The Vee'Lons are a reptilian species from the planet Vee'Lon Prime.
Biology[]
Vee'Lons are reptilian humanoids with hard scaled faces. Each Vee'Lon contains all the sexual characteristics needed to reproduce on their own.
Befitting of reptiles, they appear to be jittery creatures, on habit of twitching at the slightest act of emotion.
Silver was poisonous to them, causing a touch to burn their skin.
They have a weak spot around the backs of their necks, that when touched causes them to convulse, though this is a guarded secret only the Graaka are aware of.
History[]
In the past many of the ancestral trading routes of the Vee'Lons were claimed by the Central Command, causing some bitterness. Among the colonies that originally belonged to the Vee'Lon was Avalon.
In 2104, a Vee'Lon delegation led by Prince Gor'Dah were in talks with Ambassador Marla Baker, Colonel Erich Weiss and Commander Chennault representatives of Central Command at Fort Hope on Avalon.
The Vee'lons were willing to ratify the agreement, provided that the Vee'Lons military troops could be granted passage along the commercial shipping lanes. While the movement of troops was a worrying issue, Central Command was willing to conceded the issue, given if there was a mechanism to ensure troops were unarmed. The terms were accepted by Prince Gor'Dah, to the disgust of his advisor Lord Muk'Toh who perceived humans to be lying savages.
Regardless the negotiations are finalized. Though Baker's work comes undone when the impulsive Captain John Boon punches the Vee’Lon prince in a bar after the prince touched Private Jojo’s hair. Lord Muk'Toh used this incident as a prime example of how humanity could not be trusted and called for blood, which caused the situation to be escalated to a military situation.
Boon being unapologetic to the situation, expected an apology from the Vee'lons though it was the latter who demanded a formal apology. Ambassador Hardcastle who was on his way to finalize the negotiations, learned he would instead be on his knees apologizing for Boon's actions. Enroute to Fort Hope, Hardcastle expressed his furiousness with Boon, warning him that his actions may very well lead to a court-martial. Though the Hardcastle ship never arrived as his vessel exploded due to sabotage.
With no Hardcastle, to deliver the apology, Muk'Toh urged his liege to exact their own reparations. However Baker managed to convince the prince of the words of their Prophet, of seeing things through for peace. Gor'Dah impressed agreed to host the apology ceremony on his vessel with Boon delivering it himself to beg for mercy. There on the Vee'Lon ship, Baker presented the gifts from the Six Planets, pure black sand from the beaches of Ugala, salt from the mines of Dao, and a Fabergé egg from Earth. Only thing that remained was a gift from Boon. Just when Baker was about to give the prince a prepared gift, Boon without consulting her, interrupted the ritual gift giving, gave Gor'Dah his lucky 20th-century U.S. silver dollar. Though Boon made things things worse as silver was poisonous to Vee'Lons.
This second attack on the Vee'Lon royal was the last straw, and both Boon and Baker were detained to answer for their crimes and moved towards war against Central Command. The military authorities at For Hope begged for a peaceful resolution, though Muk'Toh speaking on behalf of his prince, demanded that the Vee'Lons would only be pacified unless the Vee'Lons ancestral trade routes were restored to his people and For Hope abandoned.
Boon and his crew were brought by the prince and Muk'Toh who accused them of high crimes, treating their offenses as a precursor to invasion. Boon pleaded that the prince kill him to avenge himself to prevent war, though the prince declared that justice would be served as the human and his accomplices would be put to death by spindle worm. However Boon challenged Gor'Dah to tuka, which by Vee'Lon law was to be met.
Gor'Dah accepted and held the duel at the site of the first offense. The challenge though caught Gor'Dah by surprise, as he did not expect the human would show such courage. He began to have doubts of his preconceptions of humans, as if one could show this attitude for their nation, then others could, making him worry that humans would be a foe impossible to defeat. He also began to question Lord Muk'Toh's counsel.
Thanks to his training from his Graaka friend Zylyn, Boon defeated the prince but refused to go through with kill his opponent. Muk'Toh attempted to kill Gor'Dah himself so that he could take command and incite a war against the humans, but Zylyn prevented him. Gor'Dah now seeing who the real enemy was, had Muk'Toh arrested, Gor'Dah admitting his loss, recognized Baker's cleverness and Boon's honor as a warrior leaving in peace.
Culture[]
Vee'Lons were said to be particularly war-like, yet cunning and brave, a reputation that even the Graaka recognize.
They are ruled by a monarchy and rule five of the Six Worlds. Those of royalty were regarded as sacred and to lay a physical hand on them was considered an insult. Normally offenders who strike a Vee'Lon, would be put to death. In matters of judicial dispute, royals act as sole witness, judge and court.
Vee'Lons adhere to several traditions, one being the Law of Tuka, a for of traditional combat in which one can challenge a Vee'Lon to personal combat using spears for their life. Those who are challenged may choose the setting of the duel.
Despite not having any genders, Vee'Lons can be referred using male pronouns.
They hold a Prophet in high revere who taught that "Fate does not Just and Fortune is not a matter of chance there is no existence out of nothing."
Vee'Lons revere three symbols in their culture, sand, salt and the egg.
- Sand represents fertility which shelters the inception of all Vee'Lon life.
- Salt represents the seas from which the Vee'Lon ancestors originate.
- The Egg represents from which all Vee'Lon life springs.
Source[]
- Space Rangers: Episode 4: Death Before Dishonor