You Must Believe Me

The radio message crossed the vast distance of four light-years and was received by the Collectors carrying out construction duties.

"They sure know how to keep rushing us! We're already working around the clock over here! How are we supposed to go any faster?!"

Although the urging message caused an uproar across the channel, after grumbling for a while, the Collectors still did everything they could to speed up progress. No one had ever raised a slogan like "speed up construction"; everything proceeded with unspoken coordination.

"Is the liquid metallic hydrogen from the pressure megastructure not ready yet?"

"Stop rushing me. It's almost done."

"Solid helium, solid helium! We have surplus cryogenic solid helium here. Who still needs some?" came an inquiry from the cooling megastructure.

"Me!"

"Me!"

"Out of the way! I need it more urgently!"

A group of Collectors rushed to report their needs.

"Don't fight over it. Solid helium supplies are sufficient. It'll be delivered soon," the cooling megastructure replied.

More and more megastructure organisms appeared within the star system, and the number of orbital modules circling the star continued to grow. Even so, their numbers remained far from sufficient to complete the gravity ring.

The Collector supervising the gravity ring's overall construction sent a message to its kin responsible for observation.

"This is a yellow dwarf star. We're short on construction resources. When will the kin currently on their way arrive?"

"Soon. Not long ago, I received their deceleration signals from sublight travel. At most, they'll reach our star system within a few years."

The Collector made a simple estimate, confirmed that they would make it in time, and relaxed.

"That's good."

Time passed second by second as a transport fleet of sublight organisms stood ready to depart.

"Logistics team! Deliver these supplies to the neighboring