The World Of Alcubierre

Episode X

Overseer Neeria's eye slits turned to a deep blue as she processed the inbound communication. "Premier Valast, the Zix have elected to respond." Her voice was atonal, oddly shifting about in an effort to conceal the multitude of reactions rising within her. Such out-of-mandate communication was unprecedented in the entire history of the Zix. Even with the dire nature of the Combine's second message, she had not expected a response.

Premier Valast sat up in his small pillow, his ears flapping irritably, "What have they said? Will they coordinate with us?"

"Very little as of yet Premier Valast, they have simply acknowledged that they will communicate."

Valast's maw hung ajar, nonplussed. "They responded to tell us they will respond?"

Neeria nodded, "Yes, it is remarkable progress."

"Remarkable...progress..." Premier Valast blinked. There was a pause, as if the implications of the statement were working their way through his neural pathways, slowly overcoming the surreal sense of disbelief that impeded their progress. Finally, a look of fury overcame him, his whiskers bristling. His paws flew into a frenzy, digging at the velvet pillow beneath him, yanking out embroidered patches as he tore it apart.

---

Xy and Zyy floated beside one another, each taking comfort in the other's presence. For all of Zyy's bluster, trepidation had crept in just before they had sent the response indicating their intention to respond. Xy felt positively Right-minded when it had submitted the communication command in conjunction with Zyy. It wondered how they would explain themselves to the Collective when they returned to the float colony. Zix history was rife with the stories of singleton folly, and more than one cautionary tale spoke of rogue tanks and the havoc they had wrought in times past.

But there had been little choice in the end, the Combine's information was simply too important to not act upon. The stakes too high. It had been Zyy, in its outlandish Right logic, that had found the justification to permit their response.

While their mandate only stated they were to deliver their message, their observation-specialization permitted the gathering of information of import to the Collective. Their specialization was a prime function, a basic expression of their identity. Not acting on the specialization would be, in some ways, an even greater violation than breaching the mandate. Particularly given the nature of the information they now sought. How could data relating to the survival of the Collective be anything other than of import to the Collective? Indeed, Zyy argued, they were specialization-bound to collect it. And, since there were no other means of information gathering other than communication in this instance, they were obligated to communicate.

Flimsy, but just solid enough for the Left to dangle a few cilia on. If the Right's logic was unsound, then they would accept whatever judgment was placed upon them. Perhaps this was how all rogue tanks felt at the moment of their treason, but the decision was made and, as all Zix knew, a ripple could not be recalled.

---

"Another message Premier Valast," Overseer Neeria said as she translated the communication from Zix into Combine Common. The Zix language was quite interesting, a smattering of pressure and electric impulses. She wondered how the Combine had managed to build the initial language bridge. As far as she could discern, the Zix language was entirely unique, both in terms of communication style as well as the underpinning structure. For all of the diversity in the Combine, the vast majority of species seemed to rhyme with one another. The Zix stood alone. It was hard to rhyme with zaps of electricity and water squirts.

"And?" Valast lounged among a pile of white stuffing, all that remained of his pillow after his anger had been spent.

"They seek any and all information related to the nature of the threat," she replied.

"Much has already been provided, but we will guarantee that all further developments by Combine researchers will be made available to them." He came to stand, his nimble paws delicately combing through his fur to remove the small clumps of stuffing. There was still some disarray to his appearance, and he set about making himself presentable again, taking the time to pull the tunic covering his frame straight and rearrange the insignia of office on his lapel. "We need them to grant us access to their wormkey."

Neeria's eyes flitted to green as she accessed the archives, pulling the data related to the Zix wormkey as well as all instances where a wormkey compact was altered. Once a wormkey framework was established upon a species' ascension to Membership in the Combine, it could not be altered without the express permission from the species. It was a fundamental tenant of the Combine Compact, and crucial to maintaining the peace within Combine space. Eyes blue, Neeria continued, "Premier, the Zix have maintained an extremely strict wormkey compact, one that has not been altered since its inception. None other than authorized Zix floats are permitted to make use of it."

Premier Valast's ears flattened back, a snarl coming to his face, "This is why they must agree to change."

"They are unlikely to agree to such a thing, particularly without consultation with the Collective."

"They must agree or face their end. They do not have worm projectors," Valast said, his voice coming shrill as the frustration of the situation began to overwhelm him. He was not the first Premier to regret the presence of the wormkeys, but he very well might be the last. Species' control over their own colonized space was a hallmark of Combine membership, a means of providing each member with the ability to determine which ships would be permitted access to point-to-point travel in their domain. It was impossible to open a wormhole within restricted space without wormkey access.

Without Zix cooperation, there would be no way to intercept the object.

"I will provide the Zix with this information," Neeria said.

---

Xy and Zyy were unfamiliar with worm projectors. A query to the archives provided some insight on the matter. In the intervening time since their last contact, the Combine had developed a means for creating stable wormholes that were untethered from a point-to-point drive, allowing ships without point-to-point drives to leverage wormholes. It was used primarily to facilitate large scale trade routes between mercantile worlds. An intriguing innovation, but of little utility to the self-contained Zix. Xy did discern the applicability to the issue before them but found the prospect of altering the wormkey compact to allow such a ship access untenable.

Xy and Zyy duly communicated this to the Premier. Firstly, the question arose of whether Xy and Zyy were even capable of such a thing. Secondly was the matter of it being beyond their mandate. Thirdly, the logic thread Zyy had used to justify information gathering as an observation-specialization did not apply. There was a fourthly, a fifthly and a sixthly as well, but Xy considered the initial three to be fatal without the need to enumerate the rest.

Their explanation was met with a great deal of explanation in return, during which the catastrophic nature of their refusal was repeatedly highlighted.

Xy and Zyy clung together in their tank, exhausted. They had been melded for hours, an energy-consuming and emotionally draining effort. They maintained a number of thought threads, some exchanging logic on various debates, others pulling archive data to supplement their discourse, and still others devoted to the painstaking effort of communicating with the Premier. They had dropped the emotion thread some time ago, finding it a needless distraction to their already difficult work.

Xy grew agitated, jetting in a small orbit around Zyy, hoping that swirling currents might bring it some comfort. They did not. There seemed to be no answer to their quandary. The wormkey compact was inviolate. There could be no amendment, abridging, or other alteration without a Zix Moot, which would place them outside of the critical window to act.

Xy could find no answer.

It took the inane foolishness of a Right to find a solution.

---

"They what?" Valast asked.

"They want to borrow one," Neeria replied.