Rez Cantor (of The 5 Moons of Tiiana, by PT Harry)

https://theprotagonistspeaks.com/2024/06/28/rez-cantor-of-the-5-moons-of-tiiana-by-paul-harry/

This interview was originally posted to the Blog The Protagonist Speaks by Assaph Mehr. To read on his website click the link above.

Tell us a little about where you grew up. What was it like there?

I was born on the planet Barsin, but I moved to Melela with my parents at the age of three. My father was a military officer assigned to the Diplomatic Corps, where he later became the personal attaché to the Emperor. My mother was a professor at the Melelan Medical Academy.

My upbringing on Melela was stereotypical, though I did have issues with my father. He was away on missions for the Emperor, and my mother raised me. She was a kind soul, but like most undisciplined boys, I gave her a hard time. This led to my father enrolling me in military school at ten. Oddly enough, I took to it like a duck to water, though my classmates plagued me for my inherent entitled privilege.

After graduating at eighteen, I joined the Shadow Guard, an elite military unit assigned to protecting the royal family. My duties were standard fare initially, but I eventually worked myself up the ranks to become a Captain. During this tenure, I caught someone trying to fondle the Emperor’s daughter, which I prevented. The result sealed my fate as I was commissioned to permanently oversee the Princess’ safety. Little did I know then how much this would affect the rest of my life.

Did you have any favorite toys as a child? Any cherished memories?

I can’t say I had any real toys, per se, but I did love knives and swords. I think this was my way of emulating my father. He was a soldier’s soldier, and I always felt the need to win his respect, so excelling at martial arts and weaponry was a constant thing. I do remember slicing up the drapes in my room while practicing one day. I cut them to shreds, and my parents were not happy.

What do you do now?

My life today is very different. I am no longer the swashbuckling hero who saved the moons of Tiiana. Today, I am helping to rebuild our planet, Melela, alongside the Princess. The Relcor decimated our world, as they did the Empire. Things will never be as they were, but we need to move forward. Getting our planet rebuilt is a full-time job, as there are others who wish to rule. And there are faint rumors that Juc T’Krola may have survived Giragoc. If this is the case, we need to be ready.

What can you tell us about your latest adventure?

My most recent adventure was running into Penta. The young seductive survived the bombing of Corin and eventually became a resistance leader. Our initial meeting almost brought us to blows before we realized who we were. Though we are not always on the same page, both of us have the future of Melela in mind, and I look forward to collaborating with her.

What did you first think when you arrived on the moons of Tiiana? (Please edit)

As you might expect, I was completely at a loss when I arrived on Urlena. I had no memory of my arrival, and I was totally alone. This feeling was later compounded by my kidnapping by the Aquella. They took me against my will and made me a slave. Still, as horrible as the experience was, it became an asset. The surgery they performed on me ended up helping me on numerous occasions, and without it, I never would have accomplished what needed to be done. As I think back, I wonder if it was the Visi who guided the entire process. I will never know for sure.

What was the scariest thing in your adventures?

The scariest thing was the lack of control. There were so many instances where I was forced to bend to the will of others. Yes, I made hard decisions, but each moon was a trial and a struggle. The entities and environments I faced were challenging. There was so much to learn and master. I’m lucky to be alive   

What is the worst thing about your journey to Tiiana’s moons?

The worst was the mines of Urlena. I nearly died there. The underwater environment, laboring in the hot, stifling caves, was horrible. My skin was literally rotting away.

What is the best thing about the moons?

The best part of my journey to the 5 Moons was meeting Oolat. He became my best friend, and I wouldn’t have lasted a minute without him. I never would have imagined that someone so different and so far away from my previous existence would become my dearest friend and confidant. I miss him dearly and I’d love a chance to see him again, though that possibility is extremely remote.

Tell us a little about your friends.

My life right now revolves around the Princess and our children. Life for us is a process of rebuilding. Everyone we knew is gone, so we are starting over and that can be very difficult. I would love to reconnect with some of the soldiers I knew back in the day, but I have to find them first.

Any romantic involvement?

The Princess is the love of my life. Our return to Melela has brought us closer than ever. We rely on each other for our survival, and our shared experience on Tiiana’s moons has shaped our union in a way that words can’t explain.

Whom (or what) do you really hate?

My feelings of hate can only be directed at one individual. That’s Juc T’Krola. He is responsible for my father’s death and the demise of the Melelan Empire. He is responsible for the death of millions. I can honestly say I hope he is dead—that Giragoc devoured him. My chief worry is that he somehow escaped and is now alive on some unknown planet. If that is the case, we have much to worry about.

What’s your favorite drink, color, and relaxing pastime?

My favorite drink is still Toka, but it’s very hard to find these days. In its stead, I’ll settle for a good ale. I would have to say my favorite and most relaxing pastime is playing with my children. In my previous life, getting married and having children was highly unlikely. That, in itself, was one of the most surprising outcomes of my journey to Tiiana. Never in a million light years could I conceive a life where the Princess and I find ourselves married to one another.

What does the future hold for you?

The future today and in the near future is one of hard work reestablishing order on Melela. Everything was decimated by the Relcor and there are pockets of them still on the planet. They need to be exercised, and the people given the opportunity to rebuild. Things will never be the same. The Empire is gone, and it will never return. A new form of government needs to be established and the process is daunting.

Can you share a secret with us? Something you’ve never told anyone else?

The one thing I’ve never mentioned to anyone was my attraction to Penta. Not when we first met in the hostel, but later in the resistance camp upon our return to Melela. She turned into quite a woman, strong and capable, and I couldn’t help but admire her.

PT Harry grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada. During the hot summer days of his youth, he cut his teeth on science fiction through novels and comic books. Authors like Edgar Rice Burroughs, Arthur C. Clarke, and Ray Bradbury were but a few writers who shaped Paul’s youth. Burroughs’ influence with his John Carter of Mars series inspired Paul to write The 5 Moons of Tiiana. It was also Paul’s Las Vegas connection, working in the gaming industry as a Blackjack and Craps dealer, that inspired another one of his works: NanoVision. Paul began his writing career while attending the University of Nevada, where he co-wrote a musical before moving on to screenplays and novels. Paul’s creative nature also extends to gaming apps, though his true love is creating stories for people to read and enjoy.

You can find Rez on the pages of The 5 Moons of Tiiana.