The ship hummed through space, moving slowly when compared to the distances involved, but impossibly fast when considered in human-scale terms.  It was bound for a vast space station, an interstellar trading post where dozens of different species from hundreds of different world traded, negotiated, and otherwise mingled.<br/><br/>Before departing for this destination the ship had taken some cargo on board.  That cargo included one particular crate.  Markings on its surface indicated that it should be stored in a hold containing atmosphere, and not one open to the vacuum of space, but nothing about it set it apart from several other crates similarly marked, all stowed together within the ship.  This crate, however, was very different than its fellows, for it had been converted into a makeshift habitat, supplied with food and water and stuffed with cushions to protect the inhabitants when the crate was tossed about.<br/><br/>Said inhabitants consisted of two teenage human girls, nearly perfectly identical in every way.  They were both quite short, with fair skin and reddish orange hair.  Their freckle-dusted faces were snub-nosed,and their eyes were green.  They were female, but not particularly feminine, being small-breasted and stocky; the build of gymnasts rather than of models.  One wore a pair of pocket-covered coveralls, held at the waist by a belt that was hung with pouches.  The other wore a tank top and shorts, and the only thing on her belt was a tiny laser pistol, the sort meant for shipboard combat that wouldn't penetrate a target deeply and thus wouldn't punch possibly dangerous holes in the ship itself.<br/><br/>They rested, feeling pleased with themselves for having secured such an excellent hiding place, and spoke silently to each other, for they were telepathic, and could speak without needing words.  But although they were hidden from sight and made no sound, the ship's sensors were more sophisticated than mere sight and sound.  Even as they congratulated each other on their success, a little tell-tale had flipped on somewhere on the ship's bridge, and as soon as the ship's captain was no longer distracted by the fiddly business of getting a ship successfully under way at faster than light speeds he would probably notice the little amber gleam and investigate...