The dropship hatch had been open on one side for most of the descent, but it still seemed like a fresh blast of cold air greeted them when they lowered the main ramp and started to disembark.

Most of the life resided in a region called the Stalks. The name came from the series of huge tree-like growths that supported the upper crust. They were more than ten miles tall in places, and some were more than two miles wide. In fact, they were the upper crust, since it was formed out of their flat wide tops. The appearance from above was that of lilies on a pond, crowded together.

“Welcome to paradise,” Rocky said.

There were enormous gaps in the upper crust, where the Trolls had built vast bridges and rope systems. Below the lily pad-like upper crust, the Trolls had built hanging cities along the miles-tall stalks that supported them. The undercrust tended to flood, and several places were simply a vast ocean. But it was warm, and protected from the cold and the winds above. Few species would look on the world and see a place worth colonizing. Fewer still would move essentially their whole race there.

“What the hell is going on?” Malby said.

He had disembarked just behind Lucky. Jiang and Crusher followed. Lucky motioned for the Joyheads to join them and set a moving perimeter for the princess.

There were more than a hundred Trolls just outside the ring of the landing pad. Lucky didn’t need to know much about Troll behavior to know these bastards were angry as shit. They were practically barking in their alien tongue.

Several seemed to actually be fighting with each other. But at the sight of the Marines disembarking, the writhing crowd of Trolls seemed to stutter, quieting together for a moment as one. But it was only a moment; then they surged forward, directing all their hate at Lucky and his Marines.

“Our reputation precedes us,” Rocky said.