If any one word could sum it up, it would be beautiful. Everything radiated sheer purity. Nothing could compare with it, not even any of most prized planets in the Imperial Solar System's realm. No, this planet appeared completely untouched. It appeared so natural, peaceful, and quiet that one would conclude the only life to exist on the planet to be mere flora. Further examination would bring about a different description than "mere." Flora appeared to be the soul of this planet, reflecting exuberant rays, shades, and tones of blues and greens out into the empty darkness of space, seeming as to create a jewel within a massive expanse of absolute nothingness. One might even conclude that the shimmering atmosphere wasn't atmosphere at all, but rather the shocking radiance of the plant life. Any sign of possible animal life simply could not be seen from space. In fact, it would be almost preposterous to claim that animal life existed on the planet, for if it did, the beauty of the planet would surely be lessened.
Yet, once one set foot on this particular planet, one would discover a fascinating species, living amongst the flora without hampering its peacefulness in the least. A species so unique, so original, so unimaginable that it, too, could not be compared to any of the familiarities found within the Imperial's realm. The culture of this species was incredibly primitive, which, in its own bizarre way, contrasted so sharply with its cultural advancement that one would never had guessed the species could believe in the ancient rituals they practiced. These rituals in question seemed to be completely devoid of any hint at conflict, as if this species did not, could not, believe in war. Such a conclusion would not have been a false one, considering the planet's utter beauty and the pureness that this species radiated so intensely. It was almost like the beauty of the planet and its thriving planet life could all be owed to the peace and harmony of the species living on the planet. At least, up until this particular moment of time.
The species' civilization was massive. A population so large that it seemed impossible for them to survive so harmoniously. Not even the most heavily populated planet in the Imperialist realm could match the raw size of this species. Even those who had traveled throughout the Imperial Solar System would have been rendered speechless at the sight of this newfound land. This species' intelligence put all advancements made by the Imperialists to utter shame. Its potential for unsurpassable technology clearly indicated unimaginable scientific feats could be made on a daily basis. How the inhabitants of the planet were able to possess this potential without using it and without affecting the planet in any way was simply unexplainable. It appeared as if the species hardly ever used this technological power, nor did it appear as if they ever needed to utilize it. Any form of military was simply non-existent, yet evidence of militaristic potential was present. Space scanners indicated that this species possessed enough power, though what form of power remained unknown, that could obliterate the whole of the Imperialist Solar System with nothing more than the blink of an eye. The fact that none of this power or technological potential had ever been used would baffle any other civilization that existed in the universe.
This species, and its culture, obviously focused on two key beliefs, the first one undoubtedly being peace. The land's environment showed no sign of any disruption to natural processes, despite the impact that the population must have on the land. The air was fresh, filled with the scent of dense flora. Water so clear that it was transparent, displaying every aquatic organism in the rivers, lakes, and oceans to the deep bottom depths. Sky so pure that the blue it shone would nearly blind anyone who had never laid eyes on such beauty. Wind so gentle that it seemed like a storm would never form upon the land. Clouds so clean that they floated through the sky like fluffy passageways into the heavens. Terrain so smooth and gentle that one could see past even the horizon, completely free of any craggy mountains, steep valleys, or weathered canyons. Plant life so green that it gave a whole new meaning to an individual who only knew the drab color familiar to the Imperialist realm.
What could possibly be the religion, if one could even call it that, that this species believed in for them to act in such manner? What would cause them to not believe in war? What would make them live in such harmony? One could puzzle over this controversial concept for hours, not reaching a single conclusion. How could it be possible for a species like them to inhabit a planet such as this one? There seemed to be no logical explanation as to why the flora remained radiant and untouched while the huge population of the species managed to live so peacefully with such technological potential. Yet the answer to everything about this land was terribly simple.
What controlled the species, the planet? It is also the second key belief of the inhabitants.
Magic.
Some way, somehow, the planet harbored vast amounts of magical force. It was this magical force that governed everything about the planet, from its normal, or rather abnormal, geological features to the species that inhabited the strange planet. An aura of pure magic emanated from planet continuously, sending massive waves of energy out from the planet in all directions. Sometimes this magical force did strange things; other times, it wasn't detectable. Regardless of what this magic was truly made of, it most certainly controlled every aspect about the planet and its inhabitants. It explained the phenomenon of how such a huge species could live upon the planet without showing the least bit of environmental harm. It explained why the sky was so blue, the oceans to clear, and the terrain so gentle. It explained how harmony between the inhabitants and nature could exist at all times. Most of all, it explained how the pure essence of peace could be felt so powerfully on the planet.
