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Two worlds, Arcellum (Are-sell-uhm) and Prator (Prae-tor) have spent the last three decades engaged in a war which has gained neither side anything but a deep, agonizing look into the terror and atrocities of war. But as is sometimes the case, neither side wished to take the first step down the road of peace; one side citing their reasons why the war should continue just as the other side cites their reasons. Both sides too bitter, too angry, too frustrated to be the first to lay down their arms with arrogance and stupidity as always, getting in the way of what "should" be done. And as always, the innocent are the ones who suffer, those who do not support the war, those who see other options, other ways but whose words fall on deaf ears. As with any war as with this war, the people are the ones who live and deal with the destruction and shortcomings of war. The people are the ones who see the destruction first hand with the loss of their homes, their livelihood or even their lives. In thirty years, neither side has achieved anything worth while, the flames of war engulfing dozens of worlds on both sides, having claimed over one hundred million lives and the over all monetary damage has been rated as "astronomical!" It appeared there could be no compromise, there could be no reasoning, that both sides would flounder, that all would or could be lost to the flames of war and destruction.
Into the fray came Angel Star, a Star Child who has heard of the war between these two races but has just now, finally been able to arrive. She quickly assessed the situation, talked to representatives from both sides be they politicians, generals or simply front line grunts. She listened to the people, heard their cries and pleas for peace and she knew that the war had run its course, that it was simple pride and arrogance continuing to feed the machine. Angel was not prone to violence, upon her birth, swearing her life to protecting the value and sanctity of "all" life, no matter where it may be, but here it was challenged. She knew that war is a violent affair and that sometimes, it takes a greater act of violence to end wars but yet, she also knew that sometimes, all it took was one simple act of self sacrifice of one side to another for the first steps of peace to be taken. But Angel also knew that sometimes, fear was the best motivating factor, especially when people can see with their own eyes what their arrogance will not allow them to see.
For nearly three weeks, she mediated talks between both sides and for three weeks, being too stubborn, too prideful, both sides refused to back down. Angel knew that drastic measures were needed and then, it hit her! This time, fear would be the point of fact she would use. After a cleverly laid deception to trick a few generals from both sides into attending the peace talks, thirty six delegates along with Angel Star, simply vanished.
Angel Star knew that only fear would work in this situation. Not the type of fear which is used to control or manipulate someone, but the kind of fear which makes one stop and think, to look deep within ones self, to question the very being of who they are. She needed to show them the road they were traveling and its possible end results. She had remembered two civilizations which have been dead for nearly a thousand years. Two worlds which had warred against each other for over a century and ultimately, in the end, they succeeded in destroying each other, their destroyed and ravaged worlds left as the only remnant that they once existed. Angel needed to show both the Arcellum and the Prator this was the very path they now walked upon in blindness. She needed to show them their potential futures.
Upon arrival on one of those dead worlds, Angel was assaulted by a barrage of wordy threats, questions and many statements which included one questioning her right to abscond with the delegates. Of course, the greatest threats came from the warrior race, the Prators but Angel simply shrugged it all off. Its not that she didn't care or wasn't concerned, it was simply a matter of choice, need and purpose. She simply started walking ahead of the delegates, her silence to their threats and queries her way of bidding for them to follow. With angered mumbles, infuriated grumbling and not without some curiosity and after a few stern glares amongst the two sides, they quietly followed Angel Star.
For nearly two hours, Angel led them on. The terrain was desolate and barren broken only by huge, massive jagged rock outcroppings scattered here and there as far as the eye can see with the only break in such landscape being the random craters of various sizes which dotted the terrain. An uncomfortable feeling blanketed the contingency of diplomats and veteran commanders, their eyes, darting to and fro, a chill, eerie feeling of emptiness crawling up their spines. Yet, silently, they continued to follow Angel out of a sense of curious fear their anger and indignity at Angel's audacity kept in check by growing knowledge that they were here for a reason. They each wondered what could possibly be learned from what appeared to be a dead world, what lesson could be wrought but soon enough their questions would be answered as Angel came to a sudden stop.
