A tiny mouse with an eerie purple sheen to her eyes cautiously crawls out of El's purpleheart wood carrying case and runs with preternatural stealth to El's side. She takes a moment to give the unconscious girl the faintest nuzzle of affection & relief ...

And then promptly nips her earlobe.

El screams as she jerks awake, clutching her abused ear -- yet making sure at the same time that she doesn't accidentally hurt Precious.

"What the hell was that for?!" she asks peevishly, before becoming aware of three things:

* This is the most well-rested she has ever felt in her entire life.
* She has absolutely no idea where she is.
* The strange boy who told her she was in space has company.

"Oh bloody hell."