//------------------------------//
// Report #3 - 3QU15 Logs #7-10 
// Story: Curator of the Stars 
// by Sepulcher 
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Curator's Log - Solar System 3QU15, Planet 3QU15-1: Log #7

The results of the atmospheric makeup are as follows: seventy-three point eight percent (73.08%) nitrogen, twenty five point nine-five percent (25.95%) oxygen, a variable amount {an average of or around one point two-four-seven percent (1.247%)} of water vapour, point nine-three percent (0.93%) argon, zero point zero three-eight percent (0.038%) carbon dioxide, and traces amounts of hydrogen, helium, and other noble gases.

The percentages of oxygen is slightly above the normal life-bearing planet, which may contribute to why there are so many Sapients living amongst each other, as all of their respiration systems are based upon the intake of oxygen and the exhalation of carbon dioxide.


-Curator ξ





Curator's Log - Solar System 3QU15, Planet 3QU15-1: Log #8

Due to the nature of this planet being home to a minimum of six (6) Apex Species that are all Sapient, and via the orders of my superior, I have decided sent out the Tertiary Drone to the largest city belonging to the Ponies. This is being done with the intent to gather more information about the Ponies' culture, language, and any other Data that can possibly be obtained. Sending the Tertiary Drone to the Ponies first is an obvious choice to me, and one that I hope others will agree with.

I am going to launch the Tertiary Drone under the cover of night and I shall Observe through its live feed, taking notes as it traverses.


-Curator ξ





Curator's Log - Solar System 3QU15, Planet 3QU15-1: Log #9a

The Tertiary Drone has been successfully launched without any issues. The hull sustained no damage from entering the stratosphere and it endured the impact of landing upon the cobbled stone road while sustaining no damage, as the Drone is in its amorphous and unstructured phase. The road is unharmed as far as I can tell, save for a few rocks that were heated from being in contact with the Drone. Conveniently enough, there seems to be no Ponies within the immediate vicinity of the Drone's successful landing. 

It has begun flowing along the ground, sticking to the shadows and keeping out of sight as it makes its way towards the pre-determined coordinates--where I presume the 'royalty' lives, in the large and spacious building that the Secondary Drone had originally been brought to whence it was captured. Through my limited Observational capacities of seeing what only the Drone sees, I cannot tell if any Ponies are following it just out of range of the Drone's proverbial 'eye.'  However, I can safely assume that the Tertiary Drone knows what to do better than I: it is a Tertiary Drone, after all.

From what I can tell, there are four Ponies belonging to what I am now calling the Security caste located outside of the building's exterior. Ponies of all three sub-species {not including the fourth winged-horned variety of which I am sure are special cases} are wearing ornately decorated armour covering their heads, chest, and legs. They are also somehow capable of holding onto primitive bladed and speared weapons with their forehooves. 

I may require a specimen to study, as their hooves should not be able to grasp objects, and I would like to see how in fact they are capable of it.


-Curator ξ





Curator's Log - Solar System 3QU15, Planet 3QU15-1: Log #9b

The Tertiary Drone has successfully infiltrated the large and guarded domicile undetected. It was a simple task for it to remain in its amorphous and practically liquid state while skirting around the Security caste members, then slipping underneath the door. The Tertiary Drone is currently winding its way along, using the pre-recorded blueprints gathered from the Secondary Drone to aid its search for some form of logged information. While I become nervous whenever a Pony is nearby, I should put more trust into the Tertiary Drone: it was selected specifically to be of the Saboteur-class for good reason.

After searching through multiple closed off rooms, the Drone has finally found the equivalent of an information jackpot: a very large amount of bound, thin sheets made from a fibrous material and used to bear printed type and other Data.

Books. Many books all together in one location, designating it as a 'library.' Exactly what we needed...

While the Drone scans and transmits the Data back to my vessel, I will work on translating the language. Linguistics are not my primary Attribute, but I am more than capable of assisting the vessel in elucidating the language symbol by symbol.

The launch of the Tertiary Drone has already been worth it, and it has not even been one (1) Standard Hour yet.


-Curator ξ





Curator's Log - Solar System 3QU15, Planet 3QU15-1: Log #9c

There was a slight mishap in the library. Nothing that will immediately compromise the mission, but the two (ponies) that were forced to be incapacitated will eventually be missed. I shall allay a maximum of four (4) Standard Hours before the Tertiary Drone is to return to the vessel based on the size of the domicile and the average reaction time of the Security caste. I shall not underestimate the Ponies' abilities or comprehension. The imprisonment and subsequent release of the Secondary Drone has convinced me enough.

Even though the discovery was unavoidable, I still feel partially at fault: I was only half concentrating upon the Drone, so engrossed I was upon deciphering the language. I didn't notice the two Security caste sneak into the library through a hidden door, one winged and one horned. I'm not sure what they were doing there, as they didn't seem to be searching for any intruders. Regardless, both the Drone and I were caught unawares, and it almost brought the mission to a quick halt. I know that the Tertiary Drone should receive the majority of the blame, yet I still feel responsible. Perhaps the lingering tension regarding the fact that no System nor planet like 3QU15 and 3QU15-1 have been recorded in our history has finally started to wear on me.

I digress.

The Drone has successfully recorded the majority of the information from the vast library of written Data. I calculate that all the relevant information will have been absorbed, processed, and transmitted back to the vessel within the Hour. My deadline seems to be unnecessary, but on the off chance that another 'fountain' of knowledge is found, I will upkeep it.


-Curator ξ





Curator's Log - Solar System 3QU15, Planet 3QU15-1: Log #10a

My time-frame was not created out of baseless anxiety.

Shortly after the Tertiary Drone finished assimilating the last cluster of bound fibrous sheets, a contingent of twenty-one (21) Security caste members, seven (7) of each sub-species, entered the library. They are currently searching the entirety of the room while the Tertiary Drone continues to evade them, waiting for its chance to scurry out the exit.

The Security caste have found the unconscious members that were silenced earlier. They are trying to awaken them, but the two knocked out Ponies are staying that way, and will be for at least another eight (8) hours.

The Drone has managed to escape, leaving the contingent behind. The Ponies don't know what the Drones are capable of: this much is fact based upon their reactions. The Saboteur-class Drone is currently making its exit of the large compound that it resides in, heading towards an open area where it can re-launch itself and return to the vessel.


-Curator ξ





Curator's Log - Solar System 3QU15, Planet 3QU15-1: Log #10b

The Drone slid underneath a door, one of the last ones blocking its way along the path to freedom. From outside of the door, there were no signs indicating anything other than a completely empty room. From the inside, however, that is not the case.

There seems to be some sort of purple and moderately translucent shield-like dome encompassing the entirety of the chamber. The dome seems to provide complete and utter proofing of the sound within. Strangely enough, the dome is not a solid and instead appears to be some sort of plasma, although the heat component is missing.

The Drone accidently entered this dome without realizing that there were over two-hundred (200) Ponies all located within the same antechamber. It passed straight through the shielding and became assaulted with the noise of dozens of Ponies communicating at once. Unfortunately, the Drone was spotted before it could slink away unseen. The amorphous-form Tertiary Drone was quickly surrounded by a ring of Security caste, all of them of the horned variety. The Drone made no motions to flee or attack, and neither did the Ponies.

They remained that way for almost an entire Minute, neither side moving to engage the other.

It was strange, almost comical. Nine (9) armoured Ponies surrounding the lone Tertiary Drone, nothing more than an amorphous globule that barely reached up to a Ponies' chest. I had no idea what to do in this situation, so I allowed the Drone to control itself as it saw fit.

The stand-off was interrupted when the same winged-horned Pony with a brilliant white coat and a flowing, multi-coloured mane shouted, causing the Security caste to take several steps backwards. The winged-horned Pony took to the air swiftly and flew towards the Tertiary Drone, landing close, but not overly so.

The Pony craned her neck down so that it was eye-to-metal with the Drone. The Pony spoke, slowly and deliberately. The translation program onboard hadn't made very much progress in decoding the language, but it had deciphered enough to translate a few simple words.

"What. Are. You."

I found myself shivering in excitement. This was the moment of truth: act correctly, and I will have single-handedly bridged the gap between Ourselves and the Ponies. Act incorrectly, however, and I would shatter the bridge before it is even established. 

I took manual control of the Drone and uploaded a schematic into it of the basic blueprint of a Pony, one without wings or a horn. The Drone began its metamorphosis into a Pony, its amorphous form expanding outward to fill in the shape that was outlined to it. It was the size of a young Pony; a foal.

Needless to say, the Ponies were startled by this show of technology. Actually, startled is too mild of a word to describe their reactions. Only the white, winged-horned Pony showed no signs of fear.

I made the Drone stick out its right leg, as that was how I observed some Ponies greeting each other. The white pony seemed confused for a second before seeming to realize what the Drone was doing.

She {I'm certain of it now; child bearing hips} tentatively walked closer to the faux and metallic foal. I forced the Drone not to move, as I didn't want to scare her away. The white Pony gingerly raised a hoof and pressed it against the Drone's. I noticed that she forced herself not to wince from the contact.

With the contact made, I programmed the Drone to scratch out three words into the white stone beneath its feet.

"We. Are. Friends."

This had the exact reaction that I was hoping for. After the white Pony read the words aloud, the entire chamber exploded into a chorus of happy voices.

I was glad for the welcome reception, but my work was not yet complete. Since the Drone was no longer in its amorphous state, and without any way to turn it back, it was as good as useless. So, while the Ponies were celebrating, I made the Drone scratch out five more words.

"Automaton. Irreparable. Sacrifice."

"Return. Soon."

I made the Drone step back, putting enough space between itself and any of the Ponies that may have been within the blast radius. With a simple command, the Drone became undone. After the last remains of the Drone dissipated, all that was left was the small, spherical 'heart' of the Drone. I regret leaving a part of the Drone behind, but it was a necessary sacrifice.

It has begun. Soon, I will send out the Quaternary Drone and with any amount of luck, one of the Ponies will volunteer to clamber aboard. I don't want to have to forcibly abduct one of them.


-Curator ξ

{END OF REPORT #3}