Nichole Marthes stood at a terminal of the Interstellar Alliance Ship Aximili. Around her, aliens bustled about, keeping busy as they went about their daily work. She chewed on her lip, tapping her right foot behind her as she read over the galactic history of recent centuries up to the 5100s when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to see a white tiger-like alien with four arms. Two of them were crossed, and he was dressed in the IAS uniform—a one-piece uniform that was colored depending on the department you were in. His was green, showing he was in command. "Yorlski," she said with a nod to the Resharan. "Can I help you?"

"Yes. The captain wishes to speak with you."

"What about?"

"I do not know. You will have to ask him."

"Fine." She sighed and pushed past Yorlski, walking down the hallway. She stepped into the dropshaft. "Third floor," she said and felt that dropping sensation one always feels when in a dropshaft. Finally it stopped after twelve floors flew by before stopping. She stepped out and walked towards the captain's chair. "Captain Sochor?"

The captain turned, running a hand through his graying hair. "Yes, Lieutenant?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Nichole ran a hand through her curly brown hair, then tugged at her yellow uniform. "Sir, you wanted to see me?"

"Yes, yes I did. We are exiting Z-space near an unexplored planet. I have chosen you to lead a small team of two to investigate the planet."

"Yes, sir." She paused. "Who will be going with me?"

"That is up to you, Marthes."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir." She nodded her head in salute and walked back to the dropshaft. "Um, floor…sixteen," she said, trying to think of where she could find the first of her two companions.

She walked down the halls, looking exhausted. This was the third floor she had gone to and walked around on the floor. The ship was the size of a small city, so it wasn't surprising that the scientist wasn't on any of the floors she had looked. Finally she saw a flash of tail. "Wait!" She broke into a run after the Andalite. "Ishtel?"

The Andalite stopped, swiveling a stalk-eye around. /Oh, Nichole. I apologize. I didn't see you. He smiled. Do you need something?/

"Yeah. I was wondering if you wanted to come on a mission with me."

/What type of mission?/ Ishtel questioned.

"I've been assigned to study a planet we're coming out of Z-space near," she replied.

/Sounds interesting. Who else is coming?/

"I was hoping to ask Sorine, see if she would be willing."

/Doesn't she usually avoid off-ship trips?/

"Yeah, but I was hoping she might." She shrugged a shoulder.

/If you wish. If she does not agree, might I suggest Fellrik Zhin? An archaeologist would be useful on a strange planet./

Nichole bit her lip at that, flushing slightly. "Maybe. I'll think about it."

/All right. When do we leave?/

"Not for another day. So I'll see you at the docking bay tomorrow at o'sixteen hundred."

/I will see you then,/ he said with a nod and walked away.

"Now to go find Sorine." Nichole went back to the dropshaft. Fortunately, the orange Orinu was more easily found.

She was on the eleventh floor, eating. The tentacles that came from her knuckles picked at her food as the human spoke. "Honestly, Nichole, I'm just not comfortable leaving the ship," the doctor said. "I think I'll be more useful here." She smiled.

"Okay. Thanks anyway," Nichole replied. "Time to go find Fellrik." She stood up from the table and went off in search of the Ventarii. It wasn't that Nichole didn't like Fellrik. If anything…that was the problem. She liked him a little too much and was afraid he might get hurt. But Ishtel was right. An archaeologist would be useful on the trip.

Fellrik was found, studying a bunch of rocks from the Hork-Bajir homeworld. He looked up as Nichole entered. "Ah, Nichole. Hello. Can I help you with something?" He smiled, his beak-like mouth turning upward. One of the many tentacles sprouting from his back reached out to pick up one of the rocks from under the microscope, and the eye in his forehead looked at it, as his other two looked at her. They were yellow with brown lenses. One of his six cat-like ears twitched as he awaited her response.

"Um…I was wondering, and you're perfectly free to say no, but…Captain Sochor put me in charge of a mission on an unexplored planet, and I was wondering if you would like to come along."

"I would love to," Fellrik replied, moving towards her on his six paws. He gently set the rock down. "When do we leave?"

"Not until tomorrow at o'sixteen hundred," she responded.

"Okay. I will see you then." He smiled again, closing his two main eyes, seemingly happy. Nichole smiled back and left the red alien to his work.