"INQUIRY," the gelatinous mass next to him spoke. Well, not spoke per say. The xikl communicated solely through excretion. It had been the work of a century for the Enlightened to convert their complex chemical signals into some semblance of speech. "WHAT DO YOU EXPECT THE HUMANS TO OFFER FOR JUDGMENT?"

Gervyx scraped its feelers together, its equivalent of a sigh. It thanked the foresight of its progenitors that the Great Judgment happened only once every ten revolutions. This Judgment in particular had been a fiasco of disappointments.

"Weapons, most likely." Hiraldon twisted her long neck, a rippling staccato of crackling vertebrae. The massive Sauranor spoke with a refined palete that belied her sharp teeth. "The little things pride themselves on their prowess in combat."

"The more fools, Weezex says they are." The Yauling was small and grey, with big black eyes. Rumor had it his species had interacted with the humans for centuries before they achieved spaceflight. Knowing the Yauling, those interactions had not been kind. "If guns is all they bring. But try they won't, Weezex thinks. The hairies are more clever than that, says Weezex."

The Great Judgment was a singular opportunity. Species from all over the galaxy, and some from even further, pooled their resources and plied their best minds to create something worthy of the Hall of Wonders. Something to elevate the distinctiveness and worth of a civilization. An achievement so great, a creation so sublime, that even the Eldest Ones would be forced to acknowledge it. Few species ever created a Wonder, but those that did were given the title of Enlightened.

To be Enlightened was the highest honor a species could receive from the sapient community. An honor that came with significant benefits and access to Elder Technology. It was highly coveted, and any species could make an offering. Gervyx had started the Great Judgment as it always did, with cautious enthusiasm. Alas, this decade's offerings were even worse than the Judgment before.

"Whatever it is," Gervyx clacked, "It can't be worse than the last one." The last offering had been by the lelotenga, a vertebrate species with an unhealthy obsession with physical pleasure. They had designed a device they called the Bestower of Ultimate Climax. The lelotenga claimed it could analyze any species and use a mix of shapeshifting, chemical engineering, and auditory stimulation to induce the greatest pleasure response a being was capable of experiencing. They had insisted on inflicting a Climax on each of the Arbiters of the Great Judgment. The xikl had been forced to dissolve one of them in self defense. Gervxy had destroyed its own device out of sheer annoyance.

"Do not be so sure, Weezex warns," Weezex warned. "They are creatures of chaos, Weezex says. Cruel and kind and clever and stupid they are, Weezex knows. Best to prepare yourselves, Weezex suggests."

"Nonsense," Hirauldon chided. "My people have dealt extensively with the humans. We were among the first to greet them. They are nowhere near as bad as all that."

"Oh, Weezex says doubtfully?" The tiny grey thing stared up at the Sauranor. "And how many humans have asked to ride you, Weezex wonders?"

Hirauldon froze in place, considering. Finally, she said, "The Yauling has a point. Brace yourselves."

A moment later, three humans entered the Hall of Judgment. The leader was one Ambassador Anika Shah, a female of some renown among diplomatic circles. The other two were the most trusted members of her team, Darryl Hansen and Zara Habib. Gervyx knew their names, credentials, and a brief outline of their personal histories, but not much else.

Each of the Ambassador's assistants pushed a hovercart. One hovercart contained a rectangular device. The other carried a box filled with large thin disks in protective coverings made of processed plant matter. Curious. A quick scan confirmed the device was not a weapon. A second look told Gervyx the device was absurdly simple.

"Esteemed Arbiters, Representatives of the Elder Races," Ambassador Shah bowed. "We thank you for your consideration in allowing our humble offering to the Hall of Wonders. I hope you will find it to your liking."

"Ambassador," Hirauldon peered down at the human with a concerned expression. "That device, it's... quite primitive. Surely you do not intend such a simple thing as your offering?"

"No, your Honor," the human assured her. "At least, not in and of itself."

"IRRITATED COMMANDING INQUIRY:" the xikl intoned. "EXPLAIN."

"Of course, your Honor." The human maintained her composure, but Gervyx could smell her pheromones. Hear her heartbeat. The xikl intimidated her, as well it should. She gestured at the device. "This machine is a record player. One of the oldest mediums my species has used to store audible communications." She paused, considering her words. "It is primitive, I know. We have far superior equipment. Things that will record a sound perfectly, so when it's played back it sounds exactly as it had when it was recorded. But there is a certain...charm. A romance, if you will. For all our advances, and despite all evidence to the contrary, a significant portion of our people still swear by the superior sound of vinyl. For this reason, we decided to introduce our offering the way our ancestors first experienced it, in the understanding that some times the old way is best, even if it is not the best way."

