Landing success. Minor damage to external shielding and lower hull, craft at 88% efficiency. Initial analysis of surrounds complete. Swarm-type life force detected, main habitat 18 units distant. Small number of outliers approaching craft - threat level 1.
The lander extended four telescopic legs from its lower edges and pushed them out till it was steadied. Gravity was stronger on this planet and the landing had been complicated by a violent storm front that had set in after it had committed itself to landing. Its instruction set was simple: drill rock samples, spectral analysis for precious minerals and ores and monitor the weather. Already the onboard computer was packaging up the data from the storm at landing. When the orbiter passed overhead it would beam the data to it.
Its mission was expected to last at least 100 of this planets solar days. Power was not a problem, the yellow dwarf at the centre of this system spewed out a ferocious amount of UV radiation of which the lander could capture via its solar panels.
Diagnostic routine complete the lander issued forth a small double tracked rover. Trundling down a small ramp it gently bumped and rumbled down onto the rocky surface. The hatch it emerged from closed slowly. It made its way some tenth of a unit from the lander and engaged its multiple diamond drills, burrowing into the hard rock.
Drilling sequence initiated. Repairs to shield and hull damage ongoing. Craft at 92% efficiency. Swarm type life force components within 1 unit approaching rover. 7 detected. Analyse & assess for sentience. Commence edict #4. Do not engage. threat level 2.
The rover drilled on, its logic circuits only sophisticated enough to focus on its immediate task. Drill sample rock core. Deposit in chemical furnace, analyse composition.
One of the nearby swarm-type life forms approached. The rover lacked lensing and sensing equipment instead depending on orbiter based navigation couple with simple commands from the lander's onboard computer. When one of the life forms lashed at it with a long, hinged limb rocking it slightly. It only adjusted itself on its treads to account for the movement. Drilling continued. Another life form approached from the opposite side and using its wormlike upper appendages gripped the lander by one of its treads and attempted to tip it on its side.
The rover sensing a violent re-orientation of its landscape pinged the lander with the environmental data dump of the last ten spans. The two life forms had been joined by five more and were making peculiar hooting sounds. One hooted louder than the others and stepped close to the lander pulling forth a blunt metallic object. There was a double percussion. Then silence. The rover, outer case shattered by the ballistic impact of two projectiles sparked and flared with electrical flame. All movement from the rover then ceased.
Drilling sequence halted. Swarm-type life force components engaged in hostile action. Primitive but effective weaponry detected. Assessment for sentience complete - Non-sentient. Disengage edict #4. Commence Edict #9. Calculate offence sufficient to deter hostility. Erase hive area 18 units distant. threat level 3
Laney stared in wide-eyed horror at the scene unfolding on the TV. Video feeds were coming in thick and fast of the utter destruction of what had once been the city of Phoenix. Helicopters circled at a distance filming the gargantuan fountain of flame that was still spewing upward in an enormous column from where the centre of the city used to be. The newscaster stuttered as he spoke. 'E.. E..Early sources state that approximately 500 square miles of land have been utterly destroyed in a conflagration the likes of which we have never witnessed here on earth... As yet we have no idea what has caused this utter tragedy...
The screen hissed and went blank.