So involved in their own minds were each of the individuals, they literally jammed into a glut, barely avoiding tripping and stumbling over each other at Angel's sudden stop. They watched in quiet wonder as Angel cast her eyes about, looking long over the landscape, appearing to gaze deep into the horizon. She spins to face everyone, a distant look in her glazed over eyes, a creepy feeling filling each one who looked upon her. When she speaks, her voice sounds distant, hollow as though a voice speaking through someone or something long dead, long forgotten and quelling any who were about to speak to her.
"Silence! Listen! See and know," she says in a stern, scolding voice. "Learn from those who have been dead for over a millennia, two worlds who refused to end their war against each other, who heeded not the words of the wise or the concerned. Learn of their fate and why their cultures, their civilizations vanished into the mists of time." She pauses, turning to face the opposite direction, opening her arms in a grand, sweeping gesture.
"Here, the final battle took place, here they ended all that each race was, annihilating each other till they ceased to exist. In hatred, in anger, in arrogance and pride they fought till the bitter end. Know their fate," she explains, the level of her voice increasing until her final three words boom out across the landscape.
The Arcellum take a step back, their niggling fear and anxiety growing rapidly in response to the strength and power of Angel's voice. Even the Prator were cringing, their proud, warrior way seemingly being challenged by the authority of the Star Child's voice. Both sides look about, wondering why they were here, what did she have to show them and to what good could it do for the situation between their two races. Their answer came in the least way they expected.
Suddenly, the area about them was filled with the sounds of combat, the shouts and cries of those locked in battle, the various sounds of weapons fire echoing loudly and clearly about them. Soon, they could see ghostly images which quickly became real to their senses; shooting, shouting, firing, stabbing as the field of battle filled quickly with those locked in a dance of death. As the two sides of Angel's group watched, they could see clearly the aggressive, hostile way that the two armies threw themselves as each other. Though fear coursed through them, they were frozen to where they stood, mesmerized by what they were witnessing. They could clearly see the hate, the uncaring way the beings of both sides attacked each other, the look one develops when they've been whipped into a frenzied, fanatical belief of racial purity and the need to eliminate, annihilate those who stood against them... No matter the cost!
Chapter 2
What both the Arcellum and the Prator were witnessing was simple barbaric brutality. No purpose, no cause, no reason, only murder in the name of freedom, justice, religion or for whatever reasons these two former civilizations fought for. The Arcellum were appalled, their eyes seeing what their hearts already knew. They were white faced, almost sickly looking, too afraid to run, too scared to speak. They did not want to accept, or belief that their war with the Prators could ever come to such, but in the back of their minds, deep where people choose sometimes to hide the truth, that truth, echoed loudly and clearly as the thundering peals of the heavy weapons fire barking around them. Within minutes of this knowledge, most of the Arcellum peace envoy held their heads in shame. The peace which their race held in high regard, as they see now, nothing more than a sham, a purpose, symbol by which the leaders and generals used to rally their people. In this war, this fight, this barbaric battle to the foolish, empty end, they saw their future.
There was very little the Prator feared, very little they were not willing to face in combat both on the field of battle or in personal combat. They are a proud race descended from creatures which looked much like the Raptors of Earth's late cretaceous period and like their distant relatives, the Prator were hunters and warriors. Despite their tendency towards aggression and the need to seek combat and battle, they did live by a code of honor, a code, a belief which ran deeply within their society. Such was their way of life, that they saw others as weak, incapable of protecting or defending themselves and in a odd way, they viewed themselves as protectors rather than conquerors. The Prator believed their people were everything the Arcellum were not and right from the onset of first contact, neither side liked each other, their dislike growing over the years and after a few misunderstood mistakes by both sides, they eventually ended up in the embrace of war.
But at this moment, only two of the proudest Prator saw themselves as anything but protectors. It rang clearly within their minds that though they live by honor, they were nothing more than conquerors. In the eyes of these ancient soldiers that Angel had somehow conjured, they could see the hate and malevolence each held for the other as they violently fought on all in the effort to wipe the other from existence. There was no honor here, no glory, nothing to be proud of, only violence and death and suddenly, they felt a sense of shame, the blood of the innocents now staining their honor, dark. Since the first time they laid eyes upon the Arcellum, they had disliked them, even hated them but today, here among the voices of the past, the Prator hated them just a bit less. It was a beginning.
