> Chief Supervisor Holm Dar

> Date: 12.7.3.6.218 HC

> Location: Librarian Survey Ship Curious Observer, transiting Sector E5J7

“Engineer Senior Journeyman Znik Tol, of course, apologizes for the delay,” Nna finished, “and suggests that the design of the translation devices would go faster if we provided him with the proper dictionary information.”

“That is his excuse?” Holm flicked both ears in amusement. “Software only?”

“It is hard to claim a hardware issue, when we have already provided him the device model from the natives' own confiscated technology.”

“Very well. Provide an existing language database in the same audio frequency range. Remind him that we will handle ongoing software updates. The majority of the work will be done via wireless connection with Librarian systems anyway. What else?”

This time, it was Umma who spoke up. “Healer Senior Journeyman Kolcant has repeated his request to examine the prisoners.”

“Hmm. We will have to agree, but let him request a third time. Let us not seem to be too amenable.”

“He does not care for the appearance of regulation,” Nna pointed out. “His philosophical adherence demands he place the needs of patients above those of his own Guild.”

“Of course.” Holm knew very well their Healer's views were precisely why someone so talented had an undesirable posting and, worse, such a low rank. “I am more concerned about the other Guilds thinking we are being lenient.”

“Understood.”

“If that concludes ship business, where are we on deciphering the natives' datanet?”

“The data continues to be difficult to quantify.” Nna waved one manipulator at the holographic display in Holm's office. “Even if we had the entirety of their datanet, we are not entirely certain what we are looking at from either an engineering or a cultural perspective. And, of course, there were too many exozons of information for us to store on this vessel, even if we confined ourselves to the parts of their datanet not protected by encryption or significant exclusion protocols.”

“It is probable that we cannot understand the data without the natives' assistance,” Umma added. “We have never encountered another species with an existing planetary datanet that wasn't natural-risen. In addition to the usual cultural challenges, we do not know how much is truly native to their culture. For instance, their society generally works in base-ten math, and yet their computer systems function using base-eight. The latter is likely Domination influence, but where does it end?”

“The natives use base-ten?” Holm twitched both ears. “Then the numbers I have seen . . .”

“All information I have shown you is converted to base-twelve,” Umma assured him. “And the calendar events we have collected from their datanet, and the radio broadcasts we detect with each jump, have been converted to the Hegemony Compact system. The natives still use the natural cycles of their planet and moon to judge time, obviously.”

“Not so obvious, Deputy Journeyman,” Nna cautioned. “Their timekeeping standards could still have been influenced by the Domination. I already checked this, however, and have determined that the natives are using a system of their own design. Rather, a multitude of systems for various tribes on their world, some of which I have not been able to identify properly, such as the Nah-va-ho, a tribe or group of tribes known as Wis-ter-ohs, no less than four tribes claiming the name of Roh-mahn, and what appears to be a religious sect known as the Elder Scrolls which seems to have elaborate rituals involving mysticism and combat. Still, assume nothing, even if we were not attempting to correct for Domination interference.”

“Chastised, Under-Supervisor Nna.” Umma lowered her ears respectfully.

“I do not chastise, Deputy Jouneyman, merely caution. This is new territory for any Librarian, and everything we discover simply adds more questions. We must be cautious.”

“Since we are swimming that stream,” Holm cut in, “what have we learned about the point of contamination? Can we float a guess as to when the Domination discovered them?”

“Unknown, but their technological advancement has dramatically increased in recent cycles.” The tsirlan ran a manipulator across the holo-screen of his tablet, two of his eyes scanning the data. “As we continue to Hegemony space, it will be vital to compare what we learn from their datanet against radio observation after each jump. While the signals will grow fainter, we may learn much.”

“Agreed. Umma, see to it that the ship's computer will prioritize collection and will automatically acquire the signals after each jump. I don't want to miss a moment due to jump-sickness.” Holm glanced at his own holo display. “Still, initial indications are that they first discovered steam power at a maximum of, what, four spans? Five at the outside? Perhaps that is the point of interference.”

“Earlier, perhaps.” Nna keyed another display into their shared virtual space. “I have found numerous references to experts on 'ancient aliens,' though precisely what time frame that means is ambiguous. I suspect that some of their datanet references to 'ancient history' are hyperbole, similar to how we refer to 'old regulation,' but it creates confusion. According to --”

A soft chime at the door interrupted them. Holm checked the cameras in the hallway. “It's Sinak. I suspected he would speak with me. Deactivate your displays.”

“Compliance,” Nna and Umma replied, switching their tablets to standby.