Did it explain the species' culture, though? Did the magic explain why there was constant peace on the planet? Did it explain why militaristic forces were never employed? Did it explain why the species never used their technological power? This was another unexplainable part of the puzzle, and another one that, as one might have guessed, would have a simple answer.
If such an individual guessed that the planet's magic controlled the beliefs of the species, he would be right.
For this species felt the presence of this magical force at all times. It possessed each member of the vast race, just as each member possessed vast magical force. The close ties between the species and magic would almost make it seem as if one perished, the other would as well. How could this magic exist if the species didn't exist to keep the harmony and peace? How could the species exist if the magic didn't exist to govern their beliefs? The answer is, once again, simple. Magic and species did co-exist on this planet, and it was this precise tie that formed the basis of life upon the planet. It was this connection that enabled the flora to thrive as it did, completely unaffected by the inhabitants. It was this connection that enabled the species to have the technological potential without ever having to use it. It was this connection that sheltered the planet, its beauty, its peace, and its species from being consumed and destroyed by the darkness of the universe.
What was life like on this planet? Quite frankly, little is known. Few scientists even found this strange planet, and out of the ones that did, even fewer took the time to survey and study its behavior. Not a single alien living thing stepped foot upon the soil of this planet, and so nothing was known about the lifestyle on the planet, at least when it came to details. However, whence the day came that an alien body arrived on this planet, many things were discovered about the race that inhabited the planet. That alien body did not come in search of answers or to investigate the details of the precious planet and its inhabitants. He came for something else, much more menacing in nature, that happened at this particular moment in time.
Because of the mystical forces the planet possessed, one might guess that the species would be just as strange and mystical in its own right. If one guessed as such, he would be correct. What inhabited this planet was a species so strange, so unique, that it would awe and shock anyone.
Millions of anthropomorphized vulpines inhabited the planet. They all had many features specific to the human race, yet they combined closely with characteristics of animals. This species walked upright, spoke language, could gesture with hands, could run, jump, play, sing, and most importantly, possessed super-human intelligence. They weren't human, though. These creatures had fur, paws, claws, sharp teeth, tails, pointed ears, and muzzles. If an individual were to cross paths with a species of this type for the first time, they would instantly deem the species as strange, alienistic, perhaps even frightening. Yet, if one studied the species for long enough, he would determine that they were human in almost every right, save for their magical prowess, physical appearance, and harmonious beliefs.
What could summarize these creatures' culture? What sort of shelter did they live under? What type of religion did they cherish? What did their lifestyle consist of? These questions would be sure to interest almost anyone, particularly any anthropologist or sociologist in the Lylat System who would happen to stumble upon this civilization.
Yet if such a person were to begin research, they would quickly find and be disappointed by the fact that next to nothing was known about these anthropomorphized animals. What was known, however, would prove to be a solid basis for any researcher or scientist to hypothesize about the details surrounding the culture of these creatures. If one delved deep enough, he would discover anthropology records from hundreds of years ago, all hinting at what that particular person discovered when they briefly encountered the planet and its inhabitants. One would discover that as the years progressed, records became slightly more detailed, accurate, and reliable. If one were to examine current records about this planet, several facts could be proven true.
The first of these facts would be the strange information and description about the planet that has previously been described. Magical forces did indeed surround the planet and govern its geology and the lives of its inhabitants. That magic was the basis of their religion, of their very being. Some reports indicated a rumor that the inhabitants and the planet shared an unbreakable bond, a rumor that one would instantly deem unbelievable. What was this rumor? This rumor in question stated that if the inhabitants were all killed, the planet would self destruct. Why did this rumor start, and was it even feasible? The rumor was indeed feasible, but on what basis? Simple logic would point any scientist to the conclusion that the magic caused a special bond between the inhabitants and the planet, and if either perished, so would the other.
However, that rumor didn't concern anyone. At least, up until this point in time.
Scientists were more interested in the detailed religion this species practiced, and their lifestyle. Hypotheses ranged from mere rumors without any logical groundwork to lavish, detailed, and well-thought ideas presented by some of the greatest anthropologists and sociologists in the Lylat System's entire history. The most well-known of these theories was presented by an elderly hare, who was most certainly still living, and was an undercover surveillance manager who worked closely with the Cornerian government to report on this planet's daily behavior.
If one guessed that this individual was Weston Promple, he would be correct.
Promple spent his entire life until present day studying and hypothesizing about the planet. Almost every month the planet would do something so utterly unexpected that he would have to completely rethink its geological nature. Promple felt that he had effectively answered as many anthropological questions as he could with what information he had found, and he needed to know more about the geology of the land before he could continue further with the culture and lifestyle of the species. All of his findings were very detailed, and provided much groundwork for other anthropologists and sociologists to adapt their own theories in attempts to further explain the lifestyle of these creatures. Indeed, he continually encountered new things about the planet's geological aspects and often saw things he'd never seen before, sometimes confirming rumors or disproving them, but he was very solid from the anthropological approach of his studies. He confirmed rumor after rumor, theory after theory, and pieced together all of the important things about the creatures inhabiting the planet.