Soon enough, the voices of two long forgotten peoples of history vanished. The sounds of war and battle faded from their ears, the lingering stench of death wafted away, the acrid taste of it all leaving a sour taste in their mouths, the normal, battle scarred, empty and dead terrain returned to their eyes. When Angel turned to face them, it was evident how she felt by the emotional look within her eyes and those there, who had a heart, knew why she had brought them all here. But sadly, as is always the case, there are those who do not believe, cannot see, forever locked in their own view and philosophies, either too old or too stubborn to change, ingrained with many years of antisemitism towards other races. Such was the case of the two Prator military commanders who spoke up.
They voiced their opinion, voiced their disbelief of what they had just witnessed, accusing Angel of a ruse, an elaborate deception to serve her own ends. They voiced their disbelief of her, who she was, what she was, claiming that she was nothing more than an illusionist, a deceiver and because they've never heard or known of a Star Child, that she was nothing, nobody and her attempts at trying to prevent the war between the Arcellum and the Prator was none of her affair. In their opinion, she should go back to Earth, to her back water planet to inform her companions and others to stay out of affairs of which they are not involved. Even as Angel listened in sadness, she quietly acknowledged the threat of a "lesson being taught to Earth" if there was ever any further interference.
For the first time in their long history, the Arcellum's voices mixed with the voices of their enemies but to the same end. The Arcellum did not agree with the two Prator commanders, voicing their concerns that the war must end if either side is to survive. To this end, so voiced were the opinions of those Prator members, agreeing with the Arcellum. Despite what they had seen, born witness to, Angel could see where this conversation was headed and through it there was the possibility of another severe misunderstanding taking place which would only make things so much worse. She received support from the most unlikely of places but in the most unwanted way.
He was old, very old when compared to the standard age of a Pratoran and unknown to many, even his family and close friends, he was tired of war. He had lost three sons, a daughter and his life mate to this war and had taken but a few moments to understand exactly what Angel Star was trying to tell them. What he saw in the visions before him was the path he knew his people were on and in the end, their war would end in the same way. He was a proud Pratoran, a respected warrior and leader amongst his people but right now, he was just an old warrior who had seen his fill of honor and glory and at this moment, what he missed most, was his family. What he was seeing now echoed in his memory, the words of his life mate about how she believed the war between their two people would end in the destruction of both races. Like him, she had tired of the war, longing for peace and the children she would never see again but she had never given up hope.
Sadly, she had died in the assault of their world, Ragnor, part of a major offensive the Arcellum had attempted in an effort to bring the Prator to their knees. It had failed but had cost the Prator dearly and though the elders of the Pratoran race would never admit it, the rumblings within the ranks of the younger Pratorans and the voices spoken within the shadows now realized that the Arcellum were not a weak race, that by attacking one of their main worlds, they had proven themselves to be quite capable, quite dangerous but this was something he had known for years and had tried to voice within the war council but his words, his opinion had for the most part, been ignored. The war must end before its too late. Too late for the Arcellum, too late for his own people. Change, if it was to ever happen, must start now and the opportunity Angel was giving them would not be ignored as he had.
Without a second thought, the memory and wishes of his life mate within his heart and the faces of his children in the forefront of his mind, he drew his weapon and fired twice, vaporizing his two disagreeing, compatriots. So unexpected was his action that not even Angel could respond in any other way but to stare in shock and surprise at him. Like the others, she could only stand and stare in disbelief but when she looked into his eyes, she understood why he had taken this action. He had made no excuses, did not explain himself upon hosltering his weapon, only the look in his eyes gave understanding to the situation. Angel knew a bit about Pratoran culture and knew that change would be tough for them, that peace would be something new, but though she did not agree with this one's actions, she understood, so did the Arcellum delegation.
That was six months ago and change had been more than tough with the Pratoran race as the war with the Arcellum ground to a sudden halt, turning inwards into a civil war. Angel had not fully realized the popularity of the Prator who had killed two of his own so that peace could begin. When the Pratoran delegation had returned home, the situation explained to their war council. The council promptly rejected the explanation and just as quickly branded Zhugan Kore (Shoo-gan)a traitor to his race. It would be their biggest mistake and final folly as they underestimated Zhugan's popularity within the military; his honor and courage as a warrior, soldier and commander were well known and very respected by many, both within the military and civilian population.
