Utopia War

Chapter 28 - Context Is Everything

<I'm almost done,> said Min-ji <I just have to get to the top.>

<Proxima!> signaled Scout.

<Way ahead of you,> replied Proxima.

Min-ji reached for the next branch and slipped, only to be caught in a cushion of antigravity. Proxima slowly lowered the child to the ground.

<That is an inefficient use of AG,> Proxima scolded her <You should listen to Scout when he warns you about things.>

<Why?> asked Min-ji.

<Because he knows things you don't,> explained Proxima.

<I suppose I agree,> signaled Min-ji

<So we're going to destroy the Hive's wormhole router,> signaled Proxima.

<Destroy it?> replied Min-ji, incredulous.

<The Hive is out of control,> signaled Proxima <And we're responsible for inflicting them on the galaxy at large. They can't be trusted with technology of that level of sophistication. They're just not ready. The router itself belongs to a dead species. This region of space is better off long term if the router is destroyed.>

<Can I have just one more chance to talk them down? Make them understand?> asked Min-ji.

<I don't believe that's possible,> replied Proxima <But I've been wrong before. That's why I want you to go on this mission in the first place.>

"Min-ji Cerulean, the perpetual granule in my inner tissues," said Prime of Primes Chom "So you have finally shown your stinger after all these many cycles?"

The electronic pheromones indicated the all-encompassing majesty of the highest of all Primes.

"This isn't my doing, Prime of Primes Chom," said Min-ji "When you attacked Xul you made this much bigger than the relationship between my people and yours."

"Xul is ours," said Chom "All planets belong to the Hive. There is no life but the Hive. You do not comprehend because you are demi-life."

"It doesn't have to be this way," said Min-ji "My people can teach you how to build orbital colonies. You can make as much territory as you want, an unlimited amount, just out of the debris in space. We can even build them for you! There's no need to steal other people's planets."

"The demi-life have stolen the planets from the Hive," said Chom "Let them live in the void."

"That's not going to happen," said Min-ji "Don't you understand? We're on our way to destroy the wormhole router. You'll be trapped in your home star system."

"If you violate Hive Territory it is you who will be destroyed. I have exhausted enough time with irrational humans."

The communication link cut out before the pheromone signal even arrived.

<Sounds like she voted for 'destroy the router',> said TheBestAtJumping.

The excitable blonde girl handed Min-ji a tennis ball.

"What's this?" asked Min-ji

"It's a ball," said the girl.

"That's what I thought it was," said Min-ji.

"Yes," agreed the girl.

"So, um..." asked Min-ji "What- why did you hand it to me? Is it a gift?"

"Don't be ridiculous, of course you can't have it. That's my ball," said the girl "It belongs to me. I want you to throw it."

"I see," said Min-ji.

"As far as you can," continued the girl "Preferably in that direction but follow your heart. Then I'm going to tear off after it, as fast as you've ever seen, and I'm going to catch it and bring it back.

"You will?" asked Min-ji

"Over and over again," confirmed the girl "Until you get bored of throwing it."

"I understand," said Min-ji.

<I don't understand!> signaled Min-ji <In their own atmosphere?>

<Your own people did the same thing, within years of developing the technology,> replied Horror-Vacui.

Sisisi exhaled with three different lungs at once. There was a bagpipe quality to the sound it made.

<You and your people rectified the casus belli of our war with the Cytholonii, who should never have been our enemy to begin with. It was within the bounds of honor and respect to withdraw our annihilation of their species at that time. But an enemy? Ha! An enemy would be driven from the stars, cast down into the gravity well of their homeworld, which would then be turned into a hunting resort. The last remnants of their genetic line would be sub-sapient prey species.>

Min-ji was quiet for a moment.

<Thank you very much, Sisisi Hyuhyuhyu,> she finally said <You are very wise.>

<Wiser than you could possibly comprehend, one-sider,> he sneered.