by Wilf James
"For our next field trip we will be going to the XC44 sector. Before we make plans to go, I want you to study some of the recordings from the library. I have picked out one which I think will show you what sort of problems you might encounter. Feel carefully." .
"OK number one, I leave the final approach to you. Remember, our secrecy depends on how well you can make them ignore us."
"Aye aye sir. Shield helmets on now."
"There's a lot of life down there sir, big oceans too. I'll set down well before the terminator so that we will have daylight for a while." .
"You certainly have picked a good spot number one, we can camouflage the equipment in the taller vegetation."
"Environment, please report."
"Adjacent vegetation dense but thin and spindly - we should have no trouble getting through it. The taller vegetation we can see appears to be more substantial. I guess it is many cycles old. The atmosphere is almost purely gaseous primary elements with some evaporated liquid in suspension. It is safe to go outside sir - with the usual precautions of course."
"Engineering, please report."
"All prepared for a rapid departure if necessary sir."
"Psionics, please report."
"No advanced sentient life-forms in the vicinity sir."
"All OK then. Prepare for observation until nightfall. Number one, maintain a shield to discourage carnivorous wildlife."
"Aye aye sir." .
"I can't see far through this vegetation. Psionics, take the lead towards the taller vegetation we saw from the ship."
"Aye aye sir." .
"The ground is clearer here sir; I feel that this would be a good place to set up the equipment."
"OK psionics, I'll accept your judgement. Research team, this is the place. Any sign that we were observed number one?"
"None at all sir; I sense that most of the carnivores in this area are relatively small and present no danger to us sir."
"Very good. Number one - take a rest for a while - the survey team will be able to spot the movements of the larger animals with their equipment." .
"Survey leader here sir. We have detected a group of very large animals heading this way. Psionics thinks they are herbivores sir." .
"Survey reporting sir. We have detected strong atmosphere vibrations coming from the herbivores. Psionics thinks that there is another, smaller type of animal among the herbivores but cannot be sure yet. A distant sentient being is just detectable."
"Thank you survey - keep me posted."
"Aye aye sir." .
"Psionics reporting sir. We have detected two sentient beings approaching the survey site. They seem to be completely unaware of our presence. They seem to have the objective of getting away from other sentient beings for a short period. Their thought patterns are difficult to analyse. We are keeping them under observation sir."
"Very good work psionics. Give me a more detailed report when you have more information. "We need to know as much as possible about these beings for our report on this planet."
"Aye aye sir."
"Survey reporting sir. The large herbivores are now beginning to scatter and graze but some of them have moved near to the ship. The ship is in no danger from these animals as far as we can tell. The other animal that we detected is a smaller carnivore but it has gone away to join the distant sentient being. We have just detected a ship in the atmosphere. We have tried to communicate with its crew without success. We cannot detect any use of psionics aboard it. If there is a crew on board, they are ignoring us or do not use psionics sir."
"Excellent work survey. It looks as if our observations will be of great help to later expeditions to this planet."
"Psionics here sir. The two sentient beings have stopped moving in the tall vegetation near to our survey site. They have not observed us and are unaware of our presence."
"Survey here sir. We have the two sentient beings under close observation. They were carrying some objects which they are now depositing on the ground around themselves. They have changed their appearance and appear to be making adjustments to each other's bodies."
"Psionics here sir. The beings are becoming less sentient and beginning to produce a strong psionic radiation. They seem to be anxious to consume each other in a non-nutritional manner. They appear to be trying to give each other a psionic overload."
"Survey here sir. We have collected some of the objects discarded by the beings. Psionics are now making duplicates to replace them." .
"Psionics-sir - our duplicating staff - have been - affected by - the psionic - radiation - field. The beings - are - joining - together. - - I'm finding - it - hard - to - maintain clarity - sir. - - The - - duplicators - - - are - - - - out - - - - - of - - - - - - - control!" .
"Number one! Are you alright? The survey team has collapsed. Psionics are gone. The radiation field is beginning to affect me too."
"One here, skipper. The radiation has not begun to affect me yet but I can feel it. I have never encountered such a strong radiation field before. I can't see what has happened to the survey team but there is a mountain of duplicated objects where they were. We will not be able to conceal it or transmute it very easily - even with the team in one piece. The herbivores are converging on the survey team now sir. The psionic field must have attracted them. They are beginning to investigate the psionic field multiplier."
"The psionic field has disappeared! Now I think I understand what happened - the psionic field multiplier must have affected the beings which produced the psionic field in the first place. The herbivores have de-activated it somehow. I am now going to investigate." .
"Psionics here sir. I don't know what knocked us out but it has gone now. The beings are moving apart. They are very excited. They are examining the pile of objects which were produced when the duplicator went haywire. These are annular yellow metal objects which have clear crystalline mineral attachments sir. The duplicator was not working correctly. It has made about a thousand of these objects but reproduced them several times their original size.
The beings are collecting the objects and putting them on a flexible sheet. The sheet is the one on which they were joined together earlier when the overload occurred. The beings are trying to use the sheet as a container sir. The larger being is trying to lift the collected metal objects in the sheet but has insufficient strength to pick them up. The smaller being is trying to assist the larger being. Now the sheet has ruptured and the objects have fallen to the ground again.
The beings are looking around - they have seen us! They do not appear to communicate with each other using psionics sir. I am trying to analyse their brain patterns but it is difficult.
They think that they know who we are but cannot believe what they see. They see us as "The Little People" - we have made them very happy - the duplications, sir - their name for us is Lepp Ra Corns sir."
Copyright (C) W. H. James 19/10/1985 Revised 08/06/96 & 30/11/98 (1262 words) .
Wilf James,106 Jarden, Letchworth, Herts. SG6 2NZ, UK. E-mail wilf dot james at ntlworld dot com This version of my email address is to beat spammer's robots.
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