Xenobiology

“Starwind-Abara Interstellar intends to mine a Jovian exoplanet for Helium 3, a potent fusion energy fuel. This resource claim requires an ecological survey to be conducted of the gas giant’s moons, a rubber-stamp expense given that operations will be mostly restricted to the gas giant itself. These surveys offer an opportunity for daring scientists to explore alien worlds on the company coin and, on one moon orbiting SAI’s claim, sapient alien life was found.

Sol Union exobiologist Makeba Sutphen was sent with the company when they left earth, hoping to find something remarkable. She wonders at the wisdom of that choice as she is approached by the titanic natives of this large moon. However, she has little to fear.

The species evolved from large aquatic creatures which resembled kite-shaped terrestrial stingrays. As they moved on to land the small feeding appendages on their undersides evolved into huge stilt-like limbs, and the shield-like skin on their backs darkened to protect against the solar radiation of their powerful sun. The hammerhead sensory organs which millions of years ago helped their aquatic ancestors find food broadened massively into antler-like eye stalks almost as wide as the beings are tall, now used as social display structures, with broader-stalked individuals often gaining higher status and access to mates.

With the head so far from the ground, the mouth has migrated to the bottom of the body, leaving the brain, eyes and breathing organs and on the upper head, allowing the creatures to feed and keep watch at the same time. Waste products are ejected explosively from the body via a pore on the back to prevent contamination to the lower mouth. This fact Makeba would discover to her shock soon after meeting them.”