Four months later, the war council replaced and the loyalists defeated, Zhugan handed the reigns of leadership over to those who were skilled and trained at such things but his work was far from over. He could not escape his destiny nor the task which had been bequeathed to him as head of the delegation to bring about peace with the Arcellum. The Pratorans saw him as a hero and the best chance to bring about peace to a three decade war, so did a few Arcellum, specifically those who were there the day he took destiny into his own hands.
Chapter 3
Angel had returned to Earth, informing the Alien Diplomatic Core of the U.N. of the situation and what may or may not happen over what she had started. There wasn't any reason why she had to inform anyone of the situation but Earth was her adopted home, a home where she had many friends and those she called family and it was the right thing to do. Though the world as a whole knew of aliens and knew that Earth was in contact with a few alien races out there, the people just didn't know to what extent. The special section of the U.N. informed their supporting delegates and special task forces of the potential retaliation by supporting loyalists of the Pratoran race and many of the meta groups, they prepared as best they could.
The months passed as they watched, listened and waited. They were kept abreast of the situation upon the Pratoran worlds as the civil war raged for four months and save for a "minor" situation at an "out of the way research facility", which was handled by the group known as the Gunslingers, nothing out of the ordinary happened. But not one person was willing to let down their guard over the threats Angel had heard that day upon the dead world. "Peace through diligence" was a motto taken seriously within the ranks of U.N.'s special section and when word came through that the civil war had been won by Zhugan and his followers, they could relax a bit but knew eyes and ears would have to stay focused, but the request which later was made of the U.N. was not something they expected.
A month after the Pratoran civil war had ended, the U.N.'s Alien Diplomatic Core received a request, not just from the Arcellum but from Zhugan himself that Angel Star be present at the soon to begin peace talks between their races. Both sides were disappointed when they received word that Angel, because of who she was and how busy would be unable to attend but willingly accepted an alternative, especially one suggested and accepted by Angel Star herself.
The Ranch, with its colorful and storied history was not only a horse ranch dealing in high quality horses of various breeds, but it was also home to one of the world's premiere meta groups. It was also one of only three groups which have had the privilege of dealing with other world species and because of certain situations, The Ranch received the nod and support of the U.N. Alien Diplomatic Core as three members were selected to be the mediators between the Arcellum and the Prator.
The fate and destiny of two races, whether known or accepted, was now in the hands of three people from Earth, but who understood the importance of the task which had been given to them and would willingly fulfill their role and responsibility with all due diligence and purpose.
"Hope burns brightly when two people remove the blinders of hate and arrogance to stop seeing each other as an enemy!"
**Continued in the RP, "The Road to Peace!"
Into the fray came Angel Star, a Star Child who has heard of the war between these two races but has just now, finally been able to arrive. She quickly assessed the situation, talked to representatives from both sides be they politicians, generals or simply front line grunts. She listened to the people, heard their cries and pleas for peace and she knew that the war had run its course, that it was simple pride and arrogance continuing to feed the machine. Angel was not prone to violence, upon her birth, swearing her life to protecting the value and sanctity of "all" life, no matter where it may be, but here it was challenged. She knew that war is a violent affair and that sometimes, it takes a greater act of violence to end wars but yet, she also knew that sometimes, all it took was one simple act of self sacrifice of one side to another for the first steps of peace to be taken. But Angel also knew that sometimes, fear was the best motivating factor, especially when people can see with their own eyes what their arrogance will not allow them to see.
For nearly three weeks, she mediated talks between both sides and for three weeks, being too stubborn, too prideful, both sides refused to back down. Angel knew that drastic measures were needed and then, it hit her! This time, fear would be the point of fact she would use. After a cleverly laid deception to trick a few generals from both sides into attending the peace talks, thirty six delegates along with Angel Star, simply vanished.
Angel Star knew that only fear would work in this situation. Not the type of fear which is used to control or manipulate someone, but the kind of fear which makes one stop and think, to look deep within ones self, to question the very being of who they are. She needed to show them the road they were traveling and its possible end results. She had remembered two civilizations which have been dead for nearly a thousand years. Two worlds which had warred against each other for over a century and ultimately, in the end, they succeeded in destroying each other, their destroyed and ravaged worlds left as the only remnant that they once existed. Angel needed to show both the Arcellum and the Prator this was the very path they now walked upon in blindness. She needed to show them their potential futures.
