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glanced up and around, the right eye swiveling independently on its short
stalk to peer two-thirds of the way down the mottled orange back, where an
irregular protrusion erupted from the smooth skin.
Awaken, Thoughtful-new-Prober, the Amplitur insisted. Miniature eyestalks
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uncoiled from within the fleshy eruption, tiny eyes shining wetly at the tips.
The bud leaned slightly forward, attentive and expectant. Another two time
periods and it would be fully formed, at which point it would separate from
its parent to embark upon existence as an independent entity, already well
educated and mature. A
successful budding was much to be praised, the complex process always to be
coddled.
But such was the skill of Thoughtful-quick-Probing that despite its delicate
condition its presence at the upcoming interrogation session had been
requested by Command.
It was awkward. A maturing bud ought not to be disturbed while its body was
embarked on the sensitive process of taking over its respiratory and
circulatory functions from the parent.
The blood vessels and nerves of parent and offspring would be linked a while
longer.
Thoughtful-quick-Probing tried to be optimistic. The encounter would be
educational for the new individual.
The bud responded to the thought by waving its miniature tentacles, exercising
evolving limbs already capable of grasping small objects. The four legs moved
only slightly within their encasing skin. They would be the last part of the
new individual to separate from the parenting body.
The room was crowded. Thoughtful-quick-Probing noted the presence of most of
the Command staff together with a number of Ashregan, Molitar, and Crigolit
officers. Assuming position to one side, it exchanged silent greetings with
the others of its own kind while Bent-high-Commanding shifted forward.
Immediately all Amplitur thoughts were stilled in deference to the presence of
their mentally mute allies.
Bent-high-Commanding spoke aloud, struggling to convey its thoughts by means
of the crude, wispy vocalizations that were utilized by all other sentient
races. You all know that we have lost Vasarih. We are in danger of losing
Aurun. Vasarih was always in question. Aurun we thought we had won. The
Aurunians had forgone the deviancy of the Weave in favor of furthering the
Purpose. Recent developments have adversely affected their outlook. The
Crigolit set to muttering among themselves.
Evidently this last information was new to them. The Weave has engaged a new
ally, an extraordinarily effective fighting species which appears to embody a
heretofore unencountered combination of high technology and primitive
ferocity. They were first detected in small numbers on Vasarih and it was
thought initially they might be native to that world. The presence of two
intelligent species on the same world is not without precedent. Further
encounters and new information have revealed that these beings are in fact
native to a world of their own. The number participating in Weave actions is
still small but increasing. Their modest presence on Vasarih has rapidly made
our presence there untenable. There have also been deleterious side effects.
Examples? mused Thoughtful-quick-Probing, admonishing its bud to pay close
attention.
The Massood seem to fight better when placed alongside these creatures, who
have the ability to make those in their company function more efficiently. It
may be that their influence will extend to and include such as the S van and
Hivistahm, though there is as yet no evidence to support such a hypothesis.
The threat they pose is therefore manyfold and complex. Those cadavers which
have been dissected have not been especially informative, though I am told
preliminary examinations suggest that their neuromuscular systemology is
unusually dense for a mammalian life-form.
As would be anticipated, the Weave has been extremely protective of them,
doing its utmost to shield them from our observation. Howe ver, that has not
prevented us from securing several live specimens. It is to these few that we
owe what real information we have. Bent-high-Commanding deferred to
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