Doc#: ARTEFACT-RECORD-3056
Clearance: ACROAMATIC

Name: Bovanthropus Alvus (larval)
Also Known As: Meolcmann, Milkman
Identification Number: C1-1023
Domain: 1/5
Threat Level: 1
Procurement Status: Undesirable

Description:
Bovanthropus Alvus (Larval) is a tall humanoid creature with psychic abilities that is more commonly known as the “Milkman/Milkmen”. All Milkmen are male and stand around 6 feet tall with short torsos and elongated limbs. Milkmen lack all body hair, eyelids and fingernails. Their facial features are gaunt but essentially human, barring a lack of a mouth. A digestive entrance can be found on the navel, hidden underneath a tissue flap. Milkmen typically wear a stereotypical milkman’s uniform consisting of a white shirt, trousers and cap, and black shoes, belt and bowtie. This outfit may have some variations, such as a shirt logo or different coloured bowtie.

Behaviour:
Milkman behaviour has only been studied within the context of breeding, a rare event that not all Milkmen will participate in. During these occasions, Milkmen will leave the hive to inhabit Skew Replicas (SRs) that contain human inhabitants. These SRs tend to be apartment blocks, hotels and singular houses, though quaint villages and small housing estates have been reported. It is unknown if Milkmen can create SRs themselves or if they move into available SRs that suit their needs. Milkmen integrate into human society aided by their psychic abilities, which allow them to pass for human without notice. Milkmen keep a daily schedule of visiting possible mates and delivering horemeolc – milk from the Bovanthropus Alvus (Queen). Unlike males of other species during breeding season, Milkmen are able to cohabitate within an SR peaceably, most likely due to their shared psychic link.

Psychic Abilities
Milkmen are able to communicate telepathically with the Bovanthropus Alvus hivemind as well as with individual humans. They are also adept at emotional and thought control, allowing them to keep large communities of humans relaxed, oblivious and pliant. They can project these psychic abilities across a wide area, sometimes the full breadth of an SR, which aids in human migration into the area. The typical symptoms one would expect in an SR are easily suppressed and, should anyone notice anomalies, any distressed or suspicious thoughts are quickly mitigated. To aid in breeding, Milkmen will sometimes use their psychic abilities to appear desirable or to lower their mates’ inhibitions.

Lifecycle
Milkmen are born to human females and spend the first 16 years of their life indistinguishable from human boys. During this period, the undeveloped Milkman will see little from his sire other than the daily delivery of glass bottles of horemeolc. Upon the onset of puberty, horemeolc will be delivered in higher quantities. It is unknown if the horemeolc serves as just a specific nutritional aid or if it is the milk itself that ushers on puberty.

During puberty, Milkmen grow in stature and begin to develop a connection to the hivemind. It is through this joint consciousness that developing Milkmen are able to wander deeper into the Skew and locate the Bovanthropus Alvus hive. Here, they will drink nutrient-rich horemeolc directly from the Bovanthropus Alvus (Queen) and develop into adult Milkmen. Past this stage and before breeding, the life of a Milkman is unknown as the hive is heavily guarded, preventing detailed study.

Threat Level Elaborated
Milkmen are never violent, even when faced with grievous bodily harm. However, humans that have experienced long-term mind control may develop negative symptoms once no longer influenced by the Milkman’s psychic abilities. These symptoms include, but are not limited to: nausea, sweating, a crawling sensation of the skin, rash, memory gaps and hallucinations. This is NOT a manifestation of Skew Sickness and should be rectified within 6 months.

Anomalous Features:
Psychic abilities include mind control, emotional control and mind-link to all other Bovanthropus Alvus.
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Preservation Protocol:
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO PRESERVE.
Milkmen are unable to be safely preserved due to the risk of facility containment breach. All Bovanthropus Alvus view preservation protocols as a threat and will deploy Bovanthropus Alvus (Bull) to retrieve said threatened member of the hive. Bulls are extremely violent and unrelenting, but it is their collective knowledge of Skew Gate locations that makes them such a significant risk. Milkmen do not currently possess value that outweighs the danger of facility containment breach.

Other Notes:
It is speculated that Milkmen may serve [the] hive by supplying fresh DNA to the Queen, enabling her to create a new generation of Bovanthropus Alvus (Bull). Alternatively, they may act as scouts looking for threats to the hive, as supported by their inability to be safely preserved.

Production of the Milkman’s clothing remains a curious mystery.

Further Reading:
N/A