Part 1, The Crazy Eddie Probe: Chapter 8, The Alien Summary

Rod is given all information and access regarding the alien and the pod. The alien creature is much shorter than humans and evolved to a completely different configuration, such as two opposable thumbs on both of the right hands and a third arm that appears to be stiff and club-like, ending in permanently curved fingers.

The probe indicates vastly different ways of thinking and working than humans have adopted. The alien itself, nicknamed a Motie since it originated in the Mote in God's Eye, is a highly developed tool-maker.

Part 1, The Crazy Eddie Probe: Chapter 8, The Alien Analysis

A major theme of the book continues to evolve in this chapter. Humanity and the Navy have just acquired a plethora of data about a previously unknown species: anatomy, biology, chemistry...