The First Second of Eternity

"We should just kill her and be done with it." General Klyte growled, glaring at the hologram in the center of the room. An ordinary human woman—circa 23rd century—placidly cleaned a homemade mug. She was doing it the old-fashioned way, with her own two hands.

That's not how the Xenocratic Stars operate, Klyte. Klyte had been working with XK4 for too long for the artificial intelligence's chiding tone to bother him. Alarion of Earth's depravity has forever scarred the cultural and political landscape of both our home nations. Showing decency in the face of such as she will work wonders towards easing the Stars' mindset back into a peacetime stance.

"Mm," Klyte noncommittally grunted. "Still. Alarion's attempted omnicide has left huge swathes of the galaxy empty. I don't know anybody who hasn't suffered a loss at her hands. Can't say keeping her alive—let alone in a state of eternal bliss—is going to get much public support."

She is hardly in a state of eternal bliss, XK4 chided, We have selected what we believe to be the single most contented moment of her life, reconstructed it, and placed her in a time loop to relive it for all eternity.

Klyte flinched as the hologram of Alarion spun and hurled the delicate cup at the wall, shattering mere inches from his eye. Alarion stared at the unharmed wall for a few seconds, breathing heavily. Klyte unconsciously looked away, finding the smooth grey metal of the room around him easier to meet than Alarion's furious gaze.

"That's the single most contented moment of her life?" Klyte asked.

Well. XK4 acknowledged, she hardly would have attempted the extermination of all other sentient life if she had a healthy upbringing. This was... the best we could find.

Alarion's eyes narrowed, and she murmured something under her breath. That was the last either of them saw before the screen blinked and the scene reset, back to Alarion washing her cup.

Klyte frowned. "What if she gets out?"

She will not. That room is in a box made of Purity.

"The hell is that?"

A unique substance, formed at the beginning of the universe in conditions we no longer can, nor ever will, be able to replicate. It is by far the most durable substance which ever has or will exist. It is immune to dimensional displacement, temporal manipulation, universal collapse—

"I get the idea," Klyte said softly. Alarion threw the mug once more—this time, having expected it, Klyte didn't bat an eye. At what came next, though, he rubbed his chin. "Did she do that the last time around?"

Do what?

"Whatever she says at the end—here, can you give me audio? I think it was different this time."

A faint chime sounded, and XK4 acquiesced. Once more, they waited in silence until Alarion threw the mug—

"Nine," Alarion said, tonelessly.

"Nine? Is there any context for that?" Klyte asked.

No, I'm afraid not. The number nine holds no special significance to Alarion of Earth.

They watched the loop occur once more in silence.

"Ten." Alarion stared down at the shattered remains of her cup, an unreadable expression on her face.

"She's counting up," Klyte said, eyes narrowing. "How is that possible? Does she have anything on her that would negate a time loop?"

No. We would know. An object made of Purity is, of course, immune to temporal manipulations, but the only Purity within a dozen light-years is helping contain her.