On the fifth month, they arrived at their destination. A planetary system orbiting a red dwarf.

“Hmm.. Boss, high chance we’ll not finding any life here..” said Garland.

“But still.. there’s a small chance-” Rein hoped.

“Hopefully.. unlike our last destination..” Sierra nodded.

Kincade steered their ship deeper into the planetary system. After passing several giant planets, they stumbled upon a rather dim terrestrial planet, the land was mostly red.

“Atmosphere and ocean!” Eleanor beamed.

“But how?” Garland confused “at this distance-”

"Hmm.." Kincade looking at something "There's a heat source nearby.."

Garland flicked his visor down "You’re right, something projecting heat."

"What is it?" asked Rein.

Kincade moved their ship towards the heat source. It was a large bright object orbiting the planet.

"Woah!" Sierra’ mouth agape.

“A crystal?” Eleanor wondered.

Asha informed them it was made of unknown gemstone. It intensifying the heat from the red dwarf and had quite strong gravitational force enabling the planet to spin.

"Boss, this worth investigating.."

Rein nodded. He told Kincade dove into the planet “That largest continent.”

"Alright!" he pushed the steer, and their ship entered the atmosphere.

Leaving the cloud, they could see the land below them, covered with red trees.

"It's like in autumn.." Dianna bubbled.

"Look there!" Rose pointed “It’s a road!”

“Follow it!”

They flew above the road until it led them to a city with huge green palace on the middle. In front the entrance gate, there were dozen of carriage being pulled by huge deer like animal with spiral horns, waiting for their turns to entered the city.

"Asha, sent drone and find a safe place to land," said Rein.

A while later she gave them a coordinate.

 

They landed on a big patch of land surrounded by tall trees and hills. The place was secluded, far away from the civilization.

“Now sent the drones to learn their culture and language,” Rein told Asha.

Not long later, the drones finally arrived at the city. The place was bustling with activity, it seemed the locals were having a festival at the town square. They were busy erecting stalls and putting up the display. This gave Rein an idea.

He looked at Sierra “Is it possible to disguise ourselves as the locals?”

She looked at the monitor “Hmm.. they looks like us aside from those long ears and pupils..”

“We also need a carriage, and item to sell."

"What's your plan, boss?" asked Garland.

Rein raised his finger "Well be a merchant and join the festival.”

Eleanor said "But, we need to do something with that gate.."

Only visitor who had a wooden card with engraved symbol on it was allowed to enter the city.

"Sierra.. can you make that card?"

She tapped her chest, smugly said “Easy! But I’m going to need more material. Asha sent more drones, gather some ore and wood, also sent me the data of their culture.”

“Need help?” Rose asked.

“Yeah.”

"I'll help too.." Dianna raised her hand.

Sierra looked at her "Urgh.. okay.." before leaving the bridge. Dianna followed her suit, along with Eleanor and Rose.

Rein looking at the monitor "Asha we need to find those deer.."

 

The drones found several deer grazing on a field beside a small village.

“It seemed they are owned by the locals..” said Kincade.

“We could you know, borrow one-” Garland suggested.

“Asha, we need the wild one..” Rein told her.

The drones spread out to find the deer, however every the deer they found was already belonged to the locals. One of the drone flew above a beautiful meadow. There, they saw a herd of those deer, no village on sight.

“Jackpot!” said Kincade.

“Where’s that located?” asked Rein.

"Boss, are you sure they are the same creature? they looks.. different."

The deer was stockier and have stripes across their body, emanating green light. Their spiral horns was also much more ornate.

"It must be their wild kind.." Rein waving his hand.

"But- oh well.. if you say so.."

“Let’s go catch it!” Rein cheered.

He told Fabian to stayed behind to oversees the data gathering; Garland went ahead to prepared their transport craft.

“Go to the hangar first,” he told Kincade and Laylah “I’ll catch up..”

Rein went to the storage room to grabbed several fruits from the pantry and put it on his bag before running to the hangar bay.

 

They boarded the transport craft and flew to the meadow. They landed a bit further as to not scared away the herd. Rein took out the fruit from his bag and distributed it to everyone.

"Huh?" Garland looking at the fruit "what for?"

"For taming them, i saw in the movie."

"I don't think-"

"Great idea!" said Kincade.

