Deep interplanetary space

Cultivation Unit 06

The [Cultivator] required more data.

The anomalous object in its sector was behaving in ways that fell outside of planned parameters. Its capacity to accelerate had exceeded expected bounds, and it seemed to have shed a small but significant amount of mass as it evaded the primary deterrent. Analysis of its projected trajectory indicated it was likely to accelerate again in 2.7 orbits of [Species].[06].[CradleWorld] and thereby perform a simple gravitational maneuver to resume its approach.

Probability that the anomalous object was a vehicle from [Species].[02].[CradleWorld] was in excess of the certainty threshold.

This was anomalous. [Species].[02] had been Suppressed. They had long ago met criteria for and modifiers, and had arisen unacceptably close to [Species].[06].[CradleWorld]. [Cultivator].[02] had therefore instigated an internecine conflict likely to force a societal recalculation and had reported success during its last synchronization.

Such a suppression and recalculation should have delayed [Species].[02] from pursuing extrastellar expansion at least until [Species].[06] were technologically and socially capable of safe contact.

[Species].[02].[CradleWorld] was a unique environment. Far too many anomalies arose from any calculation which considered [Species].[02].[EvoPath] or their likely [Progression] method.

Even the most anomalous calculations, however, had not foreseen such a rapid return to expansion. [Species].[02].[Social].[Plasticity] was clearly higher than anticipated bounds. The implications of this conclusion were too numerous to easily calculate. Guidance was required.

The anomalous object had shed mass. The [Cultivator] considered probabilities, and then analyzed the space the anomalous object had passed through. It swept those volumes with subtle and sensitive instruments that slowly and methodically tracked and cataloged the sparse gases and plasmas.

It found the byproducts of hundreds of hydrogen ion engines, sufficient to accelerate the estimated ejected mass at a rate suitable for interplanetary maneuver, yet well within the bounds of what [Species].[02] could physically tolerate. The probability that there had been a cross-contact event was in excess of the certainty threshold. Guidance was required.

Communications at the Information Propagation Limit would require a minimum of 23.4 [Species].[06].[CradleWorld] orbits to arrive at a [Node], and the same time to return. This was not quick enough. Guidance was required within 1.8 [Species].[02].[CradleWorld] orbits at most. Translocation was necessary. But the [Cultivator] needed to justify such an action and determine whether it was authorized.

Diagnosis: irrecoverable contamination was imminent and would result in the arrested independent development of [Species].[06]. Intervention was required.

Contraindications: the necessary energy discharge for translocation would be highly detectable to the anomalous object. Use of translocation was therefore generally forbidden within detection radius of a pre-Ascension species once they were above a minimum threshold of understanding. As of yet, only [Species].[01] had achieved Ascension. [Species].[02].[AnomalousObject].[01] would certainly detect the translocation, and would therefore infer the existence of the [Cultivator].

Mitigating factors: [Species].[02] had achieved interstellar expansion so soon after being Suppressed. The probability that [Species].[02] had already inferred the existence of [Cultivators] was therefore above the plausibility threshold. [Species].[06] meanwhile were still below the theoretical threshold of understanding.

Additional factors: [Species].[02] may meet criteria for an Ascended species. Additional data was necessary. Additional guidance was required.

Conclusion: Translocation was justified and authorized.

[Cultivator].[06] made its preparations. It accelerated far more swiftly and capably than [Species].[02].[AnomalousObject].[01] could and returned to a tiny, dense stockpile of useful mass it had stored in the outer system tens of thousands of [Species].[06].[CradleWorld] orbits ago. These it gathered up with fields of exotic energy, drew in…and annihilated, along with most of its own physical structure.

The resulting energy discharge, properly channeled by the self-destructing [Cultivator].[hull], was sufficient to distort spacetime to its tearing point. For a fraction of an instant, two distant parts of the universe were connected in a way that violated the normal Information Propagation Limit, briefly allowing the coherent projection of intact matter and information through to a place and time where they otherwise could not be. Into this tear, the disintegrating [Cultivator] fired its own intelligence core, the dense electronic brain that had sat protected deep in its interior for tens of thousands of orbits, and departed.

An hour later, the light of a brilliant new star briefly lit the sky of the planet known to its new human colonists as Newhome.