Editing The Horta Report (section)

== Horta's Senses ==
Hortas have sensory input in several ways. One is by detecting vibrations that others send out from talking, walking or running, heartbeat, breathing and general movement. Thus a Horta can detect rocks falling in an underground cave twenty feet below, someone running away on the other side of a hill out of human optical sight, a herd of animals stampeding two hundred miles away, or the muted roar of an underground river. This type of passive sonar is akin to the human ability to hear.
 
On earth, sharks and many kinds of fish have special sensory organs that can sense electrical impulses. A Horta can see much the same way only much more refined. This gives them the ability to think very quickly and with a superfast brain a Horta can actually see the electrical impulses in living things from humanoids down to plants, not to mention all the electical impulses in a starship or starbase. This would mean that a Horta could see the impulses and be mentally quick enough to anticipate movements, giving it a slight look into [[Image:horta4.jpg|thumb|left|Horta mother mind-melding with Spock]]the 'future', and allowing it to dodge before anyone pulls the trigger of a phaser, or get out of the way of a thrown object. This electrical sensitvity is extended all over the body, meaning that when the pehensile phalange is raised up to a control pannel, the Horta would still be able to see through the sensory input from the appendage itself. A ship's walls or computer consoles would show up as strong fluxes of electrical energy where most creatures that are bio-chemically electrical in function show up as more fragile and dimmer shapes, but up close as sparkling shaped spiderey like webs. This type of electrical impulse detection is akin to the human ability to see, but in the Hortas it also allows them the ability to communicate and speak to each other by touch via electrical impulse exchange.

Another way that Hortas have sensory input is by taste. Most Hortas can detect any type of rock, mineral, or metallic ore by taste, just as humans can tell which food they are eating by taste if blinfolded. This makes Hortas living soil analysis machines. A Horta might then be helpful in detecting extraneous chemicals which might poison a carbon based life form, but not necessarily a silicon based life form. In the exploration of space, however, it might be wise to be cautious before allowing a curious Horta to ingest unknown substances as what might poison a Horta in deep space is still unknown at this time.