Commander Yamato, a man in his fifties, of noble Japanese lineage, was in command of the exploration and colonization vessel the Resolute.

Sitting in his office, in one of the rings producing artificial gravity, he was rereading his logbook.

His family, deep Shintoist believers, knew how to discern paradoxes and changes and alterations in reality.

He knew about the lost expedition. His talismans never lied.

He "exorcised" his data bank and the last messages and coordinates of the "ghost" ship reached him.

"I knew it. " playing with black holes, they don't realize.

He put paper talismans on communication equipment and launched a radar scan in the direction of the coordinates.

Moments later a stream of data arrived that contradicted the database.

"Ah... well... planet x, or Veta... it does exist."

A magnetic jolt then shook the ship.

"Ah... the paradox... realities rewriting themselves..."

Then he spoke to Artificial Intelligence: "Set a course for Vega. Follow communication protocol and send the portal probe."

A satellite was launched in the direction of the coordinates. The research and exploration ship was gigantic, with several ships of colonists and scientists.

Procedure dictated that since ships and colonies had disappeared, a portal probe had to be sent ahead of time. The probe scanned the area and the planet and sent the data back to the ship but also back to earth using a mini black hole with a minimal lifespan. An energy input was needed to activate it and in case of an accident, it would safely evaporate. The portals became much more stable and less dangerous.

The satellite discovered the remains in orbit of the old satellite and downloaded the archived data into it.

The portal activated but something unexpected happened.

Heater, by resonance, was released and was able to slowly ascend to the surface.

She lost consciousness.

Captain John Harris, accompanied by his wife Lea, son Arthur and daughter Alice had volunteered for a long expedition to colonize new planets.

They were studying the planet in order to record the fauna and flora, the resources and possible dangers. Settlers arrived in small groups so there were few accidents.

"Say, Daddy, when we get there, will you be cooler with Mummy?" Alice asked.

At 14, she was anxious, unlike Arthur, who had eyes full of adventure. At 11, the world is a playground.

But Lea knew why Alice was anxious. A 14-year-old teenager... how can you find love when you're stuck on a strange planet for 10 years?

She looked at her daughter. Then Alice stood up crying. And left the restaurant furiously.

Robin exclaimed, "What have I done wrong again?"

The entire family was gathered in the main room of their colonial shuttle.

The main room was round and had 3 levels as well as a command post at the front. The central part was armored and below them was a hangar with a mini workshop and a Rover, a waterproof off-road vehicle resembling a minibus but more like a military troop carrier except that the front was made of thick, armored glass.

It could go on water, mud, the vacuum of space and any rough terrain. An ark within an ark.

All were dressed in their space suits, like the astronauts of old, with their visors up. There was no emergency but the departure was imminent. Their mission of exploration was about to begin but also their adventures and ... misadventures...

Leah: "What pisses me off about you is that you always make everything about you and you don't see how unhappy she is that she's stuck for at least 10 years without a boyfriend."

John Harris then realized how complex the situation was. "Lea, we need to see Commander Yamato..."

"It's a little late for that." John had wanted to put his hand on his wife's hand, but she quickly withdrew it in retaliation.

Amanda, their mixed-blood daughter from a first marriage: "Daddy, are you blind or what? You still bring everything back to you and Alice and I followed you into the project to stay together, but I'm suffering like my little sister."

The faint light was replaced by normal light and the holographic AI on the Resolute activated.

"All passengers may leave the emergency quarters and you may leave your shuttles. The drill is over. The hyperspace jump is complete and we have arrived at the destination planet Vega. The quarters are clear again and the shopping and recreation center is open. Have a safe journey."

They undid their seat belts and took off their suits as the children rushed to the recreation center in the ship's huge complex.

Lea looked at John reproachfully. He stood up suddenly. "I understand, I'm going to see the captain."

He put on his captain's uniform and hurried to the officers' mess.

He walked down the long corridor and took a sort of piston elevator to the central command structure.

There was back and forth and all the monitors and televisions were pointed at the ship's telescope and images that the probes were sending...

Planet Vegeta...

I was sleeping with the queen raptor and Vicky against me.

My membranous wings kept our body heat and we had made a nest on the outskirts of the harbour and its infrastructure.

The harbour was the raptors' breeding ground, mostly a concrete structure with narrow passages that only a raptor could pass through. This protected their nursery. Metal tubs collecting rainwater were used as drinking troughs and apart from hunting and fishing, it was perfect for the raptors. My underground base, being ideal for me but not for them. I could be a caveman but they couldn't.

The problem was that a group of Allosaurs and Dilophosaurus shared the area and guarded it fiercely.

Worse, I had lost all contact with Mother.

The raptors had settled around a lake with a rock in the middle and the queen was hopping around in the middle, swinging like a rooster or a weather vane and yelping her instructions to her tribe. A pseudo language.

Their language was mostly silent and smelly and gestural.

We had to share our diapers to soak up the smell of predators, the urine was used to "mark" the territory against other predators and the variants had to indicate a large number of individuals for candidates for invasion.

I myself was astonished at the complexity of their society, but it was still an animal society with its limitations.

AWEU

AWAH

Giggled my queen...

She shoved me down my snout so I could "talk to the tribe."

I was amazed but also amused.

If I could translate what they were saying it was:

"Chief, chief, chief, chief..."

And I climbed up on the rock. It was evening and I looked up at the sky and I saw a shooting star that changed its course with a blue slut... A shooting star never changes course.

The seven raptors looked at me with a smile full of teeth.

I took my inspiration and...

GROOAAAAAAAARRR I did to mark my position.

They all crashed and took the lying position, looking at me.

"Me, We......Take back territory"

GROOOAARRR.

"Hunt Sharp, Hunt Dilos... "Kill Sharp, Devour Dilos

Me FIRE. Me STRONG. Me HUNGRY"

Then I grabbed the queen and did her a " service"...

All the raptors grunted louder and louder and louder, and there were hissing and whistling noises.

It was decided to attack immediately.

The strategy was simple: I was to growl, to gather the allosaurs without them seeing me, fly over them and burn them as much as possible, and we would finish off the wounded and weakest while the others fled.

I also used to get the raptors used to the fire at night, so as not to be at a disadvantage with the dilos who had impeccable and overpowering night vision .

Meanwhile, John was able to get a few minutes' interview with the commander.

Yamato: "John, my dear friend...I understand your dilemma, but I believe several scientists will accompany you.

This paradise planet at its most beautiful angle also hides a carnivorous hell. According to the probe, the fauna is a mixture of Jurassic and savage creatures.

Survival is difficult and man is not at the top of the food chain. I don't know if this planet is ideal for settlers but a base with defenses and protected areas would be a better option."

John: "You mean we're going to be settling as a group colony, not an individual one?"

The commander was smiling.

"It's my daughters who'll be happy, but what about the plans for Proxima Centauri?"

"On pause... on pause... ...the discovery here is real and tangible. ...not spectroscopic analysis and supposition. The atmosphere is similar to Earth's, and in fact one could say this planet is Earth Number Two."

John: "So the humans will be coming here in droves then?"

Yamato: "No, only an elite chosen for a green lifestyle can settle here without impacting the environment. We shouldn't bring our problems here and make the same mistakes. There will only be one base city here, and the priority goes to those who have been chosen by our mission. We even have the authority to become a nation or an independent world."

A beep on the commander's watch cut the interview short and he returned to his quarters to isolate himself with the ship's A.I., his real first officer.

He stood up and politely greeted John who took his leave and returned to his quarters to break the news in person to Lea and his 3 protégés.