Sango stood the window overlooking the hanger watching as the technicians prepared the Shikon no Tama for launch, absently stroking the cream-colored kitten in her arms.  Amid the excitement she always felt when preparing for an off world mission, there was sadness. Normally her brother, Kohaku would be here beside her, ready to help but he the mysterious illness that ravaged his small body confined him to a hospital bed.  Not even Kagome, one of the top ranked doctors on earth, could determine what was wrong with the boy.   She had almost decided not to come on the mission but Kohaku had insisted she go, perhaps a cure could be found on some distant planet.  She heard the soft hiss of the door sliding open and turned to face the new comer.  

"Hey Sango," Kagome called brightly as she stepped into the room.  

"Hi Kagome," Sango replied, moving across the room to take a seat next to the doctor. Kirara jumped from her arms and into Kagome's.  "Where's Inuyasha?"

"Oh, the general wanted to talk with him and Sesshomaru first,” she chuckled.

"Yikes, anything serious?"

Kagome shook her head. "No,” then dropping her voice to a conspiratorial whisper, “I think he just wants to warn them to be good this time.  You do remember the last mission they went on together?”

Sango opened her mouth to reply just as the door slid open again, this time admitting General Inutaishou and his sons, Sesshomaru and Inuyasha.  

Inuyasha crossed the room to sit next to his mate, his face unreadable.  Which both Kagome and Sango knew to mean he’d lost whatever argument had happened in the General’s office.   Sesshomaru took a seat in the front of the room, what would pass for one of his rare smug smiles on his face.  Both women looked at each other and rolled their eyes at the brother’s familiar antics.

"Alright," the general began the briefing as the screen behind him lit up with a map of a nearby star system.   "As you know, our colonies on Earth 3 are becoming overpopulated.  We have determined a possible planet for new colonization."

A box appeared on the map then zoomed out expanding the section within to show a system with two suns.  “This planet…” the general pointed to the fourth planet in the system.  The image zoomed into show an Earth like planet, filled with streams and oceans.   “…in System 311 is the best candidate we have.  You four will go there, determine what if any native species there are and if the it is suitable for us to begin establishing colonies."

"Yes sir." The reply echoed from four mouths.