"Wait, i have-"

"Relax.." Kincade grinned "We got this!"

Garland sighed. He stayed behind with Laylah while Rein and Kincade approached the herd slowly. The herd was staring at them cautiously. Rein and Kincade raised their hands, showing them the fruit they have before slowly put it on the ground in front of them. A small deer was approaching them, it sniffed the fruit before happily taking a nibble.

"Hey, it works," Rein rejoiced.

“Let’s go..” Kincade grinned.

They slowly approached the small deer, it was still busy eating. Rein was about to pet it when an ear piercing howl echoed throughout the meadow. The small deer was surprised and ran back to the herd.

“What was that-”

Appearing out of the trees, a humongous deer glaring at them. It let out another loud howl before stomping it hoof to the ground and began charging at them, pointing it massive spiral horns at them.

“Watch out!”

Kincade pushed Rein away. He managed to grabbed it horns and wrestled with the huge deer. Garland and Laylah ran towards them, she unsheathed her gun and was aiming at deer.

"Wait Laylah! Don't!" Rein waving at her “Gar! Stopped her!”

Garland put his hand in front of her from shooting the deer. He shouted at Kincade to stepped back.

"What!?" Kincade was getting pushed back, vein popped out from his head, smokes gushing from his bionic hands "I can't hear you!"

The deer unleashed another loud howl, the stripes illuminating brightly, and it getting increasingly violent.

Garland shouted again "Let me handle it!"

"What!? I said i ca- Woaah!" Kincade was thrown far away by the deer.

After triumphantly stomped the ground, it locked it eyes at Rein and began charging at him. Garland stepped in front of him. He extended his hand. A muffled sound and Rein saw the deer reacting to something before stopping on its track.

"What happen?" Kincade ran towards them, his clothes was covered in dirt "why it’s stopped?"

"I tame them with this," Garland waved a small device under his wrist.

"What is that?"

"This shot a mini drone that latched on their brain," Garland explained "making them docile."

"I see, wait a minute.. you mind controlled it?"

"What!!" Kincade was shocked "That's messed up!"

"So? i can switch it off when we're done and it will turn back to normal-"

"Still.. it’s unsettling.." Kincade asked "You won't be using that on the locals, do you?"

"I won’t, no need to worry," Garland chuckled “Relax, it won’t work on them anyway..”

Kincade sighed "So.. we bring this guy back?"

"No," said Garland.

"Huh? why bothered mind control it then?"

"To save us," Garland shrugged his shoulder. He pointed at another big deer "that will do," he swiftly used the same device at the other big deer "Hurry! while the leader calms the herd."

Kincade and Rein led the deer into their craft. When they were safely above the ground. Garland pushed a button on his watch and the leader began howling at them as they left the meadow.

 

Arriving back at the ship, they saw Sierra was building their carriage outside with Dianna. They landed beside their ship. Dianna approached them when they unloaded the deer from their craft.

"Wow.. but isn’t it looks different?"

"It’s wild," Rein stated “that’s why it’s different.”

Garland shrugged his shoulder at Dianna “If he say so..” He and Dianna led the deer to a nearby tree and began examining it.

Rein walked to Sierra and asked about her progress followed by Kincade and Laylah.

"Carriage almost done," she waved her hammer "Eleanor and Rose still making our merchandise and disguise."

"I’ll go check on them," Rein told them to helped Sierra building the carriage.

“I’m going to cook dinner,” said Kincade.

“Oh okay..”

 

Rein stepped inside the manufacturing room and was surprised to see Eleanor was in the middle of changing her clothes. Her eyes widen and screamed loudly.

“So- sorry!” he panicked, covering his eyes.

Rose quickly pushed him out of the room. "Pervert!" she said before closing the door.

Rein was still covering his face, embarrassed. A few moments later, Fabian and Kincade walked out from the elevator.

"Who’s screaming?" Kincade asked, waving his ladle.

They were staring at Rein, but he just stay quiet. The door slides open and Rose walked out from the room, glaring at him, Eleanor was behind her.

“What happened?” Fabian asked.

"Rein just barged in and saw Eleanor without her clothes," said Rose.

"What!" Kincade looking at Rein.

"I am disappointed in you, Rein.." Fabian shook his head.