Upon arrival on one of those dead worlds, Angel was assaulted by a barrage of wordy threats, questions and many statements which included one questioning her right to abscond with the delegates. Of course, the greatest threats came from the warrior race, the Prators but Angel simply shrugged it all off. Its not that she didn't care or wasn't concerned, it was simply a matter of choice, need and purpose. She simply started walking ahead of the delegates, her silence to their threats and queries her way of bidding for them to follow. With angered mumbles, infuriated grumbling and not without some curiosity and after a few stern glares amongst the two sides, they quietly followed Angel Star.
For nearly two hours, Angel led them on. The terrain was desolate and barren broken only by huge, massive jagged rock outcroppings scattered here and there as far as the eye can see with the only break in such landscape being the random craters of various sizes which dotted the terrain. An uncomfortable feeling blanketed the contingency of diplomats and veteran commanders, their eyes, darting to and fro, a chill, eerie feeling of emptiness crawling up their spines. Yet, silently, they continued to follow Angel out of a sense of curious fear their anger and indignity at Angel's audacity kept in check by growing knowledge that they were here for a reason. They each wondered what could possibly be learned from what appeared to be a dead world, what lesson could be wrought but soon enough their questions would be answered as Angel came to a sudden stop.
So involved in their own minds were each of the individuals, they literally jammed into a glut, barely avoiding tripping and stumbling over each other at Angel's sudden stop. They watched in quiet wonder as Angel cast her eyes about, looking long over the landscape, appearing to gaze deep into the horizon. She spins to face everyone, a distant look in her glazed over eyes, a creepy feeling filling each one who looked upon her. When she speaks, her voice sounds distant, hollow as though a voice speaking through someone or something long dead, long forgotten and quelling any who were about to speak to her.
"Silence! Listen! See and know," she says in a stern, scolding voice. "Learn from those who have been dead for over a millennia, two worlds who refused to end their war against each other, who heeded not the words of the wise or the concerned. Learn of their fate and why their cultures, their civilizations vanished into the mists of time." She pauses, turning to face the opposite direction, opening her arms in a grand, sweeping gesture.
"Here, the final battle took place, here they ended all that each race was, annihilating each other till they ceased to exist. In hatred, in anger, in arrogance and pride they fought till the bitter end. Know their fate," she explains, the level of her voice increasing until her final three words boom out across the landscape.
The Arcellum take a step back, their niggling fear and anxiety growing rapidly in response to the strength and power of Angel's voice. Even the Prator were cringing, their proud, warrior way seemingly being challenged by the authority of the Star Child's voice. Both sides look about, wondering why they were here, what did she have to show them and to what good could it do for the situation between their two races. Their answer came in the least way they expected.
Suddenly, the area about them was filled with the sounds of combat, the shouts and cries of those locked in battle, the various sounds of weapons fire echoing loudly and clearly about them. Soon, they could see ghostly images which quickly became real to their senses; shooting, shouting, firing, stabbing as the field of battle filled quickly with those locked in a dance of death. As the two sides of Angel's group watched, they could see clearly the aggressive, hostile way that the two armies threw themselves as each other. Though fear coursed through them, they were frozen to where they stood, mesmerized by what they were witnessing. They could clearly see the hate, the uncaring way the beings of both sides attacked each other, the look one develops when they've been whipped into a frenzied, fanatical belief of racial purity and the need to eliminate, annihilate those who stood against them... No matter the cost!
Chapter 2
What both the Arcellum and the Prator were witnessing was simple barbaric brutality. No purpose, no cause, no reason, only murder in the name of freedom, justice, religion or for whatever reasons these two former civilizations fought for. The Arcellum were appalled, their eyes seeing what their hearts already knew. They were white faced, almost sickly looking, too afraid to run, too scared to speak. They did not want to accept, or belief that their war with the Prators could ever come to such, but in the back of their minds, deep where people choose sometimes to hide the truth, that truth, echoed loudly and clearly as the thundering peals of the heavy weapons fire barking around them. Within minutes of this knowledge, most of the Arcellum peace envoy held their heads in shame. The peace which their race held in high regard, as they see now, nothing more than a sham, a purpose, symbol by which the leaders and generals used to rally their people. In this war, this fight, this barbaric battle to the foolish, empty end, they saw their future.
