Quoted By:
This is not an accident. Several of your people and migrator assets are dead; tormented before their end, using powers beyond your control. This was an intentional attack, if it was a “trap” or otherwise. It is an act of war and you aren't going to take it lightly. It was a mistake to allow Starseers to simply extend their minds out into the universe without protection- but you didn't know what was out there. This is a war. Wars require weapons.
You begin speaking to the Threemind.
<span class="mu-b">”Begin immediately with researching forms of offense or defense with Starsight. In the meantime, keep Starseers on a short leash; no extending their “presence” beyond Hegemony space. We also need more gifted Starseers- Radjo will be the template for a new series of Indigos. In the meantime, contact my Science Overseer- get him to start working on that worm genome...”</span>
The AI network and, by extension, the Hegemony, instantly gets to work. Every work station and computer in the Hegemony is shifted to align with your new goals; resources changed and quotas shifted towards this new project. With a new Supreme Ruler in charge, the sudden priority shows a hint at how the rest of your reign will continue; giving an incredible feeling of energy and “history unfolding” among the people of the Hegemony.
“...They don't have brains, your Eminence.” Maktana says.
<span class="mu-b">”Huh?”</span>
“The worms don't have brains. At least, not in their bodies. That's always been the case.”
<span class="mu-b">”How can they perform Starsight? Or talk?”</span>
“It's still an unknown- even with our very solid preserved bodies of the worms we have; none of them have brains- any useful brain structures or genes relating to their nervous system are just absent.”
<span class="mu-b">”So, we can't harvest their genes for our gene program?”</span>
“We can, it just won't be anything useful for Starsight. Given how advanced and old their race is, it seems possibly they could have... removed their own brains to protect their secrets? Sounds absurd, but they claim to be millions or even billions of years old so...”
<span class="mu-b">”In that case, focus the Starsight program on Jaxtian talents with Starsight instead. As for the gene program-”</span>
“The Swall project is almost completed, my Lord. I can hopefully finish it by the end of my career. I'd like to give my Son a clean slate before he takes over as the Science Overseer... if that be your will, my lord.”
<span class="mu-b">”Of course. If he's anywhere as competent as you, then the rest of my reign is in good hands.”</span>
