Editing The Horta Report (section)

== Horta Basics ==
[[Image:horta2.jpg|thumb|right|Horta]]The Horta (Hortensia acidophlangia) species are indigenous to Janus VI. They are one of a very few known silicon based life forms [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternative_biochemistry]] ever discovered. They were discovered by the human (Homo sapiens) mining colony on Janus when the miners inadvertantly broke into the Horta's hatchery. See [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Devil_in_the_Dark]] for more on how the Horta species was discovered and found to be peaceful and sentient. They consume rock, minerals, and metallic ores by liquifying it with a very strong highly corrosive acid exuded from their undersides and then swiftly ingesting the resulting mixture. The acid, upon exposure to air oxidizes harmlessly and within a few minutes is neutralized. In feeding, they create tunnels and other underground cave-like structures and are the greatest natural geologists and miners in the known universe.