23 JAN 3302
Professor Ishmael Palin, the scientist conducting research into the Unknown Artefacts, has issued a response to Violet Belbin of the Xenological Research Institute. Professor Belbin recently released a statement in which she suggested that Professor Palin was exercising insufficient caution over the meta-alloys – the substance produced by the so-called 'barnacles' discovered in the Pleiades Nebula.
"I have nothing but respect for Professor Belbin, but on this occasion I feel her concerns are misplaced. There is no evidence that the meta-alloys are harmful, and I can assure the professor that my team and I will take every precaution when handling and testing them. Furthermore, I am not rushing to any conclusions regarding their possible application. We do not know if the meta-alloys can counter the malfunctions affecting our starports, which is precisely why I wish to study them. As a scientist, I feel an obligation to contribute to a deeper understanding of this material."