Kielo stepped from the large dome which served as their colonies main hub and looked up at the sky. Pale streaks of lavender brightened the expanse above and a light breeze was blowing. It was a good day, she thought, to welcome their researcher to the colony.

She looked around the main area. There were still empty D.P.I.P crates around waiting to be carted off, but most things had been put away. Their science station was set up in a smaller dome and looked pretty spiffy, if she did say so herself. All in all, the researcher would no doubt be pleased by the progress they'd made so far.

Firelight was currently putting the crates in an orderly pile, at least they wouldn't appear to be messy.

Running one of her hands down the sides of the dome, she noted it would need to be scrubbed soon before the lichen and fungus of L'Hatzif took over. The fungal forest was a beautiful place, but the flora would invade wherever it could and if they weren't careful they'd end up with collapsing domes as the fungus ate away their houses. That would be a good job for the welps who'd joined, scrubbing all the domes with an antifungal, and perhaps Tarin and Lohi would be able to help. Speaking of, Kielo looked around for Tarin but no doubt he was off 'scavenging', whatever that was. He seemed reluctant to say what exactly it was he did when he 'scavenged', but so far he'd come back with some interesting supplies so she wouldn't question him too much about it as long as no trouble came out of it. If he was going to bring back things like chocolate and soy sauce he was welcome to his hobbies, even if she worried about the influence he was having on little Brrr who followed him like a lost flowering hound pup.

The sound of afterburners caught her ears and as she turned to look up a matte grey shuttle appeared over the tops of the towering fungus and trees. The small craft was small enough it would be able to land here, which she was grateful for as she hadn't wanted to venture far off to the port city.

Firelight came up beside her and sniffed. "These domes are going to need scrubbed soon. Maybe we should make a day of it and knock it all out."

Kielo didn't mention she was thinking of handing the job to just a few, Firelights idea was more reasonable. "Good idea. We'll see if the researcher joins us. It'll tell us what they think of themselves."

Firelight nodded with a snort.

The shuttle had landed a little bit off from the colony, perhaps the researcher thought they'd stir up dust if they landed too close. Well, there was no dust here in this area of the Fungal Forest. The humidity ensures the dirt clung to whatever surface it had been born to, and anything like rocks and branches the fungus quickly grew on, anchoring it down, consuming it and breaking it down. Recycling carbon, nutrients and soil to be used again by the planet.

The two walked to meet the newcomer. Technically she supposed this would be their boss.

The hatch opened and a ramp slid out. A humanoid female stepped out, duffle thrown over her shoulder. She wore textiles over her body, as humanoids tended to, and had hair bright like a lepo shroom. No sooner had she stepped off the ramp than the shuttle engaged an auto pilot and took off back into the sky without even a warning beep. A cheap rented model then, Kielo thought.

"Welcome to the Colony, Researcher Olga Ashdar." Keilo called out.

The researcher hiked up her duffle bag, a little unbalanced from the shuttles sudden departure, and smiled, "Thankyou." She glanced wryly up at the departed craft, "They cant even wait until you walk a bit aways can they?" Olga turned back to the two colonists. "I know you're Kielo, from out communications, but you are?" She addressed the Belamoid.

"Firelight, I'm being put in charge of foraging for the colony." With that introduction all three began walking towards the domes.

Olga nodded, "I'd love to go out with you next time you gather then, I've been reading up on L'Hatzif as much as I can but there's not a superabundance of material yet. I'd love to learn more about the fungus here." She eyed the surface of the domes warily, "Including whatever seems to be growing here," She scraped a bit of moldy looking lichen from the surface of a dome, "We should probably spend a day scrubbing this. Do we have antifungals for it?"

Kielo and Firelight shared a look over the Researchers head, she'd fit in just fine with them.

WC 804