The<span style="font-style: italic">Shojo</span>was getting ready to enter the atmosphere of a large planet. It was a small ship that wasn't much to look at, its long angular hull barely concealing the under-slung cylindrical storage tanks. It was carrying a crew of fifteen comprised of a mix of well-armed grunts and scientist and likely a stowaway or two hidden among the cargo. Normally the cargo holds were well searched before takeoff but the captain had been in a hurry and didn't bother with the usual safety checks.<br/><br/>The plan was for the<span style="font-style: italic">Shojo</span>to land and the crew to set a temporary encampment and start exploring, find out what resources the planet had. Resources that could be sold to the highest bidder while the company started colonization while the natives were either neutralized or captured for use in medical experimentation. They were just animals after all.<br/><br/>"All right you peons, listen up. This is Eden, everything that lives on this plant wants to kill you and eat you. There is a large population of hostile natives. They are well armored and they are very hard to kill. You are to shoot them on sight. Hesitate and they will chew your up and spit you out dead." Grant let his eyes roam over the sorry bunch of men that crowed the small cargo hold. Not a solider among them. Every last one was a gun for hire, dumb grunts out of a fast buck and had a itchy trigger finger and didn't ask any questions.  Give them a weapon and point them in the right direction and hope they didn't end up shooting each other.<br/><br/>Perfect for clearing out hostiles so construction could began.<br/><br/><br/><br/>The thick humid forest was comprised of thick spiraling trees standing many stories tall, rough metallic bark gleaming in the late summer sun. It was growing lush and green with new foliage thanks to the near constant storms. Strange and wondrous creatures were living among the thick undergrowth and in the tall canopy, filling the humid air with the sound of strange bird calls and humming of large carnivorous insects and soft ripples of a shallow fast moving creek.<br/><br/>He lounged under his favorite tree idly chewing at one large cat –like paw, long dexterous tongue wrapping around the thick spines that were deeply embedded in the tough pads of his paw.<br/><br/>The spines were from a plant notorious for burying its vines just under the surface of the ground so only the thick gleaming thorns were visible under the thin layer of soil and leaves, blending in almost perfectly. He winces as he pulls one of the large thorns out of the thick tough pad, spitting the offending thing out before going back to working the rest out unaware of ship high in orbit or how it's organic crew would shatter everything he knew.<br/><br/>He vaguely resembled the dragons found in the story books of earth with his long tail, large wings, four powerful legs and long neck. And that’s where the semblance ended.  Instead of scales he was covered in matte black and charcoal grey metal plates that blended in with the deep wells of shadow and wings comprised of feather shaped metal plates instead of leathery membrane.<br/><br/>The head that sat upon the long flexible neck is more avian then reptilian, jaws full of razor sharp teeth.  High set nostrils flare taking in the thick rich scent of a coming storm.  Unlike the monstrous beasts of legend, he was not the size of a house. From his paws to the arch of his back he stood just a little over six feet tall.