"Mars isn't all that impressive," Jim says, wrinkling his nose. "Lots of dust, no aliens. It's once you get past the Milky Way that you find the good stuff."

The Federation hadn't even bothered with those planets save for resources. Once hyperspace had been accessible, that's when they'd been able to find other life, both plant and animal, and they'd been able to expand their outreach.

"This is actually the quietest part of space I've been in in awhile."