In the depths of Terra, Symyr strode to what would certainly be the most momentous meeting of the Council of Terra ever to have been held, though it was likely to be brief. If possible, he would have felt ecstatic.
The occasions veering towards confliction that he had experienced over the past one thousand years were ended now. His decisions, though of course unchallenged, were vindicated if to no one else but himself. Two in particular had caused him most conflict.
Firstly, he was over one and a half thousand years of age. Organism units were expected to auto-euthanize when past their peak of performance, despite a potential infinite life span. Supreme directors often remained in service for hundreds of years, but it was true that both he and Yashina, had remained functional for an unprecedented period. In part it was the link they represented to Sylythos perhaps? Normally the Organism needed no such symbols or reminders, but the circumstance was exceptional. There was also their established experience of interstellar operations. Still, other Organism Directors were also providing peak service for longer. Perhaps they had established a precedent? No matter, he felt sure that when it was time for him to euthanize, he would know it.
Perhaps more pressing had been his conflict over mounting operations to the closer stars. It had been possible for many hundreds of years to mount such expeditions. Less than half a million tonnes of ship could transport a hundred thousand units and some basic support equipment to the nearest systems. The journey would only take a century or so. But the question that always caused him to decline to order such a mission was still cogent. What would such an expedition achieve? Had one been mounted two hundred years ago and if it had survived, and if suitable resources were available to it, such a colony would still only be at subsistence level. The Organism knew that some systems could be almost worthless so nothing might be achieved at all. No, better by far to continue to attempt better hyperdrives or a means of replicating the Artifact or detecting closed jump points. Only as a final resort should resources be so spent. Now he had verification that his decisions had been correct! True, this was chance, but chance played a part even for the perfection of the Organism.
Symyr reached the chamber, that a human might have described as some kind of organic-gothic nightmare, and silently took his station on one of the nine platforms overhanging a large, deep pit that swirled with a faint blue mist. The mist in the pit shimmered and an image of the system beyond the jump point formed. A gentle exhalation echoed around the chamber.
Yashina, now Supreme Director of Command, spoke in perhaps a loader voice then usual. "The results are conclusive. The jump point is stable and suitable for transit. The Organism can and will mount expeditions to exploit the new system! Do the Supreme Directors concur?"
One by one, the Supreme Directors recorded their agreement.
“Oralan records concurrence for Infrastructure.”
“Sharyna records concurrence for Biomedical.”
“Thalytha records concurrence for Conflict.”
“Kopok records concurrence for Construction.”
“Lylyn records concurrence for Bioresearch.”
“Taavyt records concurrence for Transport.”
“Rendor records concurrence for Security.”
“Symyr records concurrence for Science.”
“Such is the resolution of the Council of Terra! The policy is to be promulgated!” Symyr thought to detect a note of triumph, or even passion, in Yashina’s voice. No matter he thought, all had reason to have supreme contentment in function this day and it was a vindication of the policies that she had helped formulate.
As Symyr left the Chamber, Yashina strode into view and approached. He felt a burst of imperative pheromones. He fell into step beside her as they walked to the transit capsule to her workstation and contemplated the preparedness of the Organism whilst there was time.
Research had mostly been directed towards the gathering and exploitation of resources. Planets had been terraformed, asteroids mined to exhaustion, production rates had been ramped up. Shipping was devoted to transportation of Units and resources. This would have to change. The strikefighters and strikeships would have to be urgently supplemented by warships. Transit capable vessels were required and construction of Jump Gates was needed. There would need to be a complete change in emphasis for both development and construction. The Organism would expand and survive!