Ciara says, “My, aren’t we cheerful this shift!”

Danar doesn't answer.  He doesn't need to answer.  His face shows that he has gone into his pre-board mind state.  Danar is a true warrior.

Ciara starts to say something and then thinks better of it.  She's both a pilot and a language specialist.  She prefers talk to violence, but the big man has the muscle to give them a chance to survive, if talk doesn't work.

Ciara relieves Porv at the helm.  Porv is a good pilot.  Ciara is an exceptional pilot.  Ciara will make the final approach to the colony ship.

Ciara matches trajectory with the immense colony ship.  The ship is old, but there's a standard landing and join area marked off.  Ciara hits the landing area dead center!

Danar has walked back to the exit port.  He checks the seal of Ranger 97 against the colony ship hull.  The seal is air-tight, but he'll still seal off the entry port area before they try the entry hatch.

Ciara then joins Danar.

Danar and Ciara don the pressure suits that they will need for the entry attempt.  At Ciara’s ready signal, Danar notifies Porv and Kaal over the intercom link.  Then Danar seals the entry port area.  Danar then does a quick, final check of his sonic weapon.

Ciara is annoyed at the bravado displayed by Danar.  However, she calms as she realizes that Danar must do the entry his way.  However, he's not stupid enough to start trouble unless they're attacked.  If the inhabitants of the colony ship do attack, Danar will be worth his weight in gold.”

Danar completes all the pre-entry checks, turns and asks Ciara, “Ready?”

Ciara replies, “Ready!”

Danar just says, “Let’s go.”

With that, Danar applies the magnetic release bar to the colony ship entry hatch.  It requires quite a bit of his muscle, but the long unused hatch opens.

Danar drops through the hatch opening and lands on guard and ready for trouble.  In the same movement, he continues a couple of steps forward as Ciara drops through the hatch.

There's a group waiting to greet them.

Danar scans the faces.  There's something wrong!  The faces of the colony ship people show no real emotion, the faces simply watch him and Ciara.

Back at the colony ship entry hatch, Ciara punches the standard buttons and the entry hatch closes.

Ciara moves up to stand side by side with Danar.

Danar tells her, “There's something wrong here.”

Ciara doesn't reply but simply slumps to the floor.

Danar brandishes the sonic weapon that he carries.  He feels perhaps a sort of movement or intrusion in his mind.  The sensation is unlike anything he has ever experienced before.  Primal rage fills Danar’s mind.  Something is wrong and it's time for fight or flight.  Danar is a warrior; a warrior doesn't run.

The faces of the colony ship watchers now show surprise and maybe a little fear.

A tall woman steps one slow step forward.  She pauses and makes a slow, slight bow.

Something in Danar’s mind registers the concept, “Welcome.”  The concept is not in words, just a sort of idea.

Not knowing what else to do, Danar returns the slow, slight bow.

The rest of the group from the colony ship remain in place while the woman who greeted Danar moves very slowly forward.  She reaches the slumped form of Ciara.

Ciara is now stirring and the woman helps her up.

The woman, who somehow greeted Danar earlier, now appears to again communicate, this time with Ciara.

Ciara uses the inter-suit comm to tell Danar that the woman has greeted her and that Ciara is running the usual entry tests from her pressure suit.  After a time, Ciara indicates that the tests were successful.  She also tells Danar that something the crew of the colony ship did caused her to black out.  However, Ciara has no idea what they did.

Danar says, “They can do some sort of mental communication.  Perhaps they can control you.”