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RPC-888 in orbit over the south pole of Enceladus.
Registered Phenomena Code: 888
Object Class: Beta-White
Hazard Types: Extra-Terrestrial Hazard, Grouped Hazard, Organic Hazard, Sentient Hazard, Regenerative Hazard, Extreme Temperature Hazard, Electromagnetic Force Hazard, Radiation Hazard
Containment Protocols: As RPC-888 is currently unobservable from Earth, or by any satellite probes or telescopes under operation by terrestrial authorities, containment of RPC-888 shall focus on tracking and continued observation of the object as it moves through the Saturn system. The object has been fitted with standard radiothermal-powered tracking and monitoring devices. For the purposes of closer observation, the Authority Extraterrestrial Defence Force torch vessel AEDFS Conquistador, currently stationed in polar orbit about Enceladus, has been assigned the task of sending regular remote and EVA missions to probe and analyze RPC-888's surface.
Description: RPC-888 is a colonial organism composed entirely of bovid animals which is capable of interstellar travel. The colonial organism as a whole is currently 353m long and has a radius of 24m at its widest point. It is propelled by what is believed to be a natural hydrogen fusion engine, acting as a Bussard ramjet. RPC-888's maximum acceleration is unknown, though it has demonstrated accelerations of up to 6g when startled or alarmed. RPC-888 does not appear to be capable of superluminal or otherwise anomalous forms of travel.
RPC-888 is currently in high polar orbit about Saturn's moon Enceladus, where it makes frequent 'dives' into plumes of water vapour and molecular hydrogen ejected from the moon's south polar region. At several times during its history under Authority observation, it has made short trips to and from the Saturnian ring systems, apparently to harvest and consume heavier metals and mineral particulates found within the rings.
The colonial organism is composed of at least 3000 separate organisms, designated RPC-888-1. These component organisms vary in size from microscopic to over 3m in length, and all are heavily specialized for a specific role within the colony. There are 86 different types of RPC-888-1 currently known to exist. Every instance of RPC-888-1 as yet discovered is a genetic near-match to a species of bovine mammal currently or once living on Earth, with the exception of [DATA EXPUNGED] located by Extraterrestrial Defence Force assets in orbit around ████████-███.
| Organism Designate |
Role |
Description |
| RPC-888-1/14 |
Magnetic Ramscoop Component |
Organism resembles standard bovine body plan, with greatly elongated limbs mounted perpendicular to the body. Limbs are lined with fleshy tissue containing extremely high concentrations of magnetic minerals, and a series of organs composed primarily of electrocytes not dissimilar to those found in Electrophorus electricus Limbs function as extremely high-efficiency electromagnets. Mouth and anus form a natural seal with other instances of the organism, which naturally congregates in long continuous 'chains' on the fore end of RPC-888. |
| RPC-888-1/15 |
Hydrogen Plasma Containment |
Direct observation as yet impossible. X-ray and anomalous imaging reveal organism to be a single torus-shaped mass of digestive tissue, covered with an extremely dense outer layer of ossified tissue and mineral deposits. Overall cross-section roughly resembles that of a stellarator. Organism is directly linked to the primary engine cluster, comprising several instances of RPC-888-1/16 through 26. |
| RPC-888-1/27 |
Maneuvering Thruster |
A spherical mass of tissue approx. 2m across. 8 instances of RPC-888-1/27 have thus far been discovered. Biopsy reveals the organism is composed almost entirely of tissue consistent with extremely overdeveloped mammary glands, capable of producing and ejecting a milk-like substance under extremely high pressure. |
| RPC-888-1/33 |
Cooling System |
Organism possesses a set of extremely atrophied fore and hindlimbs, with hooves taking the form of small clawlike hooks. Circulatory system is grossly enlarged, projecting through the skin at numerous points along the organism's spine. Organism appears to use a horn proboscis to puncture major arteries and veins in other organisms, linking circulatory systems and using its greater venous surface area to effect the cooling of the blood by IR radiation. |
| RPC-888-1/48 |
Asteroid Defence System (?) |
Organisms are dorsally and ventrally mounted, capable of significant rotational freedom due to an extremely extended spinal structure. Exact function is still unknown, as dissection and biopsy have revealed the internal structure to be highly complex. Presence of a large reinforced combustion chamber, natural gas storage sacs, intensely bioluminescent organs and a series of naturally-occurring calcium fluoride lenses have led to theorizing by research team that organism may be a thermobaric methane-pumped gas dynamic laser using hydrogen and fluoride extracted from milk to produce coherent IR laser emissions, possibly in the multi-megawatt range. |
| RPC-888-1/79 |
Photovoltaic panel |
Overall body structure similar to RPC-888-1/33. Ribcage is greatly expanded, forming distinctive near-spherical shape. Skin possesses extremely radiotrophic qualities, and appears to be able to efficiently convert most forms of electromagnetic radiation into chemical energy and sustenance. Uses a horn proboscis to exchange nutrients with other organisms through direct blood transfusion. |
Collectively, RPC-888 exhibits behavior comparable to an adult cow of any major domestic breed. Regular 'feeding' with gaseous hydrogen has led to it becoming comfortable with the close presence of Authority spacecraft, and it shows little resistance to explorations of its skin or biopsies conducted by EVA.
From the Office of Director von Erbach:
The discovery of what we're designating RPC-888 provides some answers to questions I'm sure many of you in the AEDF were asking.
When Nemesis passed through the system ten years ago, we found the remains of a cow, frozen on the nightside. When the Howlers attacked back in 1940, our boarding parties found distinctly bovine patterns woven into the fabric of their noocraft. The catacombs beneath Noctis Fossae on Mars- pictograms of cows. The conflicts against the nano-machines on the Dark Side- bovine constructs. The 'grazers' in the Asteroid Belt. The beef factory so many of you stationed on the AEDFS Solidarity use so frequently. I could list a dozen other examples.
I know some of the wags have taken to calling it the 'Cownstant', and I remind them as always that I am extremely disappointed in their lack of professionalism, but the fact remains: cows, or cow-like bovines, seem to be universal. What is more, they seem to be universally domesticatable, a trait which would imply that someone, somewhere, has domesticated them.
Somewhere out there is some great civilization of cattle ranchers, and I fear we may be no more than rustlers amongst their herds.
