Activating Transceiver

Explorer 0613 initiating Status Report. Day seven.

The communicative device may have sustained damage. Am I being received, Elders?

…

Indeed, I have survived, and have much to report.

An explosion from the Humans has destroyed the Sentinel Heat Ray, and damaged a large portion of my capsule and devices. The force was enough to render me stunned and as I lay helpless on the floor of my capsule, I had sensed the Humans cautiously enter my capsule. As my vision slowly returned, I attempted to retreat into my Handling Machine to evict them from my threshold. At my movement, the Humans yelled fearfully and with great rage, they surrounded me and battered their weapons upon my head.

I recoiled as I attempted to see them off with lashes of my tentacles. But they were relentless and numerous; for a brief moment, I was certain my end was near. I had sustained a particularly brutal hit and must have fallen unconscious for a short time, for when I came to, I saw the Humans busily exploring my capsule. Several of the beasts had me in their sights, their weapons fixated on me, but they did not fire.

At their call, another Human hurried over to me and started speaking to me in its primitive language, its noises barely audible to my ear. With the dire situation requiring my understanding, I connected to its tiny mind to make sense of what was being said and it became clear to me that the Human was demanding my identity as well as the whereabouts of my deceased captives.

I had no intention of responding.

After several failed attempts to glean information from me, the Human spoke to the others, telling them to usher me from my capsule. I felt one of them strike my back firmly and I allowed myself to be led from my capsule, keeping my transceiver hidden under my body as I moved. I was completely cooperative with these creatures, allowing them to lead me to their settlement without fuss. The journey was incredibly long and strenuous, as well as painful. I was still weak from their blows, this adding to the hardship of the planet's immense gravity. The Humans had their weapons trained on me throughout the entire trek, and would insist on striking me if I showed any signs of moving slower than usual.

When I at last arrived to the Human city, I was taken to a small building by the outskirts. It's a prison, where I currently reside. It is truly pitiful, their belief that this would be sufficient enough to hold me; they use a simple key-lock mechanism to keep me confined behind iron bars. I am fully aware that I can open my cell with the mere use of a supple tentacle. But I have made no attempts at escape, for the moment.

Shortly after I had settled into my temporary imprisonment, the Human leader returned and approached my cell, once more demanding answers and explanations.

For several hours, this Human insisted on interrogating me about the whereabouts of their deceased comrades. I still gave it no answer, -indeed, I had put up the charade of not even being able to understand them-, and the lead Human appeared to get more aggravated. At one point, the creature had pointed its primitive projectile weapon at me, threatening to kill me. I still held firm to my position of silence and the Human begrudgingly backed off from its bluff.

They cannot kill me. They need me, and although they have me in their confinement, I am still in control here. They eventually gave up their efforts for the time being, and have let me be.

I will allow myself to be held here, continue giving these creatures a sense of superiority. I will observe their comings and goings, study their behavior in a more natural environment. Despite the setback, I will still keep to my mission and bide my time.

The Humans are coming back.

Transceiver Deactivated