Breakfast the next morning.

You sit at a table outside a cafe finishing off your orange juice as your breakfast companion sipped his warm coffee. He said his name is Jonas Miranda, and he works in the CST Exploratory division.

"So, what's it like being the first person on a new planet?" You ask between sips of juice.

He smiles benignly at you, "It's very thrilling, which I guess you can imagine. But it's also very dangerous. Couple years back I was part of a team that set foot on a plant that had plant life with acid for sap. If we hadn't noticed in time we would have melted. It was that strong, Carla. May I call you Carla?"

"Of course. What kind of acid?"

"I don't know that part. We made it back to the safety of the wormhole and the base. Oscar Monroe sent in a recon bot after us while we were in decontamination. It was destroyed when a tree spat acid at it. The Xenobiologists think that it was basically a planet of Venus Flytraps."

"What's a Venus Flytrap?"

"It's a plant on Earth that lures insects into it's, ah, petals I guess. It then snaps closed and secretes an acid to kill and digest the insect. Usually it was found in jungles where the big trees were using up the ground nutrients, and so evolved in order to get access to a different source of those nutrients.

"A carnivorous plant? And this whole planet was full of it?"

"Where we were yes. Perhaps there was another continent or island that didn't have it, but that expedition was already a waste of millions of dollars so, Oscar cut CST's losses and closed it up. Marjorie, one of the team members, had some bad acid burns on her foot, but other than tat we were okay." Jonas explains.

"That sounds so fascinating. Do you think I could apply for work on a contact team. What further schooling do I need?"

"First person to set foot is usually a security expert. The rest are xenobiologists. Also, the frown on First lifers. It isn't prohibited, but they rather people that have a more calm personality. And you firsters are a little, ah, too eager."

"UH! I can be calm, I wouldn't do anything stupid!" you say, defensively.

"It's different. It really is. You say it now, but that moment before you step through can be very nerve wracking. You don't know what you are going to find, you don't know what dangers there are, and if something goes wrong you have to act quick to counter the problem. Freezing at the wrong moment can cause bodyloss. And the opposite is also true, too gung ho can lead to bodyloss as well. You want to explore though? A better way for you would be to try and use the Silfen Paths. And I have a friend who knows a guy who has a complete map of the Paths."

You raise your eyebrow, finally catching on. "A map of the Paths? Listen, you have obviously been well briefed, you almost had me until that was said. But I'm Nigel's grand daughter, and I heard direct from him that Ozzie said there can't BE a map of the Paths. We don't even understand the paths.

Jonas smiles, and claps his hand, "Very good, Carla. Very good. But seriously you should have been using your eButler to check on things as we were going. The Acid planet is real, but the names of the team that set foot on that world didn't include a Jonas Miranda."

"But isn't it better to actually be listening to the person you are talking to? To hold a conversation?" You ask.

Another voice to your right answers, "Yes and no. For someone you have trust in it is very good, like myself for example." Sharra says as she sits next to you and Jonas. "But for someone you just met, it's good to keep an ear to being suspicious. You are a Sheldon, and people will take advantage of you, it's the way of the galaxy."

"That's so weird, living with out trust. I mean how could you get to that level."

"For you it will be hard, that's true. You are destined, really to be pretty high up. Your mother is probably someone Nigel cares about more than almost anyone, which means you may have a bit of special treatment in life. Others in the Dynasty may get jealous. So you have to watch out for people outside that want to get in for their advantage, and people that are farther away from the top of the Dynasty may try to use you to get closer to Nigel."

"So...like...trust no one?"

"Trust cautiously and verify. Don't believe any line fed to you." Sharra said, gently.

You nod, silently working it out. "Okay...but...I have an idea. Do you think I'd be allowed to gather some friends and go to Silverholme to meet the Silfen. No mapping of course, but..."

"The Silfen roads can be very dangerous. You heard about that Ice Planet that Ozzie and Orion were trapped on for months, right?"

"We wouldn't go unprepared of course. Couple of horses with the proper attire and the right equipment. I mean for me I'd ask Ozzie about having some of his inserts that worked implanted on the whole team. Maybe four people or something. A friend from school, Rodney was always talking about walking the paths. He practiced with a whole lot of rough trips to Third phase worlds with his friend Corell. Them and Julia, she's on the boating team at school, we should be good. I think."

Sharra frowns a bit, "Not me?"

"Well, you have important work with the Giga plants, so...I don't want to take you from that."

"Oh, no. Your mother wants me to make sure you are okay, and besides Ive wanted to walk the paths for a long time. So if you decide to go I'm going too..." She grins, "We could share a tent. I'm not quite done teaching you that aspect of life yet."

You blush as Jonas chuckles, "Well, I'll leave you lovelies with that thought to keep me going. If you do go, I wish you well. If you don't go, I hope to see you all another time."

"Where are you off to?"

"The Halgarth's want me to help them with their next generation to not fall for the shotguns that the Guardians used. Unlikely now that the Starflyer is gone, but it's a lot of money. Pretty simple, I've read up on their methods and have an idea."

"What is your real name, if you don't mine my asking." You say as he finishes his coffee.

"Robert. Goodbye."