Annie suddenly realized that although the universal quantum engines used in this world didn't seem all that advanced yet—for instance, they had all sorts of limitations on long-distance travel, and weren't very fast—she had to admit that, for short flights, they had plenty of advantages over the crude, noisy particle engines she was used to.
For one thing, they were incredibly quiet in flight, almost completely silent.
On top of that, they seemed to have some kind of antigravity effect. There hadn't been the slightest bump or overheating when they entered the atmosphere, either. By the time Annie had finished dozing, they had already arrived at their destination without her even noticing.
Then, after being greeted by a shabby old doctor who had been waiting for them, the two sides introduced themselves and exchanged a few pleasantries. After that, Kelly grabbed Annie by the wrist, lifted her out of her seat, and led her into the research center.
"Wow!"
( ?ω? )
"So many rare things..."
?(????)?
"Whoa! What are those things flying over there?"
o(▽｀ o)
"And this one, too! They all look so interesting!"
ヾ(⌒?⌒*)~?
As soon as she entered the research center—the place known in this world as a scientist's amusement park—Annie was captivated by the strange and wonderful array of things on display. She immediately broke free of First Officer Kelly's grip and started running around, looking at everything.
"Hey!"
"Annie?"
Sure enough, while she was crouched beside a pool in a botanical garden, playing a staring game with a three-eyed creature that looked like a water snake but was actually some kind of plant, Kelly began to lose patience.
"Annie!"
"Come over here!"
"Stop looking at things for now!"
"There are some snacks here. The doctor says they're redwood seeds, a very healthy food. Would