Holm keyed the hatch open. It slid smoothly into the bulkhead, revealing the prangalian Spacer.

Sinak's eyes flicked over the other two Librarians as he entered the cramped compartment, but settled on Holm. “Shipmaster.”

“Spacer Senior Journeyman Sinak.” Holm politely folded both ears at the prangalian pilot. “Did you wish to speak with me?”

“Indeed, Shipmaster. I have concerns with the course you have requested.” Sinak curled one lip, ever so slightly showing the tips of three teeth. “With all due respect, Shipmaster, are you aware of how dangerous this course will be?”

“I am, Spacer Senior Journeyman.” Holm flicked his left ear. “And I am aware of the strain it will place on you. Unfortunately, urgency is a factor.”

“This course represents an unnecessary danger to the ship and its Spacer pilots,” Sinak retorted. “It requires us to spend too much time in voidspace without gravitational landmarks, bypassing easier jumps between closer stars. This section of the galaxy has a great deal of turbulance due to supernova remnants, creating greater strain and difficulty with voidspace navigation. Beyond that, it also takes us too close to space known to be frequented by Domination vessels, as well as those who reject regulation. This ship is only lightly armed. It is far too risky.”

“As you just noted, I am Shipmaster here.”

“Without dispute. But you are a Librarian shipmaster. Regulation states that this means you are responsible for the operations of the ship; but as senior Spacer, I am responsible for the ship itself.”

“A distinction without differentiation.”

Sinak lifted his fringe sardonically. “That is regulation for you.”

“Under-Supervisor Nna?” Holm turned to the tsirlan. Nna had forgotten more about regulation than the rest of the beings in the compartment combined, even the regulations of the other four Guilds. He would have made a good candidate for the Librarian Legal Administration, had he taken a different path in his novitiate.

“Deputy Supervisor Holm.” Nna rotated two of his eyes in a gesture of caution. “It is . . . debatable.”

“What?” Umma turned to him in surprise.

“The Spacer Senior Journeyman is correct . . . on a technicality. That technicality is worded in a way that suggests it was intended only for navigational authority, not for overruling a Surveyor Agency shipmaster on a general outline. There is much stronger language supporting your authority to decide on destination star systems, especially in times of emergency.”

“I sense disappointment in my future,” Holm remarked dryly.

“Perhaps. It is your decision; I merely advise you of the relevant regulations. I can cite them for you if you wish, but the summary is that the Spacer Guild has long maintained that the navigational clause entitles them to final say over a flight plan when there is any hypothetical danger, not simply known navigational hazards. It has never been tested in cross-Guild arbitration, but it is my understanding that there are those in the Spacer Legal Administration that would relish the opportunity.”

Holm might not be the best at playing politics -- which was part of why he and his ship had been assigned to such a lengthy deep-space survey many cycles ahead of the normal schedule -- but he understood the subtext of that statement. Pushing Sinak on this would be an embarrassment for the Librarian Guild. In addition to the ultimatum Sinak was carefully not detailing, namely that the three Spacer crewmembers were the only ones on board with the needed psychic implants to navigate voidspace, the Spacer Guild's ministers would pounce on any opportunity to disallow the Librarian fleet.

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

Which meant that, no matter the outcome here, Sinak would benefit his Guild. Either he struck a minor yet significant blow against Librarian sovereignty over their own ships, or he created an interguild incident that would at minimum get Holm redlisted, stripped of his position, and possibly even demoted.

“Very well, then, Spacer Senior Journeyman Sinak.” Holm gestured to the only unoccupied chair. “Sit, and be informed.”

Surprise rippled across Sinak's scales for a moment before he sat down. The smart fabric adjusted to the prangalian's frame after a few moments. “You will share more information on these mysterious natives, then?”

“I will. And no doubt there are those who will file complaints with the Internal Resources Department for this, but time truly is at a premium here.”

“I of course cannot promise to not disclose any of this to my superiors.”

“I would never expect otherwise. Nna?”

“Very well.” Nna keyed his tablet back on. “This is the world we just left.”

“Yes, I recognize it,” Sinak hissed sarcastically. “I tend to notice the worlds I orbit, especially the ones with primitive but significant orbital infrastructure, even if I am not ordered to remain in a high polar orbit and maintain a constant electroweak shield for over two periods straight as if trying to avoid a missile target-lock in a contested system.” “This world has been visited twice before by our peoples,” Nna continued, ignoring the Spacer's tone. “Once in an official Librarian survey approximately 532.481 cycles ago.”

“I've never heard so a number with so many fractional numbers referred to as 'approximate.'”