"Sound?" Hirauldon rumbled. "The sound of what?"

"The sound of music," Ambassador Shah explained. The assistant known as Darryl twitched his mouth parts, making a poor attempt to disguise an emotional response. The assistant known as Zara shot him a glance of horrified reproach. The Ambassador ignored them both and continued. "The creation we offer is not a device, but an experience. An artform. The record player is our chosen medium, but the music itself is the wonder we would see enshrined."

"Music, Weezex scoffs?" Weezex waved his arms and wobbled his long fingers. "You humans think to enter the Hall of Wonders with a song, Weezex scoffs again?"

"CURIOUS AND INFORMATIVE STATEMENT: I HAVE HEARD OF MUSIC," said the xikl. "CLARIFYING AND INVITING STATEMENT: I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED MUSIC."

"Then experience it you shall." The Ambassador bowed again, then made a gesture to her people.

"Before you do that," Gervyx's warning clack froze the humans in their tracks. "You should know. The Great Judgment may issue more than a simple rejection. An offering that is too paltry, or insulting, or that harms one of the Arbiters will incur the wrath of the Elder Races. In such a case, we will eradicate your species. It is a mistake the lelotenga have recently made, and our anger with them will make us less merciful if you are found wanting." He rubbed three of his hind legs together, an ominous rumbling screech of a threat display. "Are you certain you want to continue?"

The human maintained her outward composure, but her heartrate spiked drastically. Gervyx could detect a sharp change in her biochemistry as her body prepared itself to flee or fight. She spoke with certainty. "I am. With your permission, we would like the esteemed Arbiters to experience a sample of our offering."

"PERMISSIVE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: PROCEED," the xikl told her.

The Ambassador bowed a third time, and gestured to her assistants. Darryl opened the record player, while Zara withdrew a disk from the box. The female reverently removed the vinyl disk from its cover and placed it within the machine. Darryl pressed a switch, causing the disk to spin. He lifted a handle with a small needlelike protrusion and lowered it onto the record.

Sound filled the Hall of Judgment. Slow, haunting. Gervyx, like the xikl, had never listened to music. It was aware of the concept, and it's importance among many species, but it had never taken the time to experience it for itself. The sound was pleasant enough, it supposed.

The song built slowly, long drawn out notes gently swelling, increasing in speed and volume. Something inside Gervyx stirred. The sound, it... It was eliciting a biological response. Outrage flashed through the Arbiter, but Gervyx was of the Elders. Instead of ordering the immediate extinction of humanity, it looked inward, seeking to understand what was happening. As the song reached a crescendo, Gervyx reached a conclusion. The sounds were not intrusive, not inflicting sensations and violations as the Bestower of Ultimate Climax had attempted. The music was not forcing emotions. The music was an emotion itself.

The sounds were not wholly precise. The noises were clearly being made by the humans themselves and lacked the mechanical perfection a machine would use to express an equation. Nevertheless, this music followed strict mathematical principles. It was a set of feelings translated into math and expressed through specific vibrations emitted at specific times. A strange thing, Gervyx mused. Strange and powerful. Gervyx could scarcely imagine the level of quantum computing required to integrate something so complex as emotion into a medium, let alone one that could be understood without the use of language. No wonder so many species found it so dear.

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The song ended. Just as Gervyx was being surprised by its disappointment, a mere moment before it could ask for another, a new song spilled out of the device. Bold and brash, a martial tune. Gervyx noted the humans staring at it in alarm. It realized it had been rubbing its hind legs together. It forced itself to stop.

Then another song came. And another. Gervyx was made to feel small, and lonely. Gervyx was made to feel powerful and brave. Gervyx mourned losses without knowing why, celebrated victories it had not yet achieved. When the record player's needle reached the end of the disk, Darryl removed it, turned it upside down, and placed the needle upon it again. Gervyx was carried away.

When it finally ended, four Arbiters sat in silence. For long, pregnant moments the humans held their breath. The xikl was the first to speak. "APPROVING COMMENT: THE VIBRATIONS, I QUITE ENJOYED THEM."

Hirauldon was drooling. A puddle of saliva had pooled below her jaws. Gervyx had never seen her so moved. "It was beautiful," she said. "A masterpiece as worthy as any Sauranor has made." She moved her head sideways, centering both of the eyes on the left side of her head on the humans. "Why have you not shared this with us sooner?"

