The shuttle craft Renora streaked across the La’Ktosian skyline, its worn hull glistering everywhere it still could in the spotlight of the midday sun. The shuttle’s approach was hugging the planets equator, with a sea of lush greens blurring beneth it as it flew. Endless swaths of leaves and vines ocasionally gave way to patches of sand and exposed rock faces. Small overgrown rivers slowly carved their way through the unforgiving landscape.

Commander Dance piloted the shuttle across the tree tops, periodically glancing at the navigation system and making adjustments. Joined with him were Chloe, Ferris, and Trevor – the trio of ensigns. For the officers, new and old, this was everyone on board’s first away mission.

While it was primarily decided that the Vallejo’s role would be to provide spare shuttles to the other ships, Captain Dupree decided to send one craft of her own. This was a perfect oppurtunity for the junior officers, as well as Dance, to get some invaluable field experience.

Despite the friends best efforts to sniff out details of their mission ahead of time, they had been unable to learn anything more until right before boarding the shuttle. And even then, the details provided to them were quite sparse.

For most of the shuttle trip, the group had spent their times glued to the windows, taking in first the sights of space and the other California’s, then the continents and oceans of the world below, and finally the first close up glimpses of flora and fauna – even if it was mostly an unclear smear at their current speed.

The shuttle craft groaned as Commander Dance pulled up on the controls, sending them up and over the peaks of a densely canopied mountain range. As they leveled back out, a new sight appeared in the distance before them – the tips and tops of buildings, and the first signs of civilization that had been seen so far.

As the structures neared and rose around them, a clearing appeared near ahead, and the shuttle, for the first time since departing the Vallejo, began to slow.

“Alright, this looks like it’s gonna be it!” Dance briefed his crew. “Hold on tight, I’m gonna try to bring her down.”

The shuttle craft lurched and swung from side to side, as it lowered towards the ground, as if it were a large fish flopping through the air. Branches smacked and scraped the sides and windows, with some giving way with loud cracks, falling to the ground below. Loose debris, dirt, and even small stones were kicked up and flung clear of the landing site as the thrusters lowered the Renora towards the earth.

A metre or so above the ground, the thrust disengaged, and the shuttle plummeted downward to an abrupt stop, marking a violent end to the final few inches of their trip.

“Everyone alright?!” Dance called out.

“Fine, fine, we’re good.” The ensigns all replied.

The commander unfastened his harness and climbed from his seat, before heading to get a visual check of his passengers. Luckily, as they had reported, everyone was fine and appeared to be uninjured.

“Believe it or not, that’s the first time I’ve flown a shuttle.”

Just then, a loud banging sound erupted from the rear of the ship. A cabinet door on one of the storage compartments was shaking and warping aggressivly in rythm to the noises. Eventually, in one final bang, the door blew clean off and launched across the shuttle, before hitting the opposite wall and falling to it’s new resting place.

Dance scrambled for his phaser, and positioned himself between the compartment and the ensigns. He leaned and swiveled his head around, trying to get a view of what was inside. He took one step towards the opening, but before he could take another, a booted foot emerged from the darkness, followed by another, and then two trousered legs.

“I’m armed!” shouted Dance. “Come out slowly!”

There was more rustling around, as well as some grunting noises, as the rest of the mystery passenger emerged from the void.

“Here’s hopin yer aim s’bad as yer pilotin!” the man said, making his way to his feet and dusting himself off. A small bead of blood seeped from his hairline, and began streaking down his forehead and cheek.

“Chet!?” Commander Dance asked in confusion.

The man reached a hand to his face, wiping away the trickle of blood, before examining the red on his palm.

“That’s about the worst damn ride I’ve ever done had.” Chet said, before wiping the blood onto his pant leg, and turning to look at Dance.

“Hey stewardess, how bout a pack of peanuts and a warm towl for the old Jet here.”

Commander Dance stood dombfounded, staring at Chet in disbelief – the ensigns glancing rapidly between the two, waiting to see what happens next. There was a few moments silence, before Chet spoke again.

“Well, alright then.” he said, unsteadily making his way towards the nearest seat, before sitting down with an audible ‘ufff’.

“Sir, should I treat examine his head wound?” Ferris asked out to the commander.

“No, you should focus on his broken nose.” Dance redirected.

“Mr. Spedero, is your nose broken?” squeaked Ferris.

“Not quite yet.” Dance answered thru clenched teeth.

Another silence fell over the cabin. This one felt twice as long as the last. Chet was holding his head in his hand, while the commander paced back and forth, looking at the ground. Finally, Dance corrected his posture back upright, and addressed the crew.

“Alright. Guess there’s five of us.” he looked at the ensigns. “All of you, grab your field supplies, and prepare to disembark.”

Dance turned to Chet.

“You.. you’re gonna wait with the shuttle until we do some preliminary scouting.”

“So I’m jus the babysitter then?” Chet asked snarkily.

“Well, you’re certainly not the pilot.” Dance quipped sharply.

“That’s real funny talk there, hot shot, seeing as you jus landed this thing like a bird without wings.”

Dance began to grow visibly impatient again. He closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, which he held for a few moments before exhaling.

“You really never fly before?” Chet followed up.

“No. Well, yes.. I mean, no.”

“Well which is it, partner?”

“I’ve only flown in simulators before. The publicity office had me take a few courses so I’d look more authentic for promotional material.”

Chet stared at him silently for a few moments, before bursting out loud into exaggerated laughter.

Dance spun around violently, and headed for the shuttle door. “This is supposed to be a field training mission for the junior officers. I’m not going to waste anymore time on someone who had their commission revoked. We’ll continue without you.”

The commander punched a short sequence of buttons on the small mounted control pad. There was a loud hiss, and the door to the shuttle made some chunky disengagement sounds, before slowly beginning to lower towards the ground. As it did, the outside world slowly came into view. First treetops, then tree trunks, before finally… people?

Standing around the shuttle as the door finished opening, were approximately ten native peoples – the bulk of which armed and pointing their weapons into the now opened craft. One person was dressed rather fancily, in regal garbs and adorned with jewelry. This person took a few steps towards the lowered ramp, before addressing Commander Dance.

“Explain this intrusion at once!”

Dance look at the man for a moment, before glancing behind himself into the shuttle. Chet was stood up and standing not far beside him – he look at the commander and smirked, before asking:

“You were sayin there, lone ranger.”