Gate: War Of Two Worlds

Pina is walking back and forth in the palace main chamber. As she paces she hears another one of those flying beasts go by.

She is still coming to terms on what she just saw, these 'Americans' are just too powerful to fight. How could the gods allow this, letting such a powerful enemy exist? How can the Empire even dare to challenge such a force?

"What am I supposed to do? There is nothing I can do; I am completely at their mercy." She rambles, speaking out load as she pace. "They have to be beasts, but I saw people in them. They didn't even need to go through the city gate, they just fly over."

Before she retreated back into the palace, she saw those soldiers gathering up what remains of the bandits. The townsfolk all cheering the Americans for saving them. Today was a great victory but it did not lay with the Empire.

"Are we do little to the gods, are we so small to them? How could we even compete against that?" Pina asks herself, trying to understand the new reality.

Hamilton is sitting down on a step that leads to a small throne. She also is trying to be coming to terms what she just saw. "Maybe it won't be so bad Princess? You are royalty after all. They might go soft on you or trade you for something besides enslaving you or raping you."

She will stop and look to Hamilton after hearing that. "Are you kidding? Didn't you see that power? We are nothing to them. We are nothing to the gods. They are going to come in here and take us as trophies."

Pina begins to pace again. "I wonder what they will ask of me? Will they send me their leader or just toss me with the other whores since where do below them!?" She says, rambling again.

That is the rule of war, the victor gets to claim what they want. The strong dominating the weak. Over the past six hundred years the Empire has grown and taken over many kingdoms. That is the nature of things.

She thinks back to all the times the Empire had conquered lands, enslave the local population. The men would be taken to work in the mines or for personal sport. The women taken to become servants or trophies to the legionnaires. In all nineteen years of her life, she never once considered that one day she might end up as someone trophy. Her stature was supposed to protect her.

As she ponders on every scenario that might happen to her, one of the palace maids will come through the door. This one will be a humanoid bunny with long ears.

"Your highness, the leaders of the soldiers came to visit you." Mamina says.

Hamilton stands up and walks over to her princess side. "No matter what, I will be by your side."

Pina will nod and smile at her after hearing that. "Thank you, Hamilton, you have been a great servant and a better friend. It has been an honor." She then looks to the maid. "Let them in, it is time to face fate."

The maid leaves, going to get their American visitors. Pina stand there, holding herself up with pride, waiting.

She sees a few soldiers walk in. Four of them will wait outside the room, they must be their escort. Two men will walk in after the maid escorts them to the door, one of them being that Major Sharpe. These two must be the leaders of their army. To her surprise that blue hair magician will walk in with them.

Major Sharpe will speak first. "Colonel, this is Princess Pina."

Pins notices that 'Colonel' looks older than Sharpe.

The Colonel will then look towards her. "Hello Princess Pina, my name is Colonel Thomas Anderson of the 101st Air Assault Division. Under the command of the NATO Expeditionary Force. Do you mind if we have a seat?"

Pina takes a deep breath, she did not understand the meaning behind those words, but she understood the message, that this man is clearly important and high up their military. She could guess that he is even higher than Major Sharpe.

"Yes, we can Colonel Thomas Anderson." She responds, trying to maintain her cool.

Both her and Hamilton will take a seat. The other three will take their seats to, settling in.

"Just call me Colonel Anderson, thank you." Anderson says in a calming tone.

"Ok... Colonel Anderson. I want to start off and say thank you and your comrade for helping in saving the city." Pina says. She is hopping by appeasing them that they might be more leant on her and the people of Italica.

Sharpe will speak first. "Actually, we never would of hold if it wasn't for the people of this city. They deserve a lot of the credit themselves."

The Colonel will nod in agreement. "Credit isn't that important." He will say and then he will reach into a briefcase and pull out a piece of paper. "Princess, we do have a list of terms." He will then hand the piece of paper to her.

