Cretoria—a planet of just as many wonders as it has dangers.

The young Tal'jin had been focused on the planet, staring through one of her cabin windows for what seemed hours. Nephinae had heard of the planet in ancient lectures and documents, but to see its beauty in person was an experience that even descriptive writings could not outdo. She was amazed; dumbfounded, even, at the swirling mists floating over the landmass, and the clear blue color of the seas.

And now, here Nephinae was, ready to explore Cretoria alongside a mostly human organization of scientists and doctors.

Turning her gaze away from the window, Nephinae reached for her right forearm, activating the Tal'jini-manufactured data glove. For as long as Nephinae had been fixated on the planet, it was almost time for her and the rest of the landing party to prepare for orbital descent. Standing from her bed, Nephinae walked over to a nearby nightstand, and grabbed her pistol—sat nicely in its holster—to buckle around her waist. Her parents had forced Nephinae to carry it on her if she was going to travel far, far away from her home, but she had yet to find a need for it. Ultimately, however, Nephinae felt that it was better to be safe than sorry, especially when her parents' nagging would echo inside her thoughts.

Leaving her chambers with the few belongings she had, Nephinae began her walk through the numerous hallways of the Albertus Magnus that led to the hangar, passing by a familiar brown-haired human that would be accompanying them on this mission.

Stepping outside an elevator, Nephinae found her way to the hangar bay in a matter of minutes. A few steps ahead was her ride down to the planet, a large boxy-like spacecraft, hastily attended to mechanics and other personnel as they finished last minute preparations. Most would've not spared it a second glance, yet to the young Tal'jin, her eyes were lit like a child receiving a present. The acute shape was much unlike anything Nephinae had seen before, especially when compared to the rounded appearance of Tal'jini craft. Eager to learn how the spacecraft flew, Nephinae approached a nearby mechanic before suddenly being pulled back away from the crowd.

"Ah, there you are."

Turning around, Nephinae came face to face with a silver-haired man with glasses, who seemed to be quite taller than the Tal'jin. His expression radiated with warmth, with a grin from ear to ear.

"You must be Nephinae, correct? Since we're going to be a part of the same research team, we all wanted to get to know you, but we never could seem to catch you." The man replied, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. Truly, behind him stood a group of three, each with their own individual traits—an innocent-looking green-haired man who simply nodded at the constant babble of a fiery, extroverted kid, and a gentle woman who met the Tal'jin's gaze with a smile and a wave.

As if on cue, Nephinae flourished with red, clearly embarrassed. "A-Ah, my apologies." She spoke with a smile. "My curiosity tends to get the better of me."

"Happens to the best of us." The man responded in jest, having roused a slight chuckle from him. With his thumb, he pointed to where a row of gear had been carefully organized. "There is a space suit for you over there. Once you get settled in, I'm sure there'll be time for some chitchat for curious minds like us before our security detail gets here. Sound good?"

There was little to no hesitation between his comment and Nephinae darting off. "I-I'll be right back!" The Tal'jin exclaimed, wondering what she might learn from intellectuals like her fellow teammates. The quest for knowledge could never end, after all.