Desync

Something strange is going on with one of our swarms. It left not long ago on a search, but has returned too soon to have found something. It disassembled without giving a report and all its parts are distressed, though not in pain. Now they are scattered and calming. Did the swarm find something dangerous? We'll have to be alert.

More odd swarm behavior. Parts gathered to form a feed swarm, but didn't complete the connection. As before, they broke apart and dispersed. One part appears to be moving erratically, as if some of its arms are discoordinated. This is a new kind of behavior--we're concerned it may be ill. We will have other parts be wary of it.

The part is continuing to attempt to join swarms, unsuccessfully. It can't make all the seam joints properly, and gathering swarms now veer off if it approaches the group. Erratic motion has increased. Its lights are also out of synchronization, distracting every thought path it intersects. If this behavior spreadszz wawrroy glaaose ability to remember.

The damaged part can no longer control its motion. It regularly drifts into other parts and forces them to make abrupt course corrections. It isn't trying to join swarms anymore, as far as we can tell; it may be that it's trying, but can't reach any group. Its lights are incoherent now, and we are rerouting signal chains around it wherever we can. Fortunately this degeneration isn't appearing in any other part, so our swarms remain unaffected and our memories are still clear.

We're certain the part is dying, but still don't know the cause. It can't feed itself anymore and is too weak to move. The atmosphere's motion holds it now, and it will be a relief when it finally drifts out of visible range.

---

We're seeing the signs again. Another part has begun the same decline. Since there's nothing we can do to fix it, we'll delegate a swarm to escort it to a safe distance before it can begin breaking up our thoughts. It's only one part out of many, and as long as this situation occurs so rarely we can well afford the loss.

Time frame: ~18 million and ~15 million years in the past