“It was a long expedition with significant void lag,” Nna answered. “The Spacer implants of the time were not as advanced as those of today, and the expedition was specifically to update, confirm, and evaluate the previous expedition, which required extensive time due to its incomplete and non-regulation data records. That previous expedition visited this planet more than 960 cycles ago.”

“No fractionals? So uncertain?” Sinak started to look smug, but then stopped as he processed the date. “Wait a span. That was during the Third Guild War. There were no deep-space expeditions at that time, unless you mean . . .”

Nna rotated his eyes in confirmation. “Precisely. The very first exploration mission in Hegemony history to use primitive voidspace navigation, with all the unshielded psychic effects on the minds of the crew.”

“The Vonis,” Sinak hissed, this time in a much more hateful manner. “May its crew forever be unregulated.”

“Indeed.” Nna twitched one manipulator. “It is almost enough to make me wish my ancestors were correct about their superstitions, as mere death is insufficient for them.”

“So you see why our Guild sent an expedition of its own as soon as reliable void shields were available,” Holm interjected. “We already knew of one disaster caused by the Vonis crew, obviously. We had to see if there were any others waiting for us.”

“And you found something on this world?” Sinak pointed at the hologram.

“Astonishingly, no.” Nna paged through more displays of data -- only basic summaries, of course. Nothing too detailed for the outsider, though he probably didn't grasp the nuances of the data any more than Holm Dar understood the nuances of gravitational sheer in voidspace. “The records of the Vonis in this system were disrupted due to their reactor failure and the subsequent change in leadership --”

“This is where that happened?”

“Yes. At the time, there were no significant civilizations on this planet, and few of the inhabitants had even worked out how to smelt bronze.”

“Which is?”

“Ah, apologies. It is a simple alloy, still used in some machinery though mostly decorative today; but an important stage in the development of any technological species. Stage Three development, on the Falingas Scale. When the first Librarian expedition properly cataloged this world, the inhabitants had already begun to explore the basics of iron tools and weapons, and evidence of widespread writing systems.”

“Is that fast?”

“Very; that level of literacy put them at Stage Six, which is unusually fast but not unheard-of. Your own species managed it almost as quickly. There is also some debate among Librarians regarding just how accurate the Vonis Reports truly are, and not just because they are incomplete. They were insane, after all, so the analysis might be off. Regardless, there was no trace of the Vonis crew left, except for a few derelict and long-dead mining drones in the inner system abandoned after their repair efforts. No rogue colonies, which was of course the main worry.”

“I would have expected Choris the Mad to have carved his void-spawned ocular in the planet's moon to celebrate his kingship.” Sinak blew air from his nostrils. “Fascinating as this is, what has it to do with our course through voidspace?”

“Because in a mere five hundred cycles, this planet now sits at Stage Seventeen, nuclear power; and on the verge of intra-system colonization, or Stage Eighteen.”

Sinak's eyes narrowed. “And how many stages are there on this Librarian scale?”

“Both the Hegemony and the Domination currently sit at Stage Twenty-Seven. There are stages beyond that, but they remain theoretical, of course.”

“How long is normal for that much progress?”

“For a Hunter-type species? Never.”

“They are Hunters?”

“Correct. All indications from all three expeditions, counting our own, are that they evolved intelligence by tracking, pursuing, and subduing their prey. They are fully omnivorous, but over half of all Hunter species are as well, my own included; their agricultural advancements happened well after intelligence emerged, rather than alongside it as with the majority of sentients.”

“But even I know that Hunters can't achieve this kind of advancement without uplift! They simply can't cooperate like normal--” Sinak broke off, clearly remembering who he was talking to. “Ah. Forgive me, Librarian Under-Supervisor. I meant--”

“I take no offense.” Nna bobbed two manipulators in amusement at the Spacer's regulation-proscribed bigotry. “The comparison has already been made by myself. My species is known for our ability reason and remember, but pure rationality does not create the kind of planetary cooperation necessary for advanced development on this scale, especially for a species still mired in superstition. They still show the fractured nature of all Hunter species, with a deep and confusing history of tribal strife; yet they have managed complex technological and social development far in excess of their demonstrated ability to cooperate. That is, in fact, the whole point of the urgency involved in our return trip.”

Sinak was silent for a long moment. “Because,” he finally said, repeating his earlier words, “Hunters can't achieve this kind of advancement . . . without uplift.”

“And if that is not enough, consider this.” Nna manipulated the hologram to display a simple geometric symbol, two intersecting bars joined at right angles, with the vertical bar longer than the horizontal. “This is the symbol of the dominant system of superstition on the planet, occasionally with the likeness of a deity on it. It is a religion that describes a supreme creator being presiding over many minor beings split between a higher and lower spiritual realm, mutually engaged in a war for control of those realms. A war that those who bear this symbol consider themselves to be fighting as well. Does this appear familiar to you?”

