Inside the Sorin Command Center, Beltira watched the Holographic Projection before her without expression, while her consciousness spread throughout the entire facility. Nothing happening here, not a single piece of information flowing through the communication channels, escaped her notice.
Almost no visible shift in expression could be seen on the face of this simulated avatar, yet Beltira knew that she was anything but calm. Speaking with a completely unfamiliar civilization, one that even lived on another planet, was an unprecedented experience. Whenever she considered the course of history that this conversation across the sea of stars might set in motion, she felt every leaf on her branches trembling faintly.
Those following the developments here through the remote network presumably felt the same way.
"The new text has been compiled, transcoding complete, transmitting to Antavien." "Confirmation received from Antavien. Text sent, awaiting the other party's response."
Reports came from the command stations in the hall, while Beltira remained quietly at her post, watching the Holographic Projection before her as calmly as a plant. She saw a line of faintly glowing text appear on the projection:
Star Resolver: "If our cooperation does not proceed smoothly, what will you do? Do you have some... alternative plan to resolve the issue of this Observation Point four light-years away? This question is purely out of curiosity."
What followed was a stretch of blank noise even longer than the previous waiting period. The "Noi" seemed to be discussing how they should answer the question. Across the vast sea of stars, at least four light-years wide, she could not see what was happening "on the other side," yet she could not help imagining it—imagining what state those "aliens" might be in as they conducted this conversation...
Had they, like the Sorin Command Center, gathered numerous teams of