Location:

Unnamed re-colonization planet

Perspective:

Biological construction specialist; hereby known as "Toroid" due to incompatible translational linguistics and subjects unique markings.

Notes:

Language translated as best as is possible; some concepts and descriptions are either implied or substituted for closest equivalent. Names of others are derived from unique identifiers.

I am reeling from the experience; to seemingly be threatened with violence by an alien species… But once again, Threedots was right. The bipeds were merely mimicking my actions. That alone was a startling revelation after so much time spent observing them with no response to our attempts to communicate; but to then see them communicate with each other in an unknown way and present an organized response… I decide that this line of inquiry is well beyond my specialization and shift thought. We apparently have a commonality with the bipeds; both of our species could leverage tentaclespeak. A very confusing revelation, considering they did not have tentacles, and did not understand our meanings. I replayed the event in my mind, watching the small biped repeat the action, not with the entire soft-clawed appendage, but retracting all but one soft claw to more accurately repeat it. There was intent and attention to detail behind the action. I think back to other times I had seen the bipeds moving their appendages, but can not see any movements that would suggest language. Another line with no answer to which I could discern. An odd sensation washes over me, but I do not know how to classify it, and so I disregard it.

As we swim out into the ocean, I examine Threedots for any observable changes, and see none. No, I believe she is not going to change in ways I will be able to see until they have already happened. I look within and realize that for the first time, I have questions, uncertainty. I take control over my patterning as I come to the realization, and it seems like Threedots did not notice any changes. Up until now, my time has been filled with objectives to meet, tasks to complete and observations and discoveries to report; there were no need for questions as to purpose, because purpose was simply survival. If, by some seemingly ever-increasing chance that Threedots’ postulation is entirely correct...Well, I do not even know what that would mean for the Ceph, let alone the bipeds.

Threedots stopped her unhurried swim, then called out past the deep dark with a bright flash in ultraviolet. With no patterning, it would be for announcement, but with strobing patterning like I had used earlier, it would mean emergency assistance. The patterning Threedots sent out was the most common usage: for coordinating a squad. She requested three additions; two would be mainstays of any squad: an observer and a tasker, while the last member requested was not much of a surprise: a sentience specialist. I was only mildly worried that she would not be able to build her squad, as most Ceph had heard about and been dismissive of the bipeds, and more specifically, Threedots unyielding drive to support them. She had, however, made the call for a squad and a squad she would have, even if it meant only the two of us.

It would take some time for prospects to arrive, so I turned slightly to get a better view of Threedots, recounting my observational notes for reference.

Threedots had always been an outlier, and it has only amplified since her clutching. Her drive to protect these strange biped creatures is a fierce one, and also extremely abnormal. I had knowledge of the extended education provided to her offspring, and have since been quietly studying her behavior to see if this might be some form of deficiency, genetic or otherwise. Now, however, we may discover that it may actually be an enhancement to insight; how that might affect her offspring is yet to be seen.

While the biped creatures did not initially appear to be intelligent, Threedots had undoubtedly proven that they were more than they seemed and thus, at a minimum, warranted further examination. One of Threedots first arguments towards intelligence was that they draped themselves with coverings, but this was quickly disputed by another as many species of crustacean and even some fish will take similar action in order to hide from predators. She had been disputed numerous times with undeniable arguments...And yet I knew she was right. Incorrect hypothesis after irrelevant argument and still, I had reached the same conclusion she did, even if I did not fully understand why. They build caves on top of the sand; some fish dig caves into the sand. They tend to land plants for food; other lesser sea animals do the same. Any of the others would have accepted dispute as truth in the face of such evidence, but Threedots simply came at the problem from another angle; always another reason or observance to lend support to her position. And so, I reinforce with myself that I observe her aberrant behavior for a new reason: it may be an advantage and not a detriment. She came to this conclusion well before dozens of failed group discourses and before any of the rest of us; whether she saw something we did not and could not explain or had some new instinctual sense she was unaware of, we may never know. Had we acted sooner, we might well have been prepared for the arrival of the Canid, and spared them our now shared experience. Another strange sensation, and another failure to classify.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Several Ceph had arrived, but significantly less than if another had made the call; it was likely that these were the ones with an empty task list, seeking to be productive instead of idle. It was not long before they had assembled into loose groups by their specializations, and collectively ceased patterning.

