The ship descended smoothly through the luminous clouds of Kheris. The interior of the ship, once silent, was now filled with the anticipation of arrival. The synthesized voice announced, "Landing authorized in private hangar. Kheris-North area."
The ship maneuvered into a structure that looked more like a large, old garage than a spaceport. The walls were stained concrete, and the air seemed heavy with dust and the smell of oil. A few other cargo ships, old and patched up, were parked in the corners.
Victor had his face practically pressed against the window, excitement vibrating through his entire body. "Come on, come on, come on... Just land already!"
Beside him, Zugiy was also watching, but with calm curiosity. It was the first time he would set foot on an alien planet. The feeling was strange, a mix of nervousness and fascination.
"Look at the size of those tools over there in the corner," Victor said, pointing. "You could take our whole ship apart with one of those. Don't you think that's awesome?"
Zugiy looked and, for the first time, replied to Victor with more than just a word or two. "Yeah, I do. It would be cool to see that up close."
Victor smiled, a genuine smile without arrogance. "Exactly! A place with history." He looked at Zugiy. "You're not that quiet when you want to be, huh?"
"Thanks for the compliment," Zugiy replied, giving a slight smile back.
At that moment, something changed. Victor realized that Zugiy's silence wasn't disinterest—he was just out of place. And Zugiy realized that Victor was actually a good guy.
The ship's ramp lowered with a creak, revealing the planet's air.
"Wait!" Victor said suddenly, worried, stopping at the top of the ramp. "The air... what if there's no oxygen? We could die just by stepping out!"
Melissa, who was already heading down, stopped and looked back with a bored expression. "Didn't you read the suit manual? It has an atmospheric adaptation system. It analyzes the air and creates an oxygen filter if necessary. Relax, princess, you're not going to die today."
Victor turned red, but relief outweighed his embarrassment. "Oh. Right. I knew that."
"Sure you did," she muttered, continuing down.
"Alright, team, focus," Ling said, naturally taking the lead as soon as everyone stepped onto the concrete floor. His voice was calm but firm, and after their talk on the ship, no one seemed bothered by it. "I'll check the location the girl's mother gave us."
He tapped his wrist communicator, and a holographic map of the area appeared before him. "Okay, the signal points to a residential district about two kilometers from here. We can go on foot to avoid drawing attention."
They stepped out of the dark garage, and Kheris's light hit them. The sky was a pale lilac tone, and the air was warm and humid. The city stretched ahead, a mix of low, curved buildings with lush vegetation growing along the walls. The planet's inhabitants, the Kherians, walked through the streets. They were humanoid, but with skin in shades of gray and light blue, four fingers on each hand, and most notably, a pair of elegant curved horns growing from their foreheads.
"Hello, recruits! Enjoying the tour?"
The cheerful metallic voice sounded right behind them, making everyone jump in shock. Victor shouted, Melissa pulled a small metal plate from her belt, ready to attack, and Ling turned into a combat stance.
Standing there, with her sensors swaying naturally, was Lola.
"Lola!" Ling exclaimed. "What are you doing here? We came on a different ship."
"I know! I snuck into the cargo area. It was fun!" she replied excitedly. "Instructor Kira asked me to secretly accompany you, to provide technical support, you know? But staying quiet is really boring, so I decided to show myself. Surprise!" the robot said, displaying a smiling face on her screen.
Victor placed a hand on his chest. "You almost gave me a heart attack, you talking tin can!"
"I'm sorry about that," Lola said, not sounding sorry at all.
Melissa put her metal plate away. "So Kira sent a babysitter."
"A super intelligent and charming babysitter, actually!" Lola corrected. "And I have useful information! For example, this planet, Kheris, has been in reconstruction for over sixty years after a terrible civil war that nearly destroyed their civilization. They are a proud people, but wary of strangers. Their technology is—"
"Alright, alright, we get it," Ling interrupted gently but firmly. "We appreciate the help. But every minute counts. We have a mission."
"Oh, of course! The mission! Rescue the little girl! Got it!" Lola said, giving a salute with one of her robotic arms. "I'm with you! Lead the way!"
With the new (and noisy) addition to the group, they began walking through the streets of Kheris. The locals looked at them with curiosity, but no one seemed hostile. The planet's beauty and the normalcy of life there contrasted with the dark urgency of the task ahead.