"I'm sorry.. I don’t know-"

"It's fine, it's our fault we didn't lock the door," Eleanor blushing.

"Eleanor!" Rose yelled.

"It's okay.. Rein, you want to see our work, right?" she gestured at them to entered the room. Rose gave Rein a side eyes before following them inside. Eleanor showed them their work. They were making variety of items, from simple hairpins to intricate potteries. Their disguise was rather simple, it just a plain looking clothes with some embroidery. At the corner Rein spotted three animal costumes made of metal.

Kincade stored his ladle inside his hand "What's this?" checking one of the animal helmet.

"Your disguise," said Rose "that one is yours," she pointed at the bug costume.

"This is so ugly," Kincade flipping the bug helmet "Why not another animal?"

"Those are their local deities. That one is for Garland," pointing at the bird costume "this is for you," Rose giving a helmet to Fabian.

"What is this?" Fabian examined his helmet "a dog?"

"Maybe.. they revered five deities," Eleanor showed them the fed from the drones, the locals giving respect to the five statues erected at the town square. Some of the children were donning their deities costume "They called them Magu..”

“Magu?”

"This butterfly one is Huilon," said Rose before pointing at the wingless dragonfly "that one is Ingte."

"This bird is Luqu, and those two-" Eleanor pointing at the dog and a humanoid turtle "Guorong and Buanwu."

“What’s mine?” asked Kincade.

“Yours is Ingte.”

“Aw man, why not that turtle? it’s way cooler than-”

“Sierra said because it is simpler, the mouth piece is removable.. so you could eat,” explained Eleanor “Or.. you want the butterfly instead? we chose the dragonfly because-”

“I would love to see you wearing a butterfly costume,” Rose added.

“Kincade with butterfly wings huh?” Rein chuckled.

“No thanks, I’ll take this,” Kincade sighed.

“By the way, what is that?” asked Fabian looking at the several huge bag at the table.

“Sierra made those.. just in case we need it..”

Rein went to opened it. It was filled with square metal coins. "What’s this for?" he took one of the coin.

"It's their currency," said Eleanor "they called it shilinq."

"This much? This will ruin their economy!"

"She said not to worry.. it will disintegrate after a week."

"That's even worst!" Rein appalled " hopefully we don't have to use it.." dropping the coin back into the bag. “By the way..” he looked at Fabian “did Asha finished learning their language?"

"Almost.."

"Hmm.. do you think tomorrow we can go the city?” he asked.

"Yeah.." said Rose "We only need to make few more and we’re done.."

“We are making candies after this..”

"Oh crap!" Kincade slapped his head "I forgot i was cooking!" he bolted off the room.

"Then i will return to the bridge, to oversee the progress.." Fabian also left.

 

Rein went outside to checked on their carriage. It was really dark, the sun and the gemstone moon was nowhere to be seen, the only light was coming from the lamp beside Sierra. Rein told Asha to illuminated the surrounding area with their ship. When area brightened, loud tweets surprised him.

"Hey! you scares the birds," Garland protested.

"Rein!" Dianna pouted her cheek.

"Sorry.." Rein looking around "What bird?"

Garland gesturing at a dozen tiny yellow ball hiding under his feet. Rein walked closer and saw a bunch of wingless bird with round eyes staring back at him.

"They came when we gave Deedee his food.."

"I see.. huh? who's Deedee?"

Garland pointed at the deer.

"Isn't that a cute name?" she smiled "you love it, don't you?" stroking the deer.

"Uh.. yeah.. that's a really cute name," Rein scratching his head.

“Right?” she smiled “Gar said it’s weird name, meany..”

Garland shook his head.

“Hey! stop dawdling! help us with the carriage!” called Sierra “You said you just want to fed him!”

"Okay.." Dianna replied, before telling the deer to be good with the birds.

“Is it done?” Rein looking at the carriage.

“I only need to attach the sides and the roof,” wiping sweat from her face “Rein, bring that plank over here,” pointing at the stack of wood plank at the corner. “Gar! Help Laylah hold that! I’m going to attach the roof. Anna! Bring me that screw!”

Rein went to get the wooden plank. Noticing the starry night skies above, a shooting star.. he smiled wondering if his friends were now looking at the stars, like him.

"Boss, why are you grinning while looking at sky?”

“Creepy..” said Sierra.