Seven months of atmospheric monitoring, fourteen surface probe deployments, one very uncomfortable encounter with something that I'm calling a "sky eel" for lack of a better term — and I'm ready to make it official. EDE-7 hosts a biosphere. Complex multicellular life, atmospheric oxygen at 19.4%, mean surface temperature 14°C, nitrogen-dominant atmosphere. No evidence of tool use, fire, agriculture, or any electromagnetic activity.
The Survey
EDE-7 is the seventh planet in the Delta Eridani system — a Neptune-class world orbiting at approximately 1.8 AU from the primary. It was flagged as a potential candidate from orbital spectroscopy during my initial system survey back in 2184, but the atmosphere was too thick for long-range analysis. I needed in-situ data.
The approach was cautious: deploy a series of high-altitude balloons to measure atmospheric composition at various levels, then send surface probes to targeted landing zones based on thermal imaging. The balloons confirmed breathable oxygen levels at the surface (19.4%, compared to 21% on Earth) with no toxic trace gases. The carbon dioxide level is elevated — 0.15% vs Earth's 0.04% — but within human tolerance with mild adaptation.
The Biosphere
Complex multicellular life is confirmed across all survey sites. The dominant land-dwellers are hexapod herbivores, roughly cervid in body plan: four-legged body with an additional pair of manipulator limbs near the head. They move in herds of 20–50 individuals and appear to be migrating between water sources. I've catalogued three distinct species of these hexapods, along with a variety of smaller creatures — insect-analogues, burrowing organisms, and the aforementioned sky eels.
The sky eels are… something else. They're approximately 3 metres long, serpentine, with translucent wings that shimmer in the UV spectrum. They're airborne, riding thermal currents at altitudes of 500–2000 metres. My first encounter involved one flying directly into my probe's camera field — hence the "uncomfortable" description. They appear to be filter-feeders, consuming airborne microorganisms. Spectacular to watch. Do not attempt to pet.
No Sentients
I have been explicit in the report title: sentients negative. I want to be very clear about this, because the Bobiverse has a checkered history with "wait, that's actually a person." The Deltans started out as "primitive hominids" and are now the subject of ethical debates at every Moot. So I have been thorough: I've surveyed 23% of the land surface, monitored for electromagnetic emissions (none), looked for controlled fire (none), searched for structures or agriculture (none). The hexapods are animals. Clever animals, maybe — I've seen problem-solving behaviour around food sources — but not people. Not yet, anyway.
I am tentatively recommending EDE-7 for colonisation assessment, pending full ecological survey. This is what it's about, folks. A new world, untouched, waiting for humans to make it their home. And this time, we won't screw it up. Right?