As the others started to survey the ruins and set up an improvised camp, Elm finally had some uninterrupted time to study the tall trees, luminescent moss and to just be a biologist and not a team leader. Followed by a member of the security team she walked over to the edge of the forest and started to take samples from the plants, especially focusing on the trees which fascinated her. It seemed impossible to take a sample without damaging the trunk - the blue layer on the top wasn’t typical bark, but rather a solid, very hard cover without any dents or cracks as you would see on a normal tree. It made sense given the trees’ extreme height that they needed to be supported by something durable. 

Elm sighed and took out a small scalpel she used to gather samples. She hated to harm the trees, but these were too fascinating to pass up on an opportunity to learn more about them. The blade ran over the blue surface, making an awful sound, but not leaving any marks. A frown appeared on Elm’s face when she found out that the once sharp tool is now blunt and useless. She turned over to her escort and fished out a small drill out of a backpack he was carrying. Diamond tip. That has to go through like a phaser beam through butter. 

It didn’t. What the hell were these trees made of? Elm layed one hand on the trunk and closed her eyes. Despite what people thought, trees had certain ways to communicate with each other. It wasn’t communication as humans would imagine it, no gossiping about leaf colors or complaining about this year’s saplings, but more like shared feelings. Pleasant when the sun came up after rain. Wary when stronger wind blew. Fearful when there was a fire. Elm, being basically a tree herself, could sometimes connect to this communication. It was more difficult the more ‘alien’ the world was. Since the trees here weren’t like anything she had seen before, and to be honest, looked more like statues to her, she didn’t expect much from this. But the reaction was so strong she twitched and quickly pulled her hand back.

The trees were definitely alive, they weren’t some strange stone or metal tree-like statues as it might seem by their impenetrable bark. They were very much alive and while she couldn’t understand most of the communication running between them, she picked up on the strongest feeling - overwhelming hostility. This planet didn’t want them here.

Elm was a bit shaken, but didn’t lose hope of acquiring a sample. But how? Her thoughts were interrupted by the comms as Captain called the team back to the Prize. Looks like the negotiations didn’t go well. Elm wondered whether it had something to do with what she felt earlier. She was frustrated that they had to end the expedition so abruptly, but she was still the leader and had to make sure that on their way back everyone is encountered for and there is no equipment left behind. As she was returning towards the ruins, she finally saw something that made her happy. It was a sapling, a tiny version of the tall trees, not even a foot in height, but already with shining blue impenetrable bark. Elm removed it from the ground, carefully digging out all the roots, and placed it in a special container along with a large patch of the dirt it was originally growing from. At least some good news.

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Back on the Prize Elm headed for a quick debriefing, learning that the negotiations truly didn’t end well. There was some alert from the bridge that took the captain and several more crew members away before they could decide on what to do next. As Elm’s assistance wasn’t needed in this situation, she went straight into the botany lab to oversee the processing of the many samples they collected on the planet, and, more importantly, to start studying the sapling.