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Another entry in the Diary of our Visitor from Space [LOG 1 of the "Diary from ROBIS a visitor to Denglan" is to be found in the October 2016 Newsletter] ....

Log 2:  ..."After careful observation I have decided to adopt the form of species with four limbs and a fifth at the rear of its body which moves continuously...."

 

Hello again to all those back on the Planet Nasine. I report as my studies advance at speed. Having entered the hive of LONDON in the guise of an IXAT I found that this form was too large and unwieldy to enable access to some of the sub hives I have been anxious to explore. I have also discovered that in taking on these forms I begin to unconsciously adopt some of the characteristics they display. As an example I feel an overwhelming compulsion to adopt the communication methods of the form. I have no idea what these crude sounds convey but I find the sounds CAFF, GUV, ARSENAL and IN THE BACK OF MY CAB emerging from my communication systems. After careful observation I have decided to adopt the form of species with four limbs and a fifth at the rear of its body which moves continuously. There are many of these for the most part in the company of the erect species, although they are obviously inferior, as they are often connected to the erect species by a cord which I speculate transmits nutrients.

On taking this form I feel a number of strongly competing sensations. Every moment seems like the best moment in my life, I feel a compelling urge to insert my breathing tubes at the front of the life form into a dark passage at the rear of and beneath the flapping appendage at the other end of similar passing life forms.

 Although this form seems a very useful way of discreetly moving among the species for observation I am beginning to discover it has some genetic defects. One of the most awkward of these is that if I go too close to any tubular inanimate object one or other of the two appendages at the rear which enable forward motion lifts and shakes, causing me to have to pause. Another, almost as awkward, is that if another similar creature approaches and carries a particular biological signature picked up by the breathing tubes, I find myself approaching it from behind and gripping it around the rear part with my front appendages at the same time making a loud gruff noise. This then creates a creature trying to progress with six motion appendages. On occasion the upright species then seems to be keen to assist by supplying a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen in liquid form liberally applied to the species' bodies.

I note that my adopted form is limited in the hives it is allowed to access by the superior species. At the entrance to some hives the life form is restrained by its nutrition tube being secured to an inanimate object. Not being accompanied by a member of the superior species also means access is even harder to achieve. I get round this initially by imitating the behaviour I observe in others and approaching an upright form which is differently shaped to many others. This version of the life form seems to be about half of the total numbers and generally has much more of its mass in the lower half of its body and two protuberances at the top and to the front which seem to enable it to communicate with the differently formed versions. I observe this as the version without the two protuberances often seems to be looking in their direction, presumably communicating by some primitive form of telepathy. I note that it is possible to accompany this life form into a hive if I apply the liquid freely produced from the aperture at the front of my adopted form to the area around the similar aperture on the upright species. The purpose for this response is puzzling as my analysis of the liquid tells me that it contains many contaminants and active bacterial life forms as well as clear traces of waste products that the species discard from the rear part as a by-product of converting other living matter to energy.

I stay close to the life form and enter a hive with it. It is obvious to me that the hives perform many different functions, some more easy to understand than others. The purpose of the first hive is difficult to grasp. It is lined with rows of objects which on examination vary in composition from natural biological to carbon based. They share a common feature in having additional synthetic materials added which make them appear at different points in the colour spectrum. The species selects a large number of these, seemingly at random, although it is possible that the repetitive removal and replacement of items has some sort of ritualistic purpose as the creature frequently makes small sharp sounds while holding the item against its form. The next phase I have recorded, but has no obvious explanation. The creature conceals itself in a recess and appears to repetitively expose itself and conceal itself in these random samples. This may be some form of reproductive activity as I can see no other explanation for the fact that it then discards all the items and then repeats the ritual using the outer wrapping of other life forms into which it forces the articulated parts at the bottom of the two appendages it uses for motion. Strangely although these appendages are ideally formed for motion and balance the wrappings frequently include elevated spikes which seem designed to create motion based on walking only on the extreme end of the appendages.

It is notable that very few of the differently designed members of the species are present during these events. Those I do observe seem to be trying to ignore the ritual, either working on crude electronic devices or in some cases showing signs of considerable distress with elevated life signs and much more rapid inhalation of the oxygen based gas necessary for their continued existence. When we exit the hive I am filled with anticipation for the next.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liveryman Jeff Cant

NOTE: I reserve the copyright to this piece beyond its use in the Worshipful Company of Management Consultants house magazine