Human researcher Thalia was studying orc reproduction on the planet Virdans when she mistook the highly intelligent half-demon Xerath for a regular orc and taught him behaviors like courtship and scent marking. Xerath, however, took these actions as a pledge of partnership. Ten years later, he traveled across the stars to find Thalia, but misunderstandings arose because she had forgotten their agreement, and he ended up taking her captive.
