He hoped the electric skies beyond the bay didn’t foreshadow what might come. It had been quiet around the bay for some time. But Raymond knew that the skies would open up soon, and the fury of their neighbors would reign down upon the town—or it could be just a thunderstorm.
Either way, Raymond was not happy. A thunderstorm meant people would be stuck inside his hotel, crowding the bars and public spaces. However, if their northern neighbors were getting ready to do what they had threatened to do for decades, they were all in trouble.
The land to the north was a dense forest inhabited by a species from another planet. They had settled on the planet eons ago, and over time, the two factions had learned to live with one another in guarded peace. There had been friction caused as the differences in their way of living had been magnified in the last few hundred years. The loud, boisterous humans lived with little regard for the damage they were doing to the planet.
Legend said they would soon send the humans a message they could not ignore. He’d seen what they were capable of before when he had lived with them years ago. The tall steel buildings and cities were no match for their power. People would die and property destroyed. Raymond knew he had to broker peace between the village and them.
Slipping out the back exit of the hotel, he took a little used path around the bay, hoping he could make it in time. There was no moon to guide him, but he knew the way well. Entering a clearing, he found the structures among the trees simple-looking but deceptively complex in their structure and functions. The light flittered through the windows was an eerie yellow—casting shadows on the surrounding objects.
Raymond’s heart thumped in his chest, and he willed his heart to slow down as Darthmoore stepped from a shadow upon seeing Raymond. They stared at each other. Raymond’s six-foot-tall figure cast a long shadow across Darthmoore’s short, squat body, covered in a mix of scales and long thick fur.
“I knew you come.” Darthmoore approached Raymond, holding out a thin boney three-fingered hand. They shook.
“How have you been?”
“Pretty good, It’s been too long.” They ignored the obvious topic of discussion and sat on a bench near one of the buildings. The yellow light from the windows made the drinks they held look even more foreign.
“You know what happening?” Darthmoore finely broke the prolonged silence punctuated by their sipping their drinks. Raymond nodded between sips. It had been too long since he’d had their special ale.
“There must be some way to stop it.”
“No, not this time, We have repeatedly warned your people that they were destroying their world—our world. They chose not to listen.”
Raymond sighed. “Destroying entire villages seems counter-productive.”
Darthmoore nodded in agreement. “I understand, but it is out of my hands. The Council has ordered it done.”
As they watched, the sky over the bay lit up, throwing light and fire deep into the night.
It was happening.
Either way, Raymond was not happy. A thunderstorm meant people would be stuck inside his hotel, crowding the bars and public spaces. However, if their northern neighbors were getting ready to do what they had threatened to do for decades, they were all in trouble.
The land to the north was a dense forest inhabited by a species from another planet. They had settled on the planet eons ago, and over time, the two factions had learned to live with one another in guarded peace. There had been friction caused as the differences in their way of living had been magnified in the last few hundred years. The loud, boisterous humans lived with little regard for the damage they were doing to the planet.
Legend said they would soon send the humans a message they could not ignore. He’d seen what they were capable of before when he had lived with them years ago. The tall steel buildings and cities were no match for their power. People would die and property destroyed. Raymond knew he had to broker peace between the village and them.
Slipping out the back exit of the hotel, he took a little used path around the bay, hoping he could make it in time. There was no moon to guide him, but he knew the way well. Entering a clearing, he found the structures among the trees simple-looking but deceptively complex in their structure and functions. The light flittered through the windows was an eerie yellow—casting shadows on the surrounding objects.
Raymond’s heart thumped in his chest, and he willed his heart to slow down as Darthmoore stepped from a shadow upon seeing Raymond. They stared at each other. Raymond’s six-foot-tall figure cast a long shadow across Darthmoore’s short, squat body, covered in a mix of scales and long thick fur.
“I knew you come.” Darthmoore approached Raymond, holding out a thin boney three-fingered hand. They shook.
“How have you been?”
“Pretty good, It’s been too long.” They ignored the obvious topic of discussion and sat on a bench near one of the buildings. The yellow light from the windows made the drinks they held look even more foreign.
“You know what happening?” Darthmoore finely broke the prolonged silence punctuated by their sipping their drinks. Raymond nodded between sips. It had been too long since he’d had their special ale.
“There must be some way to stop it.”
“No, not this time, We have repeatedly warned your people that they were destroying their world—our world. They chose not to listen.”
Raymond sighed. “Destroying entire villages seems counter-productive.”
Darthmoore nodded in agreement. “I understand, but it is out of my hands. The Council has ordered it done.”
As they watched, the sky over the bay lit up, throwing light and fire deep into the night.
It was happening.