"We tried." Ambassador Shah spoke apologetically. "But we didn't know how translators would garble the experience. Anything with lyrics becomes a discordant mess. By the time we realized the problem, the Sauranors weren't interested in hearing it anymore."

"A worthy offering," said Gyrvex, "and an experience we will not forget." He clacked his mandibles. "I am not yet sure this will be enough to admit to the Hall of Wonders. Singular as it was, this music appears to be a fleeting thing."

"Fleeting?" The Ambassador looked at Gyrvex with an odd expression until realization dawned. "Oh! I think you misunderstand, your Honor." She picked the vinyl disk up out of the player. "This is but one sample. The best of John Williams, disk one."

"Interesting," Gervyx felt its antennae twitching with excitement. "You mean there's another... no." Of course. The other hovercart had an entire box of record disks. "There are many others."

"Yes, your Honor." Ambassador Shah gestured at the hovercart. "These are just a small sample. Our offering is two fold. A small collection of a few thousand vinyl records along with this player for display, and a much larger collection for you to broadcast in the Hall of Wonders itself. Enough that you can play continuously for a full revolution without repeating a single song."

"What, Weezex exclaims!" said Weezex. "You want to fill the Hall of Wonders with sound, Weezex yells?"

"DECLARATIVE STATEMENT," spoke the xikl. "ARROGANT."

"Yes," Gervyx agreed. "Audacious. You did not come here just to make an offering for the Hall of Wonders. You have offered to change the Hall of Wonders itself."

"We have," said the Ambassador. "No offense is intended." She smoothed out her dress uniform. Gervyx recognized it as a nervous gesture. "I have seen the Hall of Wonders. A vast space, filled with amazing things, but it's silent as the grave." She paused, breathing deeply. Her heartrate slowed slightly. She continued. "We believe our offering would increase the grandeur of the Hall of Wonders. We also know that forty percent of sapient species do not create music, and roughly thirty percent have yet to experience it for themselves. It is... a missed opportunity. One we would like to correct."

"Arrogant and earnest, says Weezex," the Yauling approved. "Thoughtful and clever and foolish, says Weezex. A very human thing, Weezex knows."

"I approve," said Hirauldon. "I believe we will accept your offering."

"AFFIRMATIVE STATEMENT," the xikl agreed. "WE WILL ACCEPT."

"Weezex says yes," said the Yauling.

Gervyx considered. "A full revolution's worth of songs without words." His antennae twitched. "And you can guarantee that each of these carries the same quality as that which you have shown?"

"Not exactly," the human admitted. "Music is a subjective thing, and the perception of quality will vary from song to song." Seeing Gervyx's legs raise, she quickly continued. "But this is a curated list of over 2,000 years worth of the best humanity has to offer. From Holst and Beethoven to Hans Zimmer and Morricone. From Dale to Stirling to Bach. Not to mention the complete works of Mozart." She showed her teeth. "I promise you won't be disappointed."

"INTERROGATIVE STATEMENT: THE WAY YOU SPOKE OF MOZART IMPLIES MOZART IS BETTER THAN JOHN WILLIAMS," the xikl quivered. "OFFENDED DEMANDING INQUIRY: WHY DID YOU NOT PLAY THE COMPLETE WORKS OF MOZART?"

"That would just be bragging, your Honor." said the human. "Also, it would exceed the time limit for our presentation." She bowed to the xikl. "If it pleases you, we were already planning to send each of your Honors the same collection we're offering for the Hall. You can experience Mozart at the time of your choosing."

Gervyx deliberated a moment longer. Finally, he clacked. "Then it is agreed. The offering of Humanity is worthy. Your species will recieve the title of Enlightened."

The Ambassador's assistants showed their teeth. Gervyx could taste the rush of endorphins as their elation took hold. The Ambassador herself maintained her outward calm, bowing once again. "We thank you, esteemed Arbiters."

"Your gratitude is accepted," Gervyx clacked. "Has your species decided on a boon?"

"We have." Ambassador Shah hesitated. "But..." She glanced back at her assistants. Darryl looked worried. Zara raised the furry patch above her right eye. Shah turned back to the Arbiters. "But I think I need to change our request."

"Oh?" Gervyx's legs twitched.

"Oh no, Weezex says." The little gray thing shook his oversized head. "Creatures of chaos, Weezex says."

"Yes." The human nodded to herself. She spoke with conviction. "For our boon, humanity asks that you spare the lelotenga."

