Here they were, hovering over the frozen wasteland of planet Chione. The white expanse of snow covered the planet like a thick blanket, with only the blue, spirally mountains providing a contrast to the monochrome landscape. The ship descended slowly, separating the snow from the ground as it landed. Prepared for the extreme cold, the crew dressed warmly, knowing that without proper insulation, hypothermia would swiftly become a formidable foe.

Waiting by the landing pad was a smallish blue-skinned, horned man covered in thick white hair. He greeted them with a warm smile. "Greetings, travelers! I take it you're here with our delivery?"

"Yep, the UG sends their regards," Rayla replied with a smile, using the shorthand for the United Galaxica.

"Wonderful! I'm Yaten. Could you please help take it to our village?" the small blue yeti-like alien asked.

"How far is it?" Tobi inquired, looking out across the horizon, where nothing but an endless stretch of snow awaited.

"Not far on a Slepyax," Yaten replied.

"A what?" Rito asked, his expression reflecting a mix of curiosity and concern.

Rito sat behind Tobi on the massive furry beast, holding on tightly. "I hate this," he muttered, his grip on Tobi firm. "Animal back rides make me motion sick."

"I know, just don’t vomit on me," Tobi replied sympathetically. Turning to Yaten, he inquired about the contents of the supply crates. "So, what’s in the supply crates?"

"Food. The UG has been so kind to help us with our food crisis," Yaten explained. As they peered over a snowy hill, a picturesque sight unfolded before them: caves carved into the sides of mountains, buntings lining the poles, lanterns illuminating the snowy landscape. In the middle, a large collection of kindling lay in a fire pit.

"You got some kind of party going on?" Rito asked curiously.

"It’s Juukin, the night before the hottest day of the year. As a thank you for your help, why not celebrate it with us? It would be too cold to travel back tonight," Yaten suggested.

"We wouldn’t want to impose," Tobi replied.

"Juukin is a celebration of life, friendship, and helping one another. All are welcome, both friends new and old."

The lighting of the fire was grand, and the whole village gathered around. The warm light illuminated the surroundings, creating a festive atmosphere. Tobi couldn’t help but wear a happy smile as the villagers sang and danced around the fire. An old lady sat nearby, painting faces with interesting markings, adding to the joyful ambiance of the celebration.

Tobi walked up to the old lady, curiosity evident in his eyes. "So, what do they mean?" he asked about the markings she was painting.

"We paint people's faces like the Juukinlin's, the forces of nature in our religion. We dance along with the real forces who are invisible. On Juukin, we are one, and in harmony with them," she explained.

"Are we all are? Or just the people of Chione?" Tobi inquired hopefully.

"We all are. The Juukinlin are all around us. They don’t discriminate, and neither do we," she replied, wiping her finger into the paint and gently applying it to Tobi's face. "A culture that isn’t shared dies, so all are welcome to practice it," she added with a soft smile.

"Thank you," Tobi said, turning back to his friends. "Come on, Rayla, want to dance?"

"I don’t know, what if I do it wrong?" Rayla hesitated.

"Well, we’ll be learning it together," Tobi reassured her with a grin. The trio joined the villagers in their dance around the fire, embracing the spirit of Juukin and celebrating the unity of life and friendship.

After the party, Yuten invited them back to his home. “I’m glad you all enjoyed yourselves.” he said with a simile laying down the mattresses for them. 

“So tomorrow is the hottest day of the year?” Rito asked curious “how much warmer does it get?” 

“Not very much warmer anymore. Though my grandfather remembers a time when the flowers bloomed, now that would of been a sight”  

“What happened?” 

“Do you know why Chiome has a food shortage?”

“No we don’t”

“Decades ago we signed a deal with the empire, they’d give just money, machines and protection, in return they wanted our Juulkinite a metal found here, so we mined it for them. Over the years our planet started to change well at least according to my grandfather. It grew colder, smog littered the sky and the water became poisoned. The Empire does not help us, only agrees to not destroy us as long as we keep working, they even let the UG give us food and water, as long as we don’t stop mining for them.”

“That’s horrible, why don’t you guys ask the UG to help you leave the planet?”

