To Chain the Light

[Foxglove]

Thesis, comparison, conclusion.

An impulse that eluded measurement by any conventional device. It compared its findings to those of its brethren. They collectively contextualized the findings, each entity instictively knowing its place. Precognition. It was the way they perceived their surroundings, lacking any sort of visual organs. Radiation, energy. Their bodies acted like buoys in a sea of it, able to pick out disturbances if matter traversed it. If others of their kin were nearby, they would all perceive it from different angles, positions. Their connection made comparison effortless, instinctual. Trajectory, material, the theoretical kinetic energy released upon impact, they could see it collectively, predict it collectively. Not everyone of their brethren was equally adept at it. This was their purpose, and had been created with the necessary toolkit in mind. They were wardens, housekeepers. Their task was to monitor movements within the Lost Void, where their connection was the strongest due to proximity. A human might have called the task monotonous, but it was essential. Its kin needed the information. The radiant matter cluster that their hive world orbited sometimes emitted flares that were able to scorch the surface of their hive world. Precognition. They would know to prevent it.

Thesis: Pathway usage.

It was a thought, a concept. It reverberated through their connection. One of their kin proposed the possibility of an arrival through the pathway.

Acknowledgement.

It was nothing out of the ordinary. Most arrivals were their kin returning from forays into the neighboring voids. They lacked the means to predict arrivals. Their connection was insufficient over distances as long as the ones between traversable voids. It reached out to its brethren and they corrected their trajectory, the movement perfectly synchronized, everyone remaining in their place.

Conclusion: Pathway usage positive.

It was still some ways off from the pathway. There was no uncertainty, as they had always been faster if necessary. However, this was most likely a return from their own. Most of its older kin had been moving outside of the Lost Void recently, the rest remaining sheltered on the hive world. A feeling of alarm went through their connection.

Observation: One massive object, four orbiting objects.

It couldn't be anyone of its kin. There wouldn't have been the impulse of alarm otherwise. The objects were unknown and needed to be identified. As always during situations as these, their kin scurried away, towards the shelter of the hive world. They would hide under the crust of the planet and hope to not be found. This was not possible for it, however, as it would be necessary to cross the path of the intruding objects. A utilitarian decision.

Objective: Investigate.

Someone needed to confirm whether the objects could prove to be harmful. At worst, they would be able to buy time for the others to hide. At best, they could neutralize the thread. Approaching, it and the others approached, keeping a respectable distance. There was movement, the smaller objects orbiting the bigger one. They instinctively knew the bigger shell was capable of hyperspace travel. It radiated the same as a pathway. They realized these were human ships.

Thesis: Enemy.

Not all humans were necessarily their adversaries. The Sparkling Raiders had visited them before and they had allowed it. The Fellowship of the Bird had also visited them before and they had allowed it. Those were neither.

Conclusion: Enemy.

It was immediately obvious that they were in a bad position to fight. Not only did their adversaries have a massive shell and they didn't, but they could feel that the pilots were experienced. One of the pilots, however, was afraid as of their approach. It reached out to the others, comparing with the others. They decided to attack the afraid pilot first. The fight was quick, yet provided enough time for most of their kin to either hide on the hive world or in the asteroid fields if they had been too far away. Thesis, comparison, conclusion. The housekeepers were not meant as defenders, yet they would fulfil the task of one if required. It reached out to the others and one by one, it knew that they were getting fewer and fewer. Slowly but surely, they were succumbing to the attacking force until it tried reaching out in vain.

It was all alone.

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