First out of everything, he managed to discover the anatomical biology of the species. Nearly all reports indicated that the inhabitants were much like all of the other furs living in the Lylat System. That is, they were all anthropomorphized creatures. However, unlike the Lylat System, only one race lived on the planet. Out of the millions of inhabitants, they were all the same race. Promple's studies pointed to the fact that these creatures were all vulpines, a single species of foxes. They all possessed the normal characteristics of vulpines in the Lylat System, save for one strange detail. Their fur color was a striking shade of cerulean blue, a fur color never before possessed by any other anthropomorphized animal. The color difference wasn't the only difference, however, as the inhabitants were reported to have multiple tattoos on their bodies, likely of religious importance.
What was the religion of this race? Promple wasn't able to go into much detail on their religion due to the fact that he encountered numerous unreliable resources that nearly all differed. He dismissed the fact as simply being too many anthropologists and sociologists interjecting their own personal religious viewpoints, thereby marring any credible reports of what the inhabitants really believed in. Regardless of the discrepancy, Promple found that all of the reports obviously pointed in the direction that the inhabitants strongly believed in and worshipped the magical forces controlling the planet. He discovered that they highly regarded the natural state of the planet, and they refrained from all activities that would be damaging to the balance of the land, which would create an imbalance in the magical forces. As a result of this, the inhabitants lived an amazingly simplistic lifestyle, even though they had the resources, power, and knowledge to rival and surpass even the most powerful planet in the Lylat System.
To conclude all of his findings, Promple brought together and combined the most feasible hypotheses as to the inhabitant's lifestyle. They lived in simple shelters built out of natural resources such as stone, but their architecture became much more sophisticated and beautiful when it came to temples, academies, or civilization centers. They would obey the laws of the magic at all times, continually respecting the land and keeping the peace and natural balance. When it came to their daily lifestyle, Promple concluded that he couldn't justifiably theorize without more information about the inhabitants, their land, or by personally stepping foot upon the land and studying the inhabitants in great detail. Unfortunately, he couldn't do the latter method, as the planet no longer existed, due to the fact of an event that happened at this particular moment in time. So, he resorted to the second option, surveying the geological features of the planet. At least, what was left of them.
After completing his research on the lifestyle of the species, Promple turned to the geology and studied it closely, discovering important and strange things that made him wrack his brain in attempts to explain his findings. In fact, Promple would go on to make the single most important discovery in all of Lylat's history, one that would thrust the System into the largest war it ever experienced.
What prevented anyone to discover more information about the planet, even Promple? Why would an individual, especially an anthropologist, discover such a planet and simply not feel the urge to investigate further? Clearly, any aspect about the planet would be unique enough to intrigue even the least interested individual. How could a planet such as this one seemingly exist without being examined in more detail? How could such a vast system such as Lylat possess this planet with knowing next to nothing about it? Most importantly, why didn't anyone seem to care? These bizarre questions are enough to drive any normal individual to the point of insanity. Once again, the answer proves to be simple enough. It's the exact thing that controls the planet that also controls all alien individuals who are fortunate enough to stumble upon such an amazing discovery: magic. The magic emanating from the planet, in some weird and utterly unexplainable way, was able to prevent any individual from growing curious enough about it to learn too much information and thus jeopardize the peace on the planet.
It has been mentioned that something of important significance has happened at this point in time. Clearly, nothing could mar the harmonious peace that this species enjoyed. Sadly, there was something so evil, brutal, and unfathomably terrible that could so cruelly destroy the radiating peace emanating from the planet.
There was only one problem that existed within this gem of a land.
Massacre.
Massacre so gruesome that one accustomed to the beauty radiating from the land would keel in disgust. Any individual to witness the sight would instantly jerk their head away in horror, shutting their eyes as tightly as possible. Even that wouldn't be enough to remove the burned-in image of millions of massacred bodies piled atop one another so unceremoniously and gruesomely. The stench of death from this massacre overwhelmed even the power of fresh scent of the flora. The air became so polluted with death that plants seemed to wither away and turn to ash from the reek while the air itself vanished into the empty, dark vacuum of space. Water that was once clear as diamond turned to black in color and vaporized with the shrill hiss of some type of chemical reaction. Terrain seemed to erode underneath the massacred bodies, swallowing them into their graves of soil.
There existed only one race that would consider this peaceful untouched land to be a threat and thus decide on an action as rash as massacre.
Aye, the Imperialist Solar System.