I Can't Believe My Eye

Qillus Tann, Science Officer log. Entry 107-03.

I’m taking my time setting up camp. My mind is cluttered right now. Everything that has happened to me so far, I can’t even begin to describe how I feel. If ambivalence is the feeling of two separate emotions at the same time then I am feeling ambi-ambivalence.
First off, I feel anger at the rest of the crew. Out of all the crew members that saw me getting ready for this little scientific excursion, none of them told me that there were major problems with the shuttle.
Second, I am feeling fear. I know that I will survive down here, but there are so many things that can go wrong. What if the data from early surveys is wrong and this planet isn’t as habitable as was first thought?
Third, I am feeling sad. I’m alone on this planet. Being alone is usually something I deal very well with, but I want so much to share this experience with others, anyone, another scientist… random crew member… just someone to talk to about it.
Finally, excitement… sheer joy… blissfulness… whatever you want to call it. I am the first Gargonan on this planet and I am observing these things with my very own eye.

***

I turned off my recorder for a moment while I was taking some of the sensor equipment out. I had left my hand held sensor in the box as I went back in to retrieve some more items and when I returned the proximity alarm was going off.
With the readings I’m getting from the sensor, I surmise that one of the lizards is close by and I am currently walking towards where I believe it is located. I am coming up to a large rock and I think that it is behind it… or maybe…. This is amazing. I am not exactly sure, but I think that it is the rock.
I am taking off my helmet now and going to try to coax this creature out of hiding.
I can see you there. You don’t have to hide from me anymore.
I do not believe that these creatures are intelligent. Although from the short amount of time I have been observing them, I can’t be certain. Their way of life is so simple and they tend to stay in what looks like herds and there were no signs of them using or even knowing what tools are.
Come on now. I already—Oh boy. It… umm…. It just stood up on its hind legs. This creature is probably one of the largest of its kind. I would say 2 and a half meters from top of its head to the tip of its tail. Its six appendages all look roughly the same. The lower part of each leg is thicker than the upper part and its feet are spread out… almost like its toes are in a circle. I would make an educated guess that these two features help them on the rougher terrain on this planet. Unfortunately, with the lack of hands or any real way of grasping tools I am more inclined to believe that they are not intelligent.
I am going to end my entry for now to finish setting up my camp and to try and get this creature closer to my other equipment so that I may run some detailed exams on him… I mean it. Hmm.