Miles considers this scene for a fraction of a second, then pulls his nerve disruptor and shoots the statue-like being.

That has an effect.

The thing's featureless white surface begins to disintegrate at the point of impact, releasing wisps of white smoke and an unearthly wail. Cracks spread across the creature's body, and it falls apart into multiple pieces, and the pieces into smaller pieces, and the smaller pieces into smoke, and when there's nothing left of it but a fading cloud the scream finally stops.

"Well," remarks Miles. "That was more dramatic than I expected."