Episode 4

Hostile Type One Autopsy

Analyst’s Note: The reopening of the slip point has allowed me to pick up these logged transmissions from inside Periphery.

Still aboard the Gallant. The MegaSTar Unlimited Vistas is in orbit with us around Generosity@Hive station. Following the Invader attack (that’s what we’ve started calling them), a number of corpses of their support troops and some weaponry were recovered aboard the Gallant. We sent them to Zadior Skybreaker, a Starbound aboard the Unlimited Vistas who calls himself a xenobiologist. Our TechOps and a couple of zengineers from the MegaSTar are looking at the gear. I have attached Zadior’s preliminary notes on what he has termed Hostile Type One (HT1).

There has been no official communication from any GuardCorps command tiers in the heliosphere, but we have picked up buzz of forces moving to defend the slip point to Astrapelago from Starview, the Expansionist outpost in orbit around Shian’s World. Some other ships are incoming. In 26 hours (UT) we are going to depart in convoy for Starview.

Preliminary observations - Hostile Type One

Examination conducted by Zadior Skybreaker, Hon.xb, M.Bio (Academy of Ulsatro, unaffiliated)

Initially Observed Facts

Clearly terrestrial. Close comparison perhaps Sauropsida - subtype parareptilia (dangerous to make assumptions based on cosmetic appearance)

Endoskeletal with midsagittal symmetry

Hexapodal in three bilateral symmetrical pairings - all connections similar to a pectoral girdle, rotator mechanism, no pelvis evident

Distalmost appendage identical on all limbs (no distinct feet or hands!) - tetradigital - double opposing pollexical digits

Absence of thoracic cage - torso consists of abdominal-like structures

Beak-like mandibular structure - pulping/grinding surfaces suggest herbivorous

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Internal Discoveries

Mostly cartilaginous rather than bone except skull/beak, three dorsal scuta, and digits - combat footage shows they are extremely malleable and “springy”

Retains a notochord-like structure instead of a spine

All limbs consist of the same layout of single stylopodium, single zeugopodium 

Mesopodium is highly complex, denoting exceptional digital dexterity

Dense autopodial and metapodial flexors - very strong grip

Organ processes and definitions to follow - cardiovascular circulatory vessels identified (it breathes and bleeds)