Holm watched as Sinak's scales took on a grey-green hue. “Now do you see why I ordered this particular course, despite the risks involved?”

“I do indeed, Shipmaster,” Sinak replied, his tone far more respectful toward Holm's title than before. “You needn't have detailed so much; you could simply have invoked the War Amendments and cited the discovery of unknown Domination activity.”

“I could have,” Holm acknowledged, “but the reality is that we did not directly observe any; and while the circumstantial evidence is strong, I do not wish to invoke regulation in an unwarranted fashion.”

Sinak met his gaze, carefully not acknowledging the potential slight in that statement. The Spacer had, after all, attempted to leverage an untested interpretation of regulation in order to gain an advantage for himself and his Guild.

“Regardless, I will not bother soliciting any non-disclosure agreements from you,” Holm continued. “None of the information you received is of much economic or political benefit to any of our Guilds, except where it benefits all of them equally. I do encourage you to stay silent about this information while aboard the Curious Observer, though, in order to prevent too much idle gossip.”

“Probably wise,” Sinak acknowledged, looking uneasily at the superstitious symbol still floating over Nna's tablet. “I suppose it would be best to report to our superiors first. I don't suppose that image could possibly be a coincidence? It is a very simple construct, after all, and it lacks the upward element of the Domination idol.”

“Anything is possible,” Nna agreed, “but in context it is unlikely. Monotheistic superstition is very rare throughout known space, and the odds of something so similar developing are not something I find believable, if you pardon the pun.”

“I suppose so.” Sinak blew air again. “Nonsensical thinking on my part, nothing more. Why would I want there to be more religious fanatics out there?”

Holm folded an ear to acknowledge the weak attempt at humor. “Indeed. We are fortunate to have noticed them before they reached greater stages of development. At the rate they have been increasing their capabilities, the Domination would have likely raised them to Stage Twenty or greater. Perhaps even given them gravity generation technology ahead of the normal pace of development, but what with how subtle they've been so far, it is unlikely they would jump them directly to Stage Twenty-Three.”

“No species has ever discovered gravity manipulation before attempting interstellar travel through starspace,” Umma supplied at Sinak's quizzical look. “Most species are discovered before then, of course, but since opening a voidspace portal requires gravity manipulation, the only way the Domination would have made the natives look like they did this naturally is if they went through the intervening sub-light travel through starspace. By then, the Hegemony would have begun developing this sector.”

“And we would have tried to incorporate them into our society,” Sinak finished. “Stamp out their void-spawned superstition and teach them our ways, letting a topoc into the house to bite us in our sleep.” He watched as the Librarians looked at each other. “What? Did I guess wrong?”

“No, no . . .” Holm said, scratching at his snout. “It's just . . . I don't think any of us considered that possibility.”

“That they were a trap for us? But I thought that was where you were flying with this. Why else the urgency?”

“A trap, yes. But we were so focused on the natives' warlike behavior . . .”

“Indeed.” Nna tapped two manipulators. “I had overlooked the possibility. A single system can be contained. As long as they don't have voidspace technology, they are of little threat. But if a Dominion-manipulated society were allowed to join us, even on the standard provisional basis permitted to select members of a native population in order to gradually integrate with the Hegemony, there would be a vast number of potential spies and saboteurs that could be introduced throughout Hegemony space.”

“Irony.” Sinak looked a little smug. “The Librarians didn't think of it. Your Guild is the one with the Stellar Intelligence Agency!”

“We're scientists,” Umma reminded him primly, though her folded ears betrayed her own amusement at the catch. “You Spacers are the ones that guard the borders and look for threats. We just collect information.”

“Of course, Librarian Deputy Journeyman Umma.” Sinak inclined his head toward the ktani, then rose from his seat. Its smart fabric retracted out of the way. “In the meantime, you have convinced me. I must go brief my team so we can recalculate our return journey. I think we can avoid the worst of the contested systems, but I will have to consult our navigational charts and the most recent reports we have of border activity. Shipmaster, I shall give you an updated list of what we will require for the return journey, especially from the Engineers. We will need to prioritize several internal functions beyond standard usage cycles, and I suspect Engineer Senior Journeyman Znik Tol would object to my request if it came straight from me.”

“He is most upset about losing that last game of portanc,” Nna agreed.

Sinak's tone was innocent, but he bared just a little of his teeth once more. “Is it my fault he twitches his antenae when he has good cards?”