Beyond The Glowing Whirlpool

Chapter 5: SATTERANS

Almost a month has passed now since Stacie's involvement in the Atlantis. She had a chance to really familiarize herself with the project, their base, and the crew. But she still hasn't seen even a single Satteran as of yet because they came to the Atlantis scarcely. Having never seen an alien before, and believing them to be just a figment of the science fiction world, Stacie was dying of curiosity as to what they looked like. At the same time, she felt really nervous, almost afraid even, about the possibility of accidentally running into them by chance, considering how everyone here talked about them. She learned from the others, that there are three specific persons that usually pay them a visit to keep tabs on the Atlantis. She also found out that one of the three was an heir to the throne of the Sattera. 

"How cool!" She thought to herself. "It's a bit strange though, to be in a realm where a monarchy is still a thing." Now she really wanted to see them even more. 

What would an alien prince look like, she wondered. They already visited Atlantis twice, during her stay. But each time she missed them because she was either busy with her assignment, or exploring somewhere in the city. 

One time, however, she did manage to catch a glimpse of them from a distance, when they were leaving the base. She knew right away which one was the prince because he was slightly ahead and the other two were few steps behind him, and there was a silver glint of a thin circlet around his head. And she also noticed that one of the two escorts was a woman. She'd only seen them from a far distance, and for a second, so she couldn't really get a good look at them, but she did notice that they looked very much like humans, only carrying themselves with authority. And were dressed like some warrior characters from some kind of sci-fi movie. Even from a distance, the sight of these supreme-looking beings was so overwhelmingly strange, that she could just feel the fierce air surrounding them reaching all the way to her, sending a shiver of goosebumps down her entire body.

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-Hey, I was wondering... - Stacie asked Alice once, as she was helping her with some manual translation.

-Yeah? - Said Alice.

-Why would a prince himself come to collect reports on our progress here? Wouldn't it make more sense to sent people to do that for him?

-It's more than that. - Replied Alice. - He actually is an ambassador, representing his race. And according to Satterans, it's one of the customary responsibilities of the next governor in training. 

-And his companions? - Said Stacie. - They're his security escorts, I take it?

-Yeah. And those particular two are also in training to undertake positions as his political advisors when he assumes the crown. - Answered Alice.

-It is strange though, that an heir to the throne is accompanied by just two guards. You would think a member of the royal family would be followed around by an entire armada of bodyguards. I mean, at least that's how it is with the royals on earth. - Expressed Stacie. 

-Hah! It's because you don't know Satterans, yet! - Laughed Alice. - Our earth's entire armada of royal guards doesn't stand a chance against those three alone! We are "not in Kansas" anymore, as they say. - She added, making her laugh. - So, strap your Toto in, Dorothy, and brace yourself for a life in a whole new dimension.

-I still can't get used to this whole thing, even after a month of being here.  - Said Stacie. - I still can't believe I'm on a different planet, where actual aliens exist. This whole experience is so... surreal.

-Oh, I feel ya. - Agreed Alice. - I have been here a year, and I still feel the same from time to time. 

-You know, I've only caught a glimpse of those aliens from a distance, but they don't look anything like the ones you see in StarWars or Star Trek. Or any of the other movies for that matter.

-No, they don't. But then, when those movies were invented, we didn't even know what aliens look like, because we weren't even aware of their existence. 

-True that. Are they... you know, decent looking? - Stacie curiously glanced at Alice. - I couldn't really see them well from afar.

-Decent? - Alice raised one eyebrow at Stacie. - They are downright the hottest creatures, I have ever laid my eyes on.  

-They don't look like "creatures." - Said Stacie. - They seemed pretty human to me, from what I could tell,

-It's a figure of speech. - Replied Alice. - You know what I mean.

-I'm just teasing you. - Replied Stacie.

Satterans pretty much were humans, with some differences. The main difference is that they were a little bit taller and maybe about ten times physically stronger than an average human. Their senses, such as sight, hearing, smell, and agility were also incredibly heightened. The biological traits for which you can recognize Satterans, are the unusual color of their eyes and hair. Their eyes ranged in variations colors from sapphire-blues, charry-reds, emerald-greens to amethyst. And their hair is usually jet-black for the most part, but sometimes you can come across shades either on more of a blue or purple side. Depending on how light it gets. Their skin color is slightly darker than an average Caucasian human. Maybe even closer to the ethnic groups in the middle east. With very few health issues known to them, Satterans aged at a normal pace and lived just a few years longer than humans. One unique trait about them- an amethyst hair or eye color is actually a rarity in Satteran genealogy and is highly valued. Those who inherited either purple hair or eyes usually had the sharpest senses. 

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Contrary to earthlings' first presumptions, Satterans actually are not aggressive, unlike most. Though superior in every way, very proud, and think very highly of themselves, they are usually not the kind to start conflicts. But when they are involved in one, no one stands a chance against them. And everyone in that galaxy knew that, so no one dared to defy them, and regarded Satterans with exaltation. 

Even so, that race wasn't particularly interested in seeking the ultimate dominance over the world, though they were more than capable. At least not the current governor of Sattera. They usually kept to themselves, living as discreetly as they could, and meddling as little as possible, they never took an unnecessary interest in others' affairs. They preferred to stay out of wars and take no part in any conflict if it didn't involve them, or came close to home. Making alliances only when it suited them, and deals when it benefited them. Their planet was the largest in the galaxy, and the richest in natural resources. It was the only planet in the entire universe, where poverty is nonexistent. Their society divided into clans and ranks and was governed by a monarchy. They've managed to build the greatest civilized empire, since Atlantis. 

 Atlantis was a long-lost most precious pearl of that galaxy, for which almost the entire world of that part of the Universe was searching. There were even wars breaking out constantly, as many nations fought over it until Satterans stepped in and the conflicts have ceased as the fear before this supreme race forced everyone to make way for them. But that doesn't mean everyone surrendered. Some harbored secret resentment towards them. 

Satterans searched for Atlantis for quite some time, before they discovered it on the Asuris planet, submerged underwater. And for quite a while, they were trying to figure out how to get inside the city without flooding it, which will happen if they were to break through the forcefield. They couldn't use the stargate on their planet to get inside the Atlantis, because they didn't have the code. As they were trying to come up with a way to get inside that city, something strange happened. The stargate portal inside Atlantis activated on its own, and some strange people stepped inside. At first, Satterans thought that the descendants of the original dwellers of the city had returned to it but after observing them for a bit, they learned that those people were some primitive race from a whole different part of the Universe, who uncovered one of the stargates on their planet and ended up inside Atlantis simply by chance. After learning more about those people and finding out that, though quite primitive, yet civilized and a peaceful race, who was more of explorers and scientists rather than warriors, Satterans decided to use this situation to their advantage. And so they made a deal with earthlings, offering them their superior military expertise, and protection, while earthlings dig into the Atlantis's secrets and share all their findings with them. A proposition from which both sides will benefit and which the earthlings couldn't refuse. And so that's how an alliance between the royal race of Satterans and "primitive, weak earthlings" began.