There was very little the Prator feared, very little they were not willing to face in combat both on the field of battle or in personal combat. They are a proud race descended from creatures which looked much like the Raptors of Earth's late cretaceous period and like their distant relatives, the Prator were hunters and warriors. Despite their tendency towards aggression and the need to seek combat and battle, they did live by a code of honor, a code, a belief which ran deeply within their society. Such was their way of life, that they saw others as weak, incapable of protecting or defending themselves and in a odd way, they viewed themselves as protectors rather than conquerors. The Prator believed their people were everything the Arcellum were not and right from the onset of first contact, neither side liked each other, their dislike growing over the years and after a few misunderstood mistakes by both sides, they eventually ended up in the embrace of war.
But at this moment, only two of the proudest Prator saw themselves as anything but protectors. It rang clearly within their minds that though they live by honor, they were nothing more than conquerors. In the eyes of these ancient soldiers that Angel had somehow conjured, they could see the hate and malevolence each held for the other as they violently fought on all in the effort to wipe the other from existence. There was no honor here, no glory, nothing to be proud of, only violence and death and suddenly, they felt a sense of shame, the blood of the innocents now staining their honor, dark. Since the first time they laid eyes upon the Arcellum, they had disliked them, even hated them but today, here among the voices of the past, the Prator hated them just a bit less. It was a beginning.
Soon enough, the voices of two long forgotten peoples of history vanished. The sounds of war and battle faded from their ears, the lingering stench of death wafted away, the acrid taste of it all leaving a sour taste in their mouths, the normal, battle scarred, empty and dead terrain returned to their eyes. When Angel turned to face them, it was evident how she felt by the emotional look within her eyes and those there, who had a heart, knew why she had brought them all here. But sadly, as is always the case, there are those who do not believe, cannot see, forever locked in their own view and philosophies, either too old or too stubborn to change, ingrained with many years of antisemitism towards other races. Such was the case of the two Prator military commanders who spoke up.
They voiced their opinion, voiced their disbelief of what they had just witnessed, accusing Angel of a ruse, an elaborate deception to serve her own ends. They voiced their disbelief of her, who she was, what she was, claiming that she was nothing more than an illusionist, a deceiver and because they've never heard or known of a Star Child, that she was nothing, nobody and her attempts at trying to prevent the war between the Arcellum and the Prator was none of her affair. In their opinion, she should go back to Earth, to her back water planet to inform her companions and others to stay out of affairs of which they are not involved. Even as Angel listened in sadness, she quietly acknowledged the threat of a "lesson being taught to Earth" if there was ever any further interference.
For the first time in their long history, the Arcellum's voices mixed with the voices of their enemies but to the same end. The Arcellum did not agree with the two Prator commanders, voicing their concerns that the war must end if either side is to survive. To this end, so voiced were the opinions of those Prator members, agreeing with the Arcellum. Despite what they had seen, born witness to, Angel could see where this conversation was headed and through it there was the possibility of another severe misunderstanding taking place which would only make things so much worse. She received support from the most unlikely of places but in the most unwanted way.
He was old, very old when compared to the standard age of a Pratoran and unknown to many, even his family and close friends, he was tired of war. He had lost three sons, a daughter and his life mate to this war and had taken but a few moments to understand exactly what Angel Star was trying to tell them. What he saw in the visions before him was the path he knew his people were on and in the end, their war would end in the same way. He was a proud Pratoran, a respected warrior and leader amongst his people but right now, he was just an old warrior who had seen his fill of honor and glory and at this moment, what he missed most, was his family. What he was seeing now echoed in his memory, the words of his life mate about how she believed the war between their two people would end in the destruction of both races. Like him, she had tired of the war, longing for peace and the children she would never see again but she had never given up hope.
