The Captain's little pre-speech drew more ears then she might have noticed, people took especial note of "Enjoy yourselves because tomorrow’s a big day.” Amélie took a deep breath from her seat near the edge of the gathering upon hearing that. The hard work was never behind them, always in front. Taking a quick swig of champagne Amélie remembered to smile, and kept smiling through the nerves. Dr. Amélie Sellens was the 'USS expert' on Nautrias and she was here on an advisory role, even if she'd only stepped foot on the planet a few times before now. And besides, who needed an expert when you had locals?

	Amélie had made her move before anyone higher up the pecking order asked that same question. She exerted her influence to join the expedition so she could write her next grand text on the whole ordeal, this time it [i]would[/i] be political. And now she was here, [i]by choice[/i] she reminded herself. But she had a hard time putting her heart into it. Now she was down on the planet the magic she had known when she was studying the eco-sphere back when she was writing her two previous texts was gone, choked by apprehension. Instead of the excitement of discovering new things she was instead fussing over what she might have to admit to have gotten wrong, and was too anxious to begin corrections by meeting and greeting the locals.

So instead Dr. Amélie sat by the wall relatively alone, nodding at a few passers by. She had briefed many of the people in the room right now, though she wasn't close to any of them and felt too awkward to spark up conversation. [i]New planet, same old anti-social me...[/i]