"EXCLAMATORY DISBELIEVING INQUIRY," the xikl responded. Gervyx and the other two were too stunned to speak. "WHAT? EXLAMATORY DISBLIEVING INQUIRY: WHY?"

"They're the ones that built the Bestowers of Ultimate Climax," said the human. "They're very proud of it. They gave one to each of us." Her face darkened with increased bloodflow. "I named mine Alejandro."

"Get to the point, human." The mere mention of those hedonists and their gross invention had shortened the Elder's patience.

"Yes, your honor." The human bowed. "I know they made a mistake. I completely understand why you were offended, and I agree that such a device would be... inappropriate for the Hall of Wonders." The Ambassador's assistants were staring at her in horror. "But the Ultimate Climax is a wonder, in its own way. And if the lelotengo are killed, there won't be any more of them." She shook her head. "That would be a great loss. Not just for my people, but for the universe itself."

Assistant Darryl opened his mouth, but managed to contain whatever outburst he was going to unleash. Assistant Zara lost all semblance of decorum, staring at the Ambassador with wide eyes and an open mouth. The Ambassador ignored them, continuing to plead her case. "Ban them from the Great Judging. Reject them with the harshest of words. But please, let them live. Erasing them now... it would be like destroying the works of Mozart. A tragedy that can't be undone."

"Stupid humans, Weezex says," Weezex shook his head again. "Could have had anything, Weezex says."

"You could have power beyond imagination," Hirauldon told the human. "Immortality. Instant travel. The secrets of the universe itself. Are you sure you want to throw away such things just to save a species you only met a few rotations ago?"

The Ambassador looked back at her assistants. They looked... dubious. Shah let out a small, disappointed breath. "I am."

"This will cost you, Weezex thinks." The gray man stared at the human with wide, considering eyes. "Your governments will not take kindly to throwing away their plans to save some other species, Weezex knows. You will be imprisoned or killed, Weezex thinks."

"Perhaps." Ambassador Shah stood firm. "But it is the right decision, and right here, right now, that decision is mine to make. Will you spare the lelotenga?"

"I vote yes," said Hirauldon. "Sacrificing the elevation of your species to save the lives of another is... laudable. That you are doing so at great personal cost is more so."

"AFFIRMATIVE STATEMENT: AGREED," the xikl intoned. "THE LELOTENGA WILL STILL BE BANNED FROM PARTICIPATING IN THE GREAT JUDGMENT."

"Weezex agrees too, says Weezex." The Yauling placed his hands on his hips. "Weezex was not as offended by the Climax as the others, says Weezex. Weezex thinks Weezex will keep it, says Weezex."

Gervyx was still angry. It still wanted to exterminate the lelotenga and wipe all traces of their stupid creation from reality. While Ambassador Shah was within her rights to ask for such a boon, Gervyx was in no way required to grant it. And yet...

The offering of the humans had moved Gervyx, and the Ambassador's request was the closest thing to altruism that had ever been asked by a species achieving Enlightenment. As an Elder being, it was up to Gervyx to set the example for the younger sapients, and the human's actions, demeanor, and request were all in keeping with the high ideals Gervyx wanted such beings to aspire to.

"It shall be so," Gervyx decided. "The lelotenga will be banned from the Great Judgment for all time. They will never receive another chance to become Enlightened, but they will live."

"Thank you, esteemed arbiters." The diplomat bowed.

"You are welcome," said Gervyx. "You may go."

The humans bowed in unison. They gathered up their hovercarts and briskly walked away. Before they could completely exit the Hall of Judgment, Hirauldon called out. "Ambassador Shah."

The humans froze. Shah turned. "Yes, your honor?"

"I know the sacrifice you just made." Saliva dripped from the Sauranor's jaws. "I will honor it."

"Thank you, your Honor." The Ambassador's composure finally cracked. Gervyx witnessed moisture accumulating on the human's eyes.

"You misunderstand, Ambassador Shah." Hirauldon raised herself up, towering over the human. "Such courage and compassion should be encouraged. I will do so now. Humanity has used its boon. To you I will grant another. A boon from the Elders of Sauranor. You, and you alone may ask."

"What?" Shah stared at the Arbiter. "I mean... thank you, esteemed Arbiter." She bowed yet again. "I... I don't know what to say."

"The thank you will suffice, I think." The Sauranor said it gently. Her nostrils flared with amusement. She stomped over to the Ambassador, lifting her up and carrying her away from the other humans. She spoke in a whisper only the human and Gervyx could hear.

"I named my Climax Brockrock."