The Final Countdown

Petrie wiped their mandible.

Report of Preliminary Archaeological Survey of Sokar IV

Planet is solid mass, mainly silicon with high ferrous content. Volcanism evident from cones and numerous igneous deposits. Drift geology indicate past presence of aitchto-o. There are 10 sites of archaeological interest on planet, all originating from Sokar III. Orbital remains have also been recorded, as have a small deposit of a crashed vehicle on the larger of the planet’s 2 satellites. Sites are located at the following planetary co-ordinates.

Cross. Ref. Petrie pasted the sphero locators and wiped their mandible, stretching discomfort in some limbs.

Dating.

Fortune in absolute dates resultant presence of element 240 in energy sources for planetary “explorers” (sites SIV- 5-10). Decay (assuming original purity of 240) gives date of ???? Relative dating complexed due to temporal proximity sites. Techno analyses…

Cross. Ref.

… by Rivers based on development of electronics proved of use. 2 symbolic azbuka present on artefacts await decrypt (consist of 26 and 33 symbol). Some progress made by Wheeler…

Cross. Ref.

…on Sokar III. Span of planetary exploration by Sokarans not accessible. Terminus ante quem date ???.

Petrie wiped their mandible, wondered about Sokarans. Bilateral quadrapeds. Did they like joke?

Site Descriptions.

Most site, despite vaporisation decay, indicate simple static probe, some damage on impact, no function. Later (?) probe ambulatory on simple roller bearing system. Why not use limb, skuomorphic to bilateral anatomy?…

….Petrie re-sorted their eye, wiped other mandible, troublesome this quarter…

…structure of mobile units indicate search for aitchto-o, possible also organics? Why this matter to bilaterals, given state of Sokar III? Origin mythology? Given decay of data source on Sokar III subsequent to the event, difficult to certainty. Assess…

Cross. Ref.

Sub-Report Wheeler.

Site of latest(?) lander(s). Evidence damage due to sub-event delta. High radiation. Apparent result of bilateraled direct intervention. Single or multiple insertion unclear. Faunal remains indicate 10-12 bilateral biped, given minimum numbers calc. Based on Mays skeletal analysis from Sokar III. Some indication, as elsewhere, of dimorphism. Two species or types?

Bilateral bilaterals? Petrie laugh, wipe mandible…

As per Mays analysis, possible evidence breeding cycle.

Site to be referenced Terminal Enumeration (TE). Analysis of radioactive decay indicate resultant of damage to energy source. Accident/deliberate? Unclear. Limited faunal preservation indicative of pre-mortem trauma. Sub event delta – conflict at lander site? Why?

…sorting eye, Petrie considered; correlative with THE EVENT? Temporal indicators favourable but due to age of sites lacking sufficient precision. Clearly TE must predate THE EVENT, but no hard evidence on chronology.

Sub-report Rivers. THE EVENT.

Correlatives of TE with EVENT unclear. EVENT catastrophic for both bilaterals and other Sokal III organics. Remaining sites and stratigraphy subject to high energy infarct. Surviving azbuka contradictory data on EVENT. Clearly conflict, but cause unclear. Stratigraphy indicate heavy environmental damage (organics, climate) predate event by ????

Conclusions

…Petrie review brief report, wipe mandible. Zeno archaeology always difficult. Aliens always weird, lack sense of humour…

Sokal culture typical of type 3 trajectory. Failure to launch. Evidence by datum of EVENT, insufficient materiel for cultural escape velocity. Ditto energy sources. Waste on futile activity, much chaos therefore lack resource for outward expansion. Sokal III high gravity not help.

Evidence Sokal IV brief attempts to break planetary boundary. But too small scale for sustained emergence. Failure to launch immediate precedent for the EVENT? Insufficient data.

Survey of Sokal IV complete, complements data from moon of Sokal III. Further extra planetary survey not required; archive total record of Sokal III and depart.

Petrie wiped their mandible.