Prince Zaymar, son of Queen Taipsir, was on his way back from Earth where he was on tour in his capacity as diplomat to the human diaspora.
Shulan had annexed the Northern province of Wotibunane (rich in resources) a few years earlier against the wishes of neighboring Kurakai, which likewise coveted them.
Zaymar believed the Kuraki to be “neiq adulinro, adotochérro, and adegulrro” yet he’d opposed annexation for fear that it would make an already turbulent political situation even worse.
Upon learning of Zaymar’s upcoming trip, the Urva Eak, a secret Kuraki revolutionary society of peasant students, began plotting to assassinate him.
Zaymar and his wife had received multiple warnings to cancel the trip, The prince knew that danger potentially awaited them. Zaymar attended two days of meetings, while his wife visited schools, and orphanages. The couple attended several banquets. On a whim, the couple drove one evening to check out The newly opened TerraCorps Mall of the Universe. While there, they attracted a crowd of onlookers, but were apparently treated with warmth and politeness.
Following a banquet with religious and political leaders, only one day of events remained before Zaymar and his wife were to return home.
That morning, he sent a boosted message to his mother saying they were returning home a day early due to his wife’s morning sickness. She and Zaymar and their two young children then boarded their private vessel, Malaak, for the long trip back to Lyrend.
Malaak was supposed to carry twelve Nad Amairro but instead had only three, plus three servants and the pilot. Throughout the trip, Shulani officials allegedly focused more attention on dinner menus than security details.
Meanwhile, the Urva Eak smuggled their weapons onto a Kuraki owned privateer, a small frigate (name unknown.)
When the Princess’ vessel passed by Station 85, their route having been relayed to the harbormaster, the rebel vessel pulled up alongside posing as a harbormaster vessel on spot inspection.
Everyone on board was slaughtered, including the vessel’s pilot. The enemy vessel departed and was never found.
Malaak returned to Lyrend, announcing, “Everyone on board is dead!” refusing anyone entry to her hull and would say no more.
She descended to select a new pilot. Initiating the investigation which revealed the connection between the Kuraki government and the slaughter of the royal family.
With tensions already running high among the alliance powers, the assassination precipitated a rapid descent into Intergalactic War. First, Shulan gained TerraCorps support for punitive action against Kurakai. It then sent The Kuraki Lis (their king) an ultimatum, worded in a way that made acceptance unlikely. TerraCorps proposed arbitration to resolve the dispute, but Shulan instead declared war, exactly a week after Zaymar’s death. By the following week, Danubia Prime, Muharad, Pordha, and The Gem Isles had all been drawn into the conflict, and other countries and colonies would enter later. TerraCorps troops were split between Shulan and the Kurakai.