This is it, the fate of her and is on this paper and there is nothing she could do to change their demands. She will nod to them and then look at the list. "You write in our ways?"

"No, Mis Lelei La Lalen helped us in the translation." Sharpe say, giving Lelei complete credit.

"Ok..." She will continue in reading the terms. By the time she is done reading it, she becomes very confused by what she read. There are only a few terms, allowing trade between Italica and Alnus Hill, duty free. That NATO be allowed to establish a diplomatic outpost in this city and protection for the personal there. Protection to any trader from Alnus Hill and protection to any of the prisoners that they are not taking themselves. On top of all that, the Empire recognizes that Anlus Hill and the radius of seven leagues is now a territory of the United States of America.

There are some other small details but nothing in here even gets close to her best case scenario. Actually, these terms seem like them surrendering to her. Where is the offering of slaves, or tribute or anything? The only part that make since is claiming the land they already occupy, and she knows there is no way they could ever take that hill back.

She looks at both of them and she see the two men looking confused. It is probably her face that also looks confused. "What is the meaning of this? I don't understand your terms. Is this a trick?"

Both men look at each other and then back at her. "I don't understand Princes Pina, what is wrong?" Colonel Anderson will ask.

"You ask for nothing. I don't understand." Pina says in a distrusting tone.

The blue hair girl they called Lelei will look to both soldiers. "May I explain?"

The older man tells her that she can speak freely. She then looks to the her.

"Pina, these men do not believe in what you are thinking. On their world, it is different. Ownership of a person is considered barbaric. They also do not charge money for tribute or claim to take other people property." Lelei explains, speaking very frankly. She clearly does not care that she is speaking to a Princess of the Empire.

Pina cannot believe what she is hearing. Everything this girl is saying defies the law of nature, everything she was told growing up. How can a civilization operate in any different way?

"The Empire attacked their home and killed their people. They are here in self-defense but they are interested in finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict. If there is one." Lelei will finish saying. She looks over to the two soldiers and receive a nod of approval from Major Sharpe.

"What about these prisoners? You say they should get protection?" Hamilton ask now that she is looking through the terms.

Lelei will look to her now. "Yes, on their world, a prisoner of battle is given fair treatment. Once someone surrenders, they are no longer the enemy and no harm can be done upon them."

"In short, you can't sell them off as slaves or force them into slave labor." Sharpe will add to what Lelei said. "Here is an example, we have about five thousand of your people as prisoners of war back on Earth. When the war is over, we would be glade to bring them back, no catch."

Hearing that will amaze her, they actually have that many of her people and they have done nothing to them.

"Can I have a list? I know people who crossed the Gate." Pina will ask.

The Colonel will think for a second on that request. "That could be arranged but for right now I can't promise that. I will have to bring that up with the State Department, one of our governing bodies. But I don't see an issue in releasing a couple. Before we leave, if you don't mind providing a name list so we can see if we have them."

"Thank you Lelei for your help." Anderson says, looking towards her.

Lelei will nod her head, acknowledging his thanks.

Anderson then look back at the princess. "So, do we have a treaty?"

She looks at the paper again and think. This is very strange indeed, maybe they do not know what they are doing. That is when she remembers that flying beast slaughtering hundreds of those bandits in a short period of time. No, she can't assume they don't know what they are doing.

It sounds like she can refuse this treaty however, what is the alternative though? It is clear the war will destroy the Empire no matter what. We cannot come close to compete. Trading a thousand of our soldiers from every one of theirs, we will be undone. The fact is they are offering a peaceful resolution of the current situation. She will look back at them.

"What about this diplomatic outpost in here? What are you considering?" Pina asks.

The Colonel will answer the question. "It is to allow both yours and mine side to remain a diplomatic channel. So, we can talk and work out deals and agreements. There will be a few guards there for security, but it is not an occupation if that is what you're thinking."

After thinking on the treaty proposal, she decided it will be best to accept the, them being far better than she ever though. "I accept the terms. We shall have this treaty."