“And where will we go? This is our home, we were born here, our ancestors were born here, this planet is our everything. You might not understand travellers but this is our whole lives, very few seeing beyond the edge of this solar system.” he sighs “It is late”

The trio sat in thoughtful silence as Yaten shared the untold story of Chione's struggle. The once vibrant planet, now exploited for its resources by the Empire, faced a bleak future. Yaten's words painted a somber picture of the planet's decline, revealing the toll exacted by the relentless pursuit of profit. The Empire's grip on Chione left its inhabitants with little choice but to continue mining Juulkinite, their only lifeline provided by the United Galaxica's humanitarian aid.

"That’s horrible. Why don’t you guys ask the UG to help you leave the planet?" Rito suggested.

"And where will we go? This is our home. We were born here; our ancestors were born here. This planet is our everything. You might not understand, travelers, but this is our whole lives. Very few see beyond the edge of this solar system," Yaten explained, his voice heavy with resignation. "It is late."

As Yaten left them to rest, the trio pondered the harsh reality that many planets faced under the influence of powerful entities. The shadows of oppression loomed over Chione, leaving a deep impression on the travelers as they settled down for the night, each grappling with their own thoughts.

Rito succumbed to the embrace of hibernation first, the insectoid features of his tiny body settling into a dormant state with the swiftness of a flicked switch. Rayla, however, found sleep elusive, and her wakefulness led her to notice a faint light emanating from beneath Tobi's blanket. She gently tapped him.

"Is the light bothering you?" Tobi inquired, his head popping out from under the covers.

"No, just couldn't sleep. What are you up to?" Rayla asked.

"Well, it's kind of embarrassing. Promise you won't laugh?" Tobi hesitated.

"Sure," Rayla replied.

"I'm writing about Juukin," Tobi confessed, revealing his tablet screen. She flipped through the digital pages.

"You sure have a knack for writing about different races and cultures," she remarked as she browsed through the entries. Accidentally, she stumbled upon a page labeled "Unknown species," with the bright red unknown glaring back at her like an enigma.

"I'm on this journey to discover what I am," Tobi explained, filling in the gap.

"Didn't know it mattered that much to you?" Rayla asked, genuine confusion etched on her face.

"I see all these different cultures and people and wonder what mine is like. It's like a piece of my identity is missing," Tobi admitted.

"I see." She rubbed the back of her neck. "You know, if it makes you feel any better, I don't know anything about Tanginseirs." She awkwardly patted the mystery alien on the back. "You're not alone in not knowing your own culture. Maybe we'll both learn something on this trip."

"I can tell you about the Tanginseir if you'd like? Or better yet, take you to planet Faunus," Tobi suggested.

"What if they don't like me?" Rayla asked shyly. "What if they resent me?" She felt vulnerable, as if the cold surroundings were seeping into her insecurities.

"If you spend all your time worrying about the what-ifs, you won't get anywhere. Besides, I think they'll love you. You're smart, kind, caring, and bright," Tobi reassured her as he laid down, gazing up at the ceiling. "And sometimes, we just have to take a chance in our lives."

"You know what? I think you're right, well, about the chance stuff. Hopefully, we end up at Faunus at some point."

"Consider it a promise," Tobi affirmed, his words carrying the weight of sincerity and the anticipation of the adventures that lay ahead.

"How did you end up...unaware of your xeno?" she struggled to find the right word for it.

Tobi looked down, a shadow crossing his expression. "When I was a kid, I was abducted by alien traffickers, but my father, Axiam, saved me when the peacekeepers raided the ship. I don't want to think about what would have happened if that raid never took place. I was one of the lucky ones."

Rayla nodded in understanding. She had seen the horrors of alien trafficking firsthand, been in Axiam's very position, and she couldn't help but agree. "Yeah, you are lucky in that regard."

"How much do you remember?" she asked, worried she might be overstepping a few boundaries.

"Before, barely anything. I remember a couple who used to care for me, but their faces are lost, and I blocked out most of my memories of the abduction. The only thing that has stuck is the vision of the bars and the sense of the walls closing in on me. I'm a little bit claustrophobic."

“I’m sorry you went through all that…. Come on, we should get some sleep.” She said softly patting him on the back as they slept through the night together.