Chapter 18

“Poolnar, are the Kempu enemies of the Federation?” I asked.

“They are not enemies, but disdain membership, though ancient records suggest they assisted the forming of the Federation some 900 million of your years ago.”

“Is that how old you are?”

“No, I am only 40,000 years old. Federation expansion in this galaxy has been relatively recent, because it is so young. My activation after construction was as the first module placed here. I am the foundation of Poolnar Hub.”

“Why are they mentioned so often? Scout 412 mentioned them when we first met.”

“No one in this sector, or even this galaxy has ever met one. They are often featured as the scary monster in cautionary tales taught to children, and are part of the historical lore taught to Scouts as well. They would be what you would call boogeymen in the Federation.”

“That’s so interesting. We are about 300 light years from Earth, right?” I said, changing the subject.

“That is correct, Admiral.”

“Are there any systems or intelligent species within 50 light years of Earth that we should stay away from?”

“There is an unusual double water world within that distance, it has proto intelligent life.”

“Is that 3.47 parsecs from Sol?” I asked.

“Yes it is, are you familiar with it?”

“I am. We were considering colonizing one of the worlds.”

“That would be strictly forbidden, and the Federation would send warships to remove any colony placed there. The atmosphere pressure would also not be survivable there for any of your species.”

“We considered a mega structure floating in the atmosphere. In the end we decided it might be easier to just reduce the atmospheric pressure. We would only have to reduce the depth of one of them by 50km.”

The pause seemed unusual, before the AI finally responded with, “Fascinating.”

“Can I get a tablet like you gave me to communicate with the consortiums to each of my group? We would like to store data on the rules and regulations of the Federation so that we can better understand what membership involves. I’m particularly concerned with the system rules as I consider it my personal responsibility to protect Earth.”

“Certainly. If you have a data device of your own, I can transmit data to it as well.”

“Your electronic interface equipment was very impressive when we met Scout 412. He transmitted a virtual video pretending to be human, and sent the broadcast directly to a video screen with audio, completely bypassing our own communications systems.”

“The popularity of photonic computing devices is partly because they are highly resistant to the spying and remote control possible with our surveillance and scanning technology.”

“I’ll have to investigate that.”

“Did you really consider a floating city in the atmosphere?” the AI asked.

“I built a prototype in the atmosphere of Venus, the second planet of the Sol system. A sufficiently strong structure, if light enough, can hold a vacuum, and provide buoyant lift. Venus has a mostly carbon dioxide atmosphere, so it was easier.”

“Could you bring me pictures when you return with a device from your world for the regulation data, it will make transferring the data to your local data systems easier?”

“Sure. Will you share it with the Federation, or keep it for yourself?”

“It is a hobby, and it would be for my personal storage only. I collect information on other megastructures.”

“Very cool. I’ll bring you pictures of Exploration Command, and Proxib Telescope too. Exploration Command is the off world headquarters of the Poseidon Dominion. Proxib Telescope is a telescope array built across the dark side of Proxima b, the innermost tidally locked world of Proxima, the closest star to Sol.”

“That would be wonderful, thank you.”

I stepped back into the conference room. “I think we’ve stayed long enough. Let’s all head back to our ship. We can have a talk about what to do next, and arrange a visit to the shopping district on the hub.”

“Understood Admiral,” Mike said, the others just nodded.

I stepped to the door, and a pink robed 436 stood there. “Hello 436, are you our escort back to our ship?”

“Yes Admiral,” she said, and turned around, and headed away, so we followed. When we got to the same docking bay, the same ship was waiting for us. We climbed aboard, and 436 sat across from me.

“Is 436 your only designation?” I asked her.

“I am 436 of class 1492.”

“Any personal name, or nickname among friends or family?”

“No, most of us do not interact with each other, we work as the body for the mind that is Poolnar. We do not give birth in the traditional sense. Class 1492 is the group of us who were gestated together.”

“Siblings then, big family if you are number 436, of how many?”

“I am the least, there is no 437.”

“Is that why you got sent to meet the scary new humans who surprised everyone by showing up here?”

“Yes Admiral, I am more expendable than most.”

“That would be a terrible shame, you seem to be a very sweet young lady, 436.”

“Thank you Admiral,” she said, and my power detected a hint of her version of a blush.

“I’ve only seen female unbound, are the males elsewhere?”

“At the end of our life cycle, the greats of our class will transform. The first will become male and impregnate the females who will each gestate another class.”

“How many females will gestate?” I asked curiously.

“Never more than 7, and usually never less than three. It depends on the quality scores of the greatest, and the future need for more unbound.”

“Truly fascinating to meet a species like yours. Thank you for your company,” I told her.

The hatch opened, and we stepped into the airlock. We passed thru the doors, but paused so that the ship could be spit out. With the shuttle disconnected, we piled the gifted tablets in the airlock. Once sealed inside newly grown storage cabinets, we passed thru the inner door made of my flesh.

I stored and conjured everyone out of their suit. “A fresh body would be nice after that many hours in those suits,” Mike said.

“Except they have scans of us now. No doing anything that hints of replication,” Val chastised.

“I’m getting a shower and a coffee, meet everyone back here in fifteen?” 3M said.

Everyone agreed, so we moved off to our individual suites. I was fastest, as I cheated with the cleanup, and had coffee ready for everyone when they returned. We settled around the table, a video screen on the wall showed us the rest of the brotherhood watching, and ready to participate in the conversation.

“Why aren’t we doing this at Proxima Station where we can sit all around a table together?” Mike asked.