Ten minutes later, a dull yellow planet came into view through the train windows.
"This planet is called 'Gokan.' It's located in the Fanping Galaxy. Its surface area is..."
Himeko read from the holographic display—data the Express's archives had compiled as they approached—while introducing it to Yuki and March 7th.
This was all the information the archives could gather from a distance. Anything more detailed? Still completely unknown.
"Is that it, Himeko?" March was puzzled. "It has the surface area, atmosphere, and the like—but absolutely nothing about its civilization or lifeforms."
"Mm."
"No detailed records about this planet's civilization exist—not in the Express's archives, and not even within the Interastral Peace Corporation's database. In cosmic terms, this is what we'd call an undeveloped frontier planet."
Himeko nodded, resting her chin on her hand thoughtfully.
"Still, the IPC did officially name it 'Gokan.' That probably means they discovered it recently—and might already be in contact." Himeko shared her speculation.
March's lips pursed at the mention of the IPC again.
"Ugh, the IPC again. Why do I keep hearing that name everywhere? So annoying."
"You seem pretty worked up about them," Yuki teased, noticing her muttering.
"Of course I am! We're here to Trailblaze! But it feels like we're just picking up scraps after the IPC! It ticks me off!" March spoke her mind bluntly.
Himeko felt it too, but she knew the IPC's reach was incredibly vast. Hearing their name everywhere was inevitable.
"March, there's no helping it. The IPC is a cosmic giant. They're everywhere. This won't be the last time. It's best to get used to it." Himeko smiled, trying to comfort her.
"I know."
March understood. With the IPC's sheer scale, running into them was unavoidable. Plus, doing interstellar trade in this universe meant using their monetary system anyway. March dropped the topic and quietly watched from the window as the Express approached the planet.
"Himeko, are we landing?" March asked about docking.
"Mm, we've made contact."
Earlier, Himeko had reached out to the planet's civilization through public interstellar channels. They had agreed to receive the Astral Express—and even provided official docking coordinates.
"Seems they're pretty welcoming," Himeko smiled, sharing the good news.
"Nice! Glad they're easy to deal with!" March nodded, her gradient-colored eyes sparkling with anticipation.
Himeko shared her excitement for their very first stop.
But unlike them, Yuki remained perfectly calm. He already knew exactly what awaited March and the others. He didn't expose the truth or comment on it. In the journey ahead, encounters like this would only become more common. It would be a good test of their adaptability.
Three minutes later.
The Express pierced the planet's atmosphere and slowly descended toward the designated landing zone. Through the windows, they finally got a clear look at the environment and its inhabitants.
Below lay a sprawling city filled with brand-new, cutting-edge architecture. March couldn't help but marvel.
"Wow! It's beautiful here! So the planet looks dull yellow from space because the air is filled with all this yellow stuff? What is it?"
March pointed at the yellow substance drifting through the atmosphere and hovering over the city below—like glowing energy particles floating in the air.
Himeko was equally puzzled and shook her head. "I don't know."
But as a brilliant scientist, the phenomenon intrigued her. If possible, she definitely wouldn't mind studying it.
Meanwhile, stuck safely on the train's front grill, Aha's mask twisted into an eerie grin.
"Heehee haha! Didn't expect this planet to be blessed by Them. How interesting!" Aha cackled gleefully to the vacuum of space, as if clearly foreseeing what awaited the train crew.
As the Express descended lower, the designated docking platform came into view. A crowd of people had already gathered there, along with ground guides actively directing the train to its spot.
"That's weird."
"Everyone down there has a tree-shaped motif on their clothes."
"And is this really a welcoming party? That many people? Why are some of them armed?" March scratched her head, sensing something was distinctly off.
Himeko, with her extensive trailblazing experience, also felt a sharp twinge of unease. A bad feeling crept into her mind.
"Wait... are they planning to rob us? Did we just run into space bandits?!" March mumbled, voicing her anxious suspicions out loud.
"Not necessarily. We don't have all the facts yet—guessing won't help. Maybe they're just cautious. For all they know, we could be the threat." As Navigator, Himeko remained calm, analytically weighing the possibilities.
Still, she couldn't completely rule out March's theory. She walked over to a compartment and picked up a sleek suitcase.
"Huh? Himeko, what's that for?" March blinked. It looked just like ordinary luggage.
"A portable railgun. Just in case," Himeko smiled, explaining smoothly.
"Whoa! But... what's a railgun?" March was initially impressed—then awkwardly realized she had absolutely no idea what a railgun actually was.
"Sigh..." x2.
Yuki and Himeko exchanged exhausted glances and sighed in unison.
"Hey! I really don't know, okay?!"
"So, March, lesson one: ignorance is curable—read a book," Yuki shrugged helplessly.
"So annoying! I do read! And I have amnesia! Amnesia, remember?! Not knowing or forgetting things is totally normal!" March stomped her foot in frustration, shamelessly falling back on her ultimate amnesia excuse.
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