Threedots stated her specialization, along with a brief overview of what we had experienced some time earlier. The three groups discussed amongst themselves to determine priority on current obligations, tasks and viability of squad success; essentially who would join and continue the work. Eight observers, five taskers and three sentience specialists; while none were in dire need, having additional specialists of a given discipline was always prudent if not outright beneficial; some groups would have extra squad members, depending on the scope and importance of the project at hand. Sometimes, there were even several squad sub-leaders, generally by specialization, that would, in tandem with a tasker, organize the sub-squad members for better efficiency.

All but three other Ceph left after the discussions had concluded.

“Your squad grows by three, Threedots.”

“You see it too, Halfblue?” Threedots asked the near ancient Ceph. They had known each other for some time, but had never worked together before.

“I do. Individually, the biped behaviors can be accounted for in other creatures, but I have realized that no other creature does all of this at once. Perhaps...Perhaps we need to reconsider definitions and distinctions.” Halfblue softly pulsed a myriad of colors with shifting patterns to show uncertainty and consideration.

I then realized then what should have been obvious to all of us. Yes, all the behaviors had been seen in other living things, but the vast majority of those living things specialized in but one of those behaviors, ourselves being one of the few notable exceptions. This was, of course, common knowledge to all; some basic level of both self sufficiency and sustenance vs threat creatures was mandatory education, and regularly updated as new information became available. After all, threats abound in the deep dark on many worlds.

“Toroid, have you made a discovery?” One of the others asked, likely having noticed my colorings shift as I considered the conversation.

“I have a postulation, if you would hear it from a builder specialist largely unfamiliar with general biology and sentience.”

Threedots, the general biologist and Halfblue, the sentience specialist both lightly pulsed brown for acceptance; I steadied myself and ceased my patterning before speaking.

“I believe they are generalists, and leverage such as a survival strategy.”

It was Threedots that flashed white for surprise first, then Halfblue. The others did not appear to understand why that might be important, but this postulation was normally even beyond my purpose.

“Support.” Threedots responded first, as well.

“Concurrence.” Halfblue followed, but the other two awaited further reasoning before responding.

Threedots and Halfblue ceased their patterning to not influence the others during my expected explanation.

“Their survival capability appears adaptive; they may use any or all observed, known or otherwise yet unknown methods to escape or defend from predators.”

“Dispute. There are no other unknown methods.” Shimmer stated. The two of the squad that had called for support did not intervene; protocol dictates that all thoughts be known before discourse.

“Shimmer, these creatures are of the land. Do you know every method available to those of the dry?”

The Ceph gently rolled myriad coloring for a long moment before responding.

“I withdraw my dispute and confirm support.”

The other four waited patiently while the last Ceph, Tips, rolled myriad for a short time while considering.

“I withhold at this time with the recommendation that this squad pursue the goal of communication.”

The other four Ceph flashed brown for acceptance before Threedots softly flashes ultraviolet.

“Halfblue will replace me as squad leader; her specialty will be of utmost importance when discerning how best to communicate with the bipeds.”

A consensus of brown followed, and Halfblue ended the squad discussion. “We will meet at the repurposed clutching grounds where the bipeds are currently residing when your current tasks are completed.”

All but Threedots and myself swiftly swam off; Threedots turned slightly towards me and showed a deep, reverent blue along with the tentaclesign for gratitude.

“You have done for me a great service, Toroid. I will not forget it, and if the bipeds are what I believe them to be, I will not let them forget you, either.” She swam off, leaving me with yet another strange sensation I could not classify.