do well enough, with the men and the women.''
A tall and powerful man spoke up, ''They are only women, my chief. They are not from our race and there is no way to make them our women. We are only human and I cannot see how we will ever make such a thing work.''
''The Skin Surgeons have given us a new life on this planet. We are no longer as weak and helpless as when we came from Earth. The difference between us and them is not so great. We have to look up from Earth in search of new power,'' he said, as the man looked away.
He had to be careful. The group might not be as willing to aid in the misery and the loss of these people, but the one he was speaking to would certainly comply.
Let me tell you, Miners are good people. They are also good warriors and will punish those who disobey, but they are also kind and will spare slaves if they see any hope for them. Those who could not be trained to work in the mines were saved. They were treated with a lot of respect, if not actual love.
The man who led one of the colonies stood in the front of the room and looked out over the faces of his brethren. These people were very simple, but they were good. Their society was still new and they were afraid to make mistakes such as unhappiness. It was the lot of the Miners to show unity in all things and the people lived peacefully, without major problems.