> Our ship has just finished engaging an enemy ship that was attacking the planet (orbital bombardment and sending down ground forces) and the enemy was forced to retreat thanks to our efforts. However, there are some injured people and some people might not have gotten onto the ship in time because it was blocked off by the enemy. The ship is landing to pick up the stragglers and do medical checks on everyone. Your character could have been left on the ground during this time if she will enter at the end of this episode 1, or if we go into episode 2 she could be among the people we recruit to make up for casualties.

Okay, cool. I think it might be better to wait into episode 2 to bring Astraia in, I'd prefer her to be new to the crew rather than just absent the whole first episode. We'll have her get recruited or assigned to the ship to make up for some of the losses, then.