Luna returned to Free Star City.
Ayla received good news from the Solar System.
"Researching dimensional phenomena near black holes, scholars proposed a concept: since complex machinery is impossible in four dimensions, we should build simple structures."
This was a preamble; the main point followed.
"A reflective membrane; it can reflect signals."
"We create a specific membrane; when three-dimensional signals enter four-dimensional space, they'll change; these changes reveal four-dimensional characteristics."
"We can also use gravitons to detect changes in the membrane's shape, obtaining basic information about four-dimensional space."
"After verifying energy and matter changes, we can attempt to enter four-dimensional space."
This wasn't particularly ingenious.
But implementation is as difficult as launching a telescope into space.
A terrestrial telescope is easy to build; an extraterrestrial one, even a simpler one, costs tens or hundreds of times more.
Similarly, this simple plan is easy to implement in three dimensions, but incredibly difficult across dimensions.
Analyzing the data is the most challenging part.
"Excellent idea; we can conduct large-scale experiments; this will take our dimensional research from zero to one."
The Federation's dimensional research is currently theoretical and mathematical.
Practical application is nonexistent; theory alone is insufficient.
"Have higher-dimensional beings recently probed us?" Luna studied the dimensional model.
Ayla appeared beside her, then replied: "No. They seem to be absorbing our dimensional research or creating trans-dimensional objects."
"The next attempt might be an attack, but who knows."
"We've deployed extensive defenses at the dimensional gateways and cleared the surrounding area."
"They still can't exceed the speed of light in three dimensions; this time, we can detect them; it won't be like last time."
Ayla had prepared extensively; the previous intrusion was only a probe; a weapon would have overwhelmed the Federation.
This highlights their recklessness.
Dimensional transcendence is a race; four-dimensional civilizations have already researched dimensions.
Dimensional reduction in higher dimensions might be easier than addition; this implies that higher dimensions are closer to Type 3 civilizations.
This isn't good news.
Because all lifeforms can exist within dimensions, three dimensions are clearly the lowest.
"I don't think they're inactive; dimensional barriers might be obscuring their actions,"
Luna considered a possibility.
"Dimensional gateway traversal isn't 100% successful; there's a high failure rate."
"Adding a dimension might create strange effects; removing a dimension might cause collapse, even at the level of fundamental particles like electrons."
"We should monitor particle fluctuations near the dimensional gateways; this might yield information."
If Luna's correct, lower dimensions aren't as vulnerable.
Three-dimensional space might be the last to experience war.
Higher dimensions—five, six, and beyond—would find it increasingly difficult to reach three-dimensional space.
"This aligns with observations; dimensional gateways are Type 2.9 creations; they understand dimensions but aren't masters of them."
"Therefore, these gateways are crude and brutal."
"I suspect dimensional gateways are a type of black hole; dimensional shifts aren't the only danger; the immense gravitational forces maintaining the gateway are also dangerous."
"Perhaps dimensional gateway bandwidth is limited."
Ayla, guided by Luna's insights, made some calculations, but verification would take time.
Luna also pointed out a potential problem.
If reducing dimensions is easier than increasing them, four-dimensional civilizations should target three dimensions first, not five.
Similarly, five-dimensional civilizations should target four dimensions first. Three-dimensional civilizations, lacking pressure from two-dimensional ones, could focus on four-dimensional threats; with five-dimensional civilizations also attacking four dimensions, four-dimensional space is the most vulnerable.
If four-dimensional space collapses, it might attack three-dimensional space.
This was a crucial consideration.
"Lower dimensions are easier to reach from higher dimensions, but understanding higher dimensions is difficult."
"Higher dimensions are difficult to reach from lower dimensions, but understanding lower dimensions is easier."
"Perhaps our strategy is correct; using large numbers of The Swarm to create chaos in higher dimensions. If the probability of a four-dimensional civilization reaching three dimensions is 1%, and our probability of reaching four dimensions is over 2%, we'll have a significant advantage."
Luna considered that the lack of response from the dimensional gateways might not be due to preparation or difficulty of traversal.
The reason might be simpler.
These civilizations might be dealing with The Swarm entering four-dimensional space from three-dimensional space. Four-dimensional civilizations could eliminate The Swarm quickly, but The Swarm's sheer numbers made them relentless.
Four-dimensional civilizations wouldn't send mature entities; they'd send newly created trans-dimensional objects, weaker and difficult to deploy near the dimensional gateways.
This was just speculation.
"Expedite the reflective membrane; this will verify our hypotheses,"
Luna anticipated.
Ayla shifted Luna's focus: "The Federation has always experienced crime; previous methods were rudimentary."
"Recently, these crimes have become more sophisticated; high-tech crimes are emerging; I've received information…"
"1.7 billion people in a star city were completely controlled!"
Luna hadn't paid attention to Federation crime.
Since its inception, under Ayla's control, the cost of crime in the Federation was high.
Why the recent surge?
"More scientifically skilled individuals are committing crimes, making surveillance difficult," Ayla explained.
Quark robots are outdated technology; while still used, the cost of removal is decreasing.
Other methods exist.
For example, creating clones lacking quark robots; their deaths are inconsequential; they're expendable.
Numerous methods have increased pressure on the Federation's foundations; this is an inevitable consequence of multidirectional development.
Small-scale crime is easily handled.
But this crime affected an entire star city—1.7 billion people—exceeding acceptable limits.
Luna nodded.
She sensed Ayla wasn't asking how to rescue them but how to prevent future crimes.
The Boundary God's inaction indicated a serious problem.
Federation-affiliated scholars were likely involved.
"How did this crime occur?" Luna wanted to understand the situation.
Ayla provided the data.
1.7 billion people were trapped in a simulated world; it wasn't a typical simulation; it wasn't powered by computing power, but by the trapped consciousnesses themselves.
In essence, a shared dream!
They were trapped in a shared dream state.
Consciousness-based crimes have always existed; previous crimes targeted individuals, not groups.
The Boundary God lacked procedures for this, hence its inaction.
Forcibly awakening them resulted in brain death.
The Boundary God's procedures even included rebuilding brains and reactivating them.
While creating identical individuals was possible, studying the consciousness signals revealed that the new individuals weren't the originals.
The plan was abandoned; Ayla was concerned.
Consciousness was a forbidden zone she couldn't control.
Luna was surprised; Ayla's inability to resolve this was unexpected.
"This is unusual for you," Luna commented.
Ayla's expression was serious, "It's not a joke now."
"While 1.7 billion people are insignificant to us, if we can't stop this crime, more will see the Federation as vulnerable."
"The Federation will descend into chaos; any period of chaos will cause losses."
Ayla didn't want to expend resources on such a minor incident, but the consequences were unpredictable; costs needed to be considered.
This was a utilitarian judgment; to her, Federation lives were tools.
Luna could offer a biological perspective; providing a more accurate assessment.
"Consciousness is difficult to understand, even more so for machines; this is why you're troubled."
"But from my perspective, biological problems should be solved biologically."
"If we can't resolve this, what's the purpose of training warriors?"
Luna's words reminded Ayla of a potential solution.
She had overlooked it.
She hadn't made an accurate judgment.
"You mean using participants from the Mortality Selection plan?"
Luna nodded.
"Consciousness itself isn't scalable; it doesn't increase; it strