Star Log Sec8 Sub10-1
We skipped through Sector 9 in a hurry. I think we’re finally out of the woods, and the look of this planet confirms it.
It’s a tidy planet, with potentially sentient life in the stone-and-wood-tools stage of development.
They are corvid in appearance, with vestigial feathers and claw-like hands, and they are very group-oriented. They live in fascinating tree dwellings they create by weaving sticks around tree branches and then weaving vines and sticks around the sticks, and then decorated with chips of mica.
I wish we could stay here and observe them forever, but we have a mission.
Star Log Sec8 Sub10-2
We don’t generally name planets, but that didn’t stop Seb from naming this one “stepping stone.”
It’s covered in islands. Some of them appear to be hardly bigger than a rock; some of them are miles wide on a side. All of them are close to at least two other islands, although “close” in this case is sometimes “visible in clear weather.”
We see no signs of sentient life, no signs of any land animal larger than a big alligator. The atmosphere is breathable.
We sent down a team to the largest island. Let’s see what they can do.
Star Log Sec8 Sub10-3
This subsector has clearly not been touched by the Bears.
The life on this planet is gorgeous. There are squalid parts – they are in the early parts of an industrial revolution – but the nice parts are gorgeous. Steeples. Spires. Plant-boxes everywhere.
The people themselves are bipedal with long arms and a trunklike appendage as well as a prehensile tail. Their clothing in the nicer areas consists of layers and layers of printed fabric in folded rectangles.
Their trains are a work of art. I wish I could ride on one.
We sent down a greeting probe. I want to visit so badly.
Star Log Sec8 Sub10-4
This sector is fascinating, and in 100 years, I would love to see what the populated planets here do.
This planet is vernal is a very trimmed-looking way, but we cannot find the gardeners. That is: plants are arranged into rows and fields, circles & swirls, arches and labyrinths. None of it appears natural. But there are no structures, no sentient-looking beings, and the animals there are wander – apparently freely, yet within their own designated zones.
It is slightly too unnatural for us to risk a team. Instead, we sent down three sleeper probes that will awaken if handled in a manner usually indicative of sentient life.
They may greet this planet’s version of a chimp. They may find the gardeners.
Reluctantly, we moved on.
Planet 8-10-2