Elm was making last preparations in the lab for the wormhole passage. It was supposed to be a bumpy ride so she made extra sure that all equipment and plant specimens were secured (of course except still unreclaimed greenhouse 7, which would have to wait). Finally, she and her two assistants strapped themselves in safety chairs and hoped for the best. Botany section had no windows, so they couldn't enjoy the spectacular view. Elm just closed her eyes as the ship shook like it should fall apart, listening to mumbled prayers from people around. [center]-----[/center] Everything happened so fast. Only a brief time through the wormhole and already they were contacted by an unknown species, apparently fairly advanced. While their behavior was strange, Elm, also being an 'alien', knew that each culture had their own habits that might be hard to understand at first. The ambassador aboard the Prize seemed pretty confident and capable of handling the situation so Elm didn't worry about the alien civilization. She had her own worries. The planet's flora was astonishing and unique even by the first glance. Elm couldn't wait to start studying it, collecting and categorizing samples and most importantly just walking around and taking in the atmosphere of the new, both figuratively and literally speaking. She was already putting a plan together in her head on how to most efficiently divide the work while other team members spoke. She had no idea what chakras are and why is their color important, but since the crew was comprised of experts in each field, Elm assumed that the blue-haired woman knows what she is talking about. [color=82ca9d]"I would like to lead a small expedition to explore the immediate area of the ship,"[/color] she said when others finished talking. [color=82ca9d]"The local flora seems unique and we don't know what else might be hiding in the forests around. I believe colleagues from the biology section would also like to join. If it's not too much trouble, we could use a few men to accompany us, both to ensure our safety and also to do some heavy lifting carrying the necessary equipment,"[/color] she turned to Carabello, hoping her request isn't too presumptuous.