The wildly corkscrewing lander entered the atmosphere at combat speed, echoing sonic booms and contrails of moisture in its wake, tinted black and gray by the fireball of superheated air surrounding the craft itself. Soon, though, the smoke, fire, and vapor dissipated as the pilot brought the lander to a sudden halt just a meter above the ground, then smoothly drifted down the rest of the way until the deployed landing skids took up the weight of the craft without a single jostle or bump.

The indicator light in the passenger cabin switched from red back to a warm amber as the pilots voice came over the intercom. Were on the ground, the pilot announced to the diplomats. Luckily it was also transmitted directly to their implants, because none of the five members of the diplomatic mission could actually hear the announcement over the sound of their own retching.

Thank god, Ayaka sighed, then closed her eyes and focused on what she was feeling in her toes to take her mind off her stomach, which was still doing its own form of acrobatics in her belly.

She slowly counted to ten, then opened a comms channel with Major Petrovich. Establish the perimeter, Major, she ordered, receiving an almost immediate confirmation. The status indicator on her combat helmets HUD updated as the reinforced guard company of marines rushed out of the lander at full speed and moved to create a fifty-meter-diameter perimeter around the lander.

Five minutes later, the perimeter had been established and an activity baseline set to prevent false alarms. All clear, Maam, the major announced.

Thank you, Major. Ayaka turned to the rest of the diplomats sharing the passenger cabin with her and continued, Well, lady and gentlemen, its up to us now. The future of the empire itself hinges on our actions over the next few hours and days, so lets get to it.

Without further ado, she released herself from her crash harness and forced her unsteady legs to support her as she hustled down the landers exit ramp where, just a few meters north of the lander, the tree that Joon-ho had been discovered beneath was peacefully swaying to and fro in the gentle breeze.

The five diplomats moved to stand in front of the tree, where they waited for... something. Joon-ho hadnt been clear on how to contact the trees other than simply going to the tree his new body had been nurtured by and waiting. Beyond that, everything was a mystery.

Nothing happened for a few minutes, and Boris turned to Joon-ho. Are you sure this is what we need to do, comrade? he asked.

Well, err... I think so? Joon-ho replied, a lack of confidence in his voice as he brought up his hand to scratch the back of his head only to be reminded that he was wearing an upgraded Mk. X ARES SLEEK suit, which was two generations improved over the suits ARES troopers had worn during the Last War. I mean, Id thought that

He was interrupted by a violent tremor shaking the ground beneath him. He stumbled and almost fell, but was saved at the last minute by a dark, almost black hand wrapping itself around his elbow and helping steady him. It seems your empires efficiency is everything you told us it was, an amused, feminine voice said from near his ear.

Ayaka was startled by the voice and turned around, looking for the speaker. On the opposite side of Joon-ho from her was a nude woman with her left hand on the teens elbow. She was slender and athletic, with only the barest hint of breasts and a flat posterior. Her face was slightly, yet exaggeratedly triangular in overall shape and she had wide cheekbones with equally wide-set eyes resting above them, between which was a long, straight nose that rested over thin lips and a sharp, angular chin.

Her skin looked like the local trees bark, all gnarled and so dark it was nearly black, and the hair tumbling down from the top of her head was a mere carpet of vines and moss, somehow knit together in a shape that was suggestive of hair without actually BEING hair. A pair of long, slender ears poked through the carpet of faux hair, running nearly horizontal to the ground and tapering to a sharp point at the tips. As the deep violet hair swayed in the breeze, a careful onlooker would see that it actually separated around the womans ears like water flowing around a rock.

Overall, her appearance was notably alien and evoked a slight discomfort in the diplomats as they looked at the woman from top to bottom. It wasnt just the alien proportions, which were completely unlike the Golden Ratioor Divine Proportion that dictated human appearances. There were also other differences, some subtle and some otherwise. For instance, the womans feet completely lacked toes, and her skin didnt just share the appearance of the local tree barkit actually was the bark of a Proximan tree!

The woman released Joon-hos elbow and threw both arms around his shoulders, drawing him in for a close hug. Its so good to see you again, Joon-ho! she exclaimed.

Its good to see you, too, Birch, Joon-ho replied, then reached up and pulled off his SLEEK suits helmet. I cant say as though I miss the meadow, but I definitely missed you guys. I think. How long has it been since we last saw each other?

Birch tilted her head until her ear almost brushed her shoulder, which would be practically impossible for any human to accomplish without snapping their spinal cord. Not long? Not short? I dont know.

Oh, right. I forgot... time isnt something youre good with. Joon-ho smiled at the Proximan woman, then turned to Ayaka. Let me introduce you, he gestured toward Ayaka, this is Captain Takahashi Ayaka, the leader of the Terran Empires diplomatic mission to the Proximan people and plenipotentiary of the Terran Emperor, who has a bunch of titles that would take a long time to recite so Ill just say that shes awesome as fuck and leave it at that.

He grinned at Ayaka and continued, Captain Takahashi, this is Birch, of the Proximan treefolk, who has no titles and Im sure is working on coming up with a better name as we speak.