Lt. Jinglee: What was that?! Where is it coming from?!

Srg. Aim111: Do not panic. Sound off on my mark. Marker 1.

Lt. Jinglee: [panic detected] S-sounding off on 2

Lt. Quipree: Present on 3

Lt. 888888888888888888888ah: Stable here on 4

Ct. [redacted]: [unstable breathing]

Srg. Aim111: Ct. [redacted]? Sound off please.

Visual record detects the environmental cloaking device has increased output by an additional 10%. Light seems to be reflecting back off the white substance. Only the current officers can be seen close by.

Srg. Aim111: Son, I need you to calm down and respond on the comm. Are you injured?

Ct. [redacted]: N-no.

Srg. Aim111: Good, good, keep talking to me. Stay where you are. Your team is coming to find you. Please activate your distress lights.

Ct. [redacted]: Sarge...I can’t.

Lt. Jinglee: What do you mean you can’t? [aggravated tone detected]

Srg. Aim111: Ok, can you move?

Ct. [redacted]: No.

Srg. Aim111: Son, you gotta work with me here.

Ct. [redacted]: I can’t sir; it’s here.

Lt. Jinglee: “It?” As in-

Srg. Aim111: Quipree, what the protocol for sudden and unexpected contact?

Lt. Quipree: Remain perfectly still, do not make sudden or drastic movements, do not make any noise. Wait for their curiosity to drain and flee backwards when their attention is drawn elsewhere.

Srg. Aim111: Can you do that Cadet? Do not move, understand. Do not move and the terrestrial will not harm you. We are on our way over to your position to extract you.

Ct. [redacted]: It’s not moving.

Srg. Aim111: Good. Jinglee, do you have his GPS marker on your comm?

Lt. Jinglee: [heavy breathing detected]

Srg. Aim111: Jinglee! Where’s [redacted]? We need to extract [redacted] now!

Lt. Jinglee: The C-Cadet is t-this way.

Ct. [redacted]: It still hasn’t moved yet. Please hurry. I don’t know how much longer I can stay crouched like this.

Srg. Aim111: We are on our way son. Keep talking to us. What do you see? What happened?

Ct. [redacted]: I-I was collecting samples of the reflective metals and logging them when I found something odd. It looks like a soft shelled container filled with colorful, flat items. I started to investigate it when I looked up and noticed something in the distance. But the cloaking material increased so I couldn’t be sure until it made a sound. It has been standing there, watching me, and I don’t know for how long.

Srg. Aim111: Did you try to engage with the terrestrial?

Ct. [redacted]: No. At least I don’t think so.

Lt. Jinglee: You don’t think so?!

Ct. [redacted]: I-I don’t know, Okay! I checked my surroundings to make sure I was not experiencing panic when I noticed that it imitated me. They have such small heads but I can tell it was mimicking my movements.

Lt. Jinglee: Damn it, [redacted]! You made contact with the thing-

Ct. [redacted]: How was I supposed to know they are capable of mimicry?! I didn’t ask it to do that! I didn’t say anything to it at all! Why are you being so mean to me? I am stressed out-

Lt. Quipree: Ct. [redacted] you need to lower your voice. If you don’t control your emotions you’ll end up provoking the terrestrial.

Ct. [redacted]: I’m trying. [weeping detected] I’ll do it. I’ll do it for you.

Lt. 8888888888888888888ah: Hey, how certain are you that the terrestrials won’t attack [redacted] now? He is isolated and prone.

Lt. Quipree: Honestly, our observations and recordings are...um-inconsistent.

Lt. 8888888888888888888ah: What do you mean “inconsistent?”

Lt. Quipree: We don’t actually have a conclusive protocol for this particular species yet; their behavior is erratic, irrational and unpredictable. That’s why we haven’t submitted contact approval forms yet. There’s just too much we don’t know.

Lt. 8888888888888888888ah: So our current protocol is just-what? A hypothesis?

Lt. Quipree: Yes?

Lt. Jinglee: The Cadet is 12 frumptions ahead.

Visual record indicates Ct. [redacted] trembling in a crouched position with his collection kit half open. Several bags have already been labeled and organized with the shining material. Within Ct. [redacted] robotic environmental manipulators is a soft shelled item. He remains still while Srg. Aim111 assists him.

Lt. Jinglee: Where is it? I can’t see anything out here. This better not be a prank [redacted]!

Ct. [redacted]: It’s over there. I know it is. About 33 Frumptions or so.

Srg. Aim111: I don’t see anything either.

Lt. Quipree: Negative on visual confirmation here also.

Ct. [redacted]: I’m not lying to you [weeping resumes] I swear; it’s over there.

Ct. [redacted] physically gestures directly ahead of him however visual confirmation is negative. Worn lines and one of several tall metallic structures can be faintly seen beyond the environmental cloaking device.

Audio records a loud collision that echos for ten seconds.

Visual confirmation of the tall metallic structure swaying and flickering, activating light. Terrestrial is confirmed standing in the center of light with slow movement. It is a small, bipedal creature with a small head, two tentacles with five independent feelers on each. It is cloaked in camouflage with glowing eyes. Slowly it’s head cocks from one side to another before returning to an upright position. It emits a plume of smoke as it stands motionless in the flickering light.

Lt. 8888888888888888888ah: What’s it doing? [panic detected]

Lt. Jinglee: Oh, oh [redacted]! [redacted]!

Srg. Aim111: [gasp recorded] Language!

Lt. Jinglee: [panicking] What the [redacted]! What the [redacted]! What is that thing?!

Audio confirmation of surprised sounds from multiple Lieutenants.

Ct. [redacted]: Wow. That was too much.

Lt. 8888888888888888888ah: Yeah, I understand your fear but that is no excuse to use such an aggressive tone.

Srg. Aim111: [disappointed tone detected] I’m going to have to write you a citation Lt. Jinglee. How dare you expose the terrestrials to such awful language.

Lt Jinglee: You’re seriously getting mad at me for this?! There’s a [redacted]-Alien over there! Right there! There are important things to worry about and it ain’t this!

Lt. 8888888888888888888ah steps in to visual frame with an expression of emotional anguish. He turns to Srg. Aim111 and sobs loudly into his chest. Ct. [redacted] is visibly disgusted.

Srg. Aim111: How could you use that word? That antiquated-belligerent term?

Lt. Jinglee: You can’t be serious?!

Srg. Aim111: How could you?!

Lt. Jinglee: I don’t care-

Srg. Aim111: Look at 8’s!

Lt. 8888888888888888888ah: The pain...it won’t stop! [loud sobbing continues]

Lt. Quipree: What’s gotten into you Jinglee?

Ct. [redacted]: I’m not sharing my pod with a racist.

Lt. Jinglee: WHERE IS IT?!

Rapid visuals confirm that the terrestrial has moved from the recorded area. No movement is detected. There is only the faint light in the distance surrounded by fluttering specs.