Based on the Dark Crystal movie and also based on many Dark
Crystal books that I have read. And the alien men are based
off of Star Wars. Imagine them as you will. Human like, but
still an alien race. Don't own rights to Dark Crystal.

A group of scientists of an alien race had designed a new dimensional device to help them travel to different worlds and anywhere in time. The device also showed pictures of where they would go before they would even step through the portal.

Before long, they spotted a world in the picture box. It showed a dark castle in the distance, then it zoomed in more. It had weird shapes on it. Then the it went inside the castle to show the occupants who lived there. The scientists always checked on the occupants to see if a world was worth visiting.

There were 10 occupants living there. They all were dressed in heavy robes, and their heads looked like vulture heads. They had two arms and were bipedal, though they had an extra set of arms that were dormant to use underneath the heavy robes.

To these alien scientists, these creatures surely looked interesting to study. Surely they could learn about them before maybe interacting with them. Their device would also take care of any language barrier problems. They would be able to communicate with them.

But first, they wanted to learn of these creatures. They also had belts that enabled them to go invisible should they have the need to escape or just not be seen. They knew until they found out more about these beings, they didn't want to be seen.

They got their supplies ready and entered the portal to this strange new world.

The planet was called Thra.

The scientists entered the castle from through their portal. Everything they needed they were carrying on their backs. Until they knew their way around this castle, they weren't going to leave anything behind. There were 3 men.

The Skeksis were now in the Crystal Chamber, having their daily Crystal cleansing to give them some energy. The men watched in interest.

They saw that these creatures sure looked mean, though one in particular caught their attention. He had a smiling like face. He wore red and black robes.

The scientists would learn more of him and his companions, but keeping a watch on him in particular. They would stay here for a number of months and just study these beings and get to know their habits and learn about them. And each one of them would keep an eye on things when it was time for rest. They would take turns on watch duty throughout the sleep times.

Once they got their energy in for the day, the Skeksis left the chamber and went about their daily duties.

The men were invisible to the Skeksis' eyes. They followed the one that had caught their interest today.

They learned that he had a wheedling voice, and he had a constant hmming going on. They later learned that his name was SkekSil the Chamberlain, but he was mostly called Chamberlain.

He had a habit of annoying the others when he was around. He was a sly one, and he tried to win the Emperor's favor constantly.

They also studied the others as well. Among them was a real nasty looking one called SkekUng the Garthim Master and General. He and the Chamberlain were particular rivals.

There was the tallest one, SkekZok the Ritual Master, who was also like a high priest. He did the daily ritual with the Crystal.

SkekEkt the Ornamentalist was the most female like. Making clothes and practicing singing with some little Pod people. Practically spoke like a female too.

SkekShod was the Treasurer. He bit gold and dealt with the jewelry and had very limited speech.

SkekTek was their scientist. They saw he wasn't the nicest to other living beings and he walked with a limp and had a false arm. And he had a glowing eye.

SkekNa was the Slave Master. He had a false arm too and a bad eye as well. He also fed scraps to the other Skeksis when they were hungry between meals. And he was in control of the Pod slaves.

SkekOk was the Scroll Keeper and Historian. He wore 3 pairs of glasses. He sounded like an old man when he talked. And he was a constant liar.

SkekAyuk was the Gourmand. He made bowls for every meal and supplied the food at the meals. And he was a big eater more so than the others. The scientists also noticed he and SkekEkt shared a special bond.

Then there was SkekSo the Emperor. He was the most power hungry and vicious.

They saw that Chamberlain was pretty much ignored, and more of the others had more of the Emperor's favor.

The Skeksis didn't treat each other with the best of respect either. They were all rude and crude to each other, though they just tried to get along the best they could without fighting, but they looked like they would enjoy a good fight.

Over time, the scientist aliens saw that Chamberlain was shunned by pretty much all of his clan. He hardly got his fair share of anything. Especially from the Emperor.

The scientists took pity on him. Though they found him to be so called a lord and he had a high ranking among his clan, somewhat below the Emperor, but he just didn't get that much recognition. And that was probably why he was whimpering all the time, for attention.

The aliens were now deciding to take a matter into their own hands. To give him something special of his own. Being scientists, they were also biologists and such too.

They had found that the Skeksis were also more lizard like too. They had bird like heads, but lizard bodies.

The aliens went back to their home dimension to get additional medicines and sedatives. If this gift was going to work, they needed this stuff. They even brought along a portable ultrasound machine.

Some species of lizards were known to change sexes if there was far too many of the same sex. The men were thinking of giving the Chamberlain an exam while he was sedated and see what the internals organs looked like and if it was possible, could they add to the number of Skeksis?

Once they had everything they needed, the men went back to the castle in Thra and now that they knew their way around the castle, they left the main stuff in the lower corridors of the castle, as the Skeksis didn't exactly go in the sewer like areas.

They knew Chamberlain's whereabouts most of the day, and at times he would venture off alone, and he did happen to get close to the lower areas of the castle alone. Now they were just going to have to wait and get him alone. Though the men were sure the other Skeksis wouldn't miss the Chamberlain's presence while they examined him and did their thing.

It took a few hours to wait him out, but soon, the men could hear him coming. They knew it was him because of the whimpering. He even did it when he was alone. The men prepared a dart gun. It was a soundless kind of gun.

They had a dart full of sedative ready and they were just waiting for the Skeksis to get in the right spot to dart him. They were sure it wouldn't harm him any and that it should affect him the way it would any lizard.

Reviews welcomed. No flames please.

This story will have a different twist to it.