The mission started as a normal recon of a new planet. I should have known there was something off about it, but I did not until it was too late.

The climate was extremely warm and moist, the terrain was a nightmare to walk in, the soil was sticky and our space boots would get sucked into the muddy surface.

We were trying to find signs of the Vultures on this planet so we walked into the vegetation for hours. Despite feeling observed we could not find any signs of life and our heat sensors did not pick up anything.

After walking for hours, we decided to set camp on what seemed to be firm terrain. I dozed off until I heard the shouts of my peers. The ground, which until a few hours ago was steady as a rock, had turned into a muddy whirlpool that was engulfing us and our equipment.

The more we moved, the quicker we were pushed to the center of the swirl of death. The urge to move was overpowering, I did not want to die buried under the mud on a lost planet.

As I closed my eyes, getting ready to die, I felt a push from below. When I looked around I found myself surrounded by a bubble. To my astonishment, every single marine was being transported out of the treacherous mud by the same transparent substance. 

We were transported out of the reach of the deadly soil and carefully deposited on the ground by a frog-like creature holding a huge gun.

The anthropomorphic amphibian adjusted a dial on his suit (we later learned it was a universal translator) and greeted us. He told us they have been monitoring us since the moment we landed on their planet and had decided we were not a threat to them.

We also learned the Crimson Vultures have been attacking their cities, and they were hunting after them. After all they have done for us we offered to join forces to find and eradicate the Vultures as we had extensive knowledge of how they operate.

As we worked together we learned they were a highly technologically advanced race and that they were invisible to our heat radars due to their amphibian nature that provided them with cold blood. We were also fascinated by their unbreakable pact with a amphibian creature race called the Salamandrids, that they use as mounts to swiftly transport themselves.  

A great bond of respect and mutual admiration was forged as we combed the planet, working together to eradicate every single settlement and cell the Vultures had created in the frognauts planet.

By the time the mission was completed and the planet was Vulture-free the Frognauts had decided to join the federation and help us bring aid and peace to other planets of the galaxy, and some of their best agents joined our crew.