Sadly, she had died in the assault of their world, Ragnor, part of a major offensive the Arcellum had attempted in an effort to bring the Prator to their knees. It had failed but had cost the Prator dearly and though the elders of the Pratoran race would never admit it, the rumblings within the ranks of the younger Pratorans and the voices spoken within the shadows now realized that the Arcellum were not a weak race, that by attacking one of their main worlds, they had proven themselves to be quite capable, quite dangerous but this was something he had known for years and had tried to voice within the war council but his words, his opinion had for the most part, been ignored. The war must end before its too late. Too late for the Arcellum, too late for his own people. Change, if it was to ever happen, must start now and the opportunity Angel was giving them would not be ignored as he had.
Without a second thought, the memory and wishes of his life mate within his heart and the faces of his children in the forefront of his mind, he drew his weapon and fired twice, vaporizing his two disagreeing, compatriots. So unexpected was his action that not even Angel could respond in any other way but to stare in shock and surprise at him. Like the others, she could only stand and stare in disbelief but when she looked into his eyes, she understood why he had taken this action. He had made no excuses, did not explain himself upon hosltering his weapon, only the look in his eyes gave understanding to the situation. Angel knew a bit about Pratoran culture and knew that change would be tough for them, that peace would be something new, but though she did not agree with this one's actions, she understood, so did the Arcellum delegation.
That was six months ago and change had been more than tough with the Pratoran race as the war with the Arcellum ground to a sudden halt, turning inwards into a civil war. Angel had not fully realized the popularity of the Prator who had killed two of his own so that peace could begin. When the Pratoran delegation had returned home, the situation explained to their war council. The council promptly rejected the explanation and just as quickly branded Zhugan Kore (Shoo-gan)a traitor to his race. It would be their biggest mistake and final folly as they underestimated Zhugan's popularity within the military; his honor and courage as a warrior, soldier and commander were well known and very respected by many, both within the military and civilian population.
Four months later, the war council replaced and the loyalists defeated, Zhugan handed the reigns of leadership over to those who were skilled and trained at such things but his work was far from over. He could not escape his destiny nor the task which had been bequeathed to him as head of the delegation to bring about peace with the Arcellum. The Pratorans saw him as a hero and the best chance to bring about peace to a three decade war, so did a few Arcellum, specifically those who were there the day he took destiny into his own hands.
Chapter 3
Angel had returned to Earth, informing the Alien Diplomatic Core of the U.N. of the situation and what may or may not happen over what she had started. There wasn't any reason why she had to inform anyone of the situation but Earth was her adopted home, a home where she had many friends and those she called family and it was the right thing to do. Though the world as a whole knew of aliens and knew that Earth was in contact with a few alien races out there, the people just didn't know to what extent. The special section of the U.N. informed their supporting delegates and special task forces of the potential retaliation by supporting loyalists of the Pratoran race and many of the meta groups, they prepared as best they could.
The months passed as they watched, listened and waited. They were kept abreast of the situation upon the Pratoran worlds as the civil war raged for four months and save for a "minor" situation at an "out of the way research facility", which was handled by the group known as the Gunslingers, nothing out of the ordinary happened. But not one person was willing to let down their guard over the threats Angel had heard that day upon the dead world. "Peace through diligence" was a motto taken seriously within the ranks of U.N.'s special section and when word came through that the civil war had been won by Zhugan and his followers, they could relax a bit but knew eyes and ears would have to stay focused, but the request which later was made of the U.N. was not something they expected.
A month after the Pratoran civil war had ended, the U.N.'s Alien Diplomatic Core received a request, not just from the Arcellum but from Zhugan himself that Angel Star be present at the soon to begin peace talks between their races. Both sides were disappointed when they received word that Angel, because of who she was and how busy would be unable to attend but willingly accepted an alternative, especially one suggested and accepted by Angel Star herself.
The Ranch, with its colorful and storied history was not only a horse ranch dealing in high quality horses of various breeds, but it was also home to one of the world's premiere meta groups. It was also one of only three groups which have had the privilege of dealing with other world species and because of certain situations, The Ranch received the nod and support of the U.N. Alien Diplomatic Core as three members were selected to be the mediators between the Arcellum and the Prator.
The fate and destiny of two races, whether known or accepted, was now in the hands of three people from Earth, but who understood the importance of the task which had been given to them and would willingly fulfill their role and responsibility with all due diligence and purpose.
"Hope burns brightly when two people remove the blinders of hate and arrogance to stop seeing each other as an enemy!"
**Continued in the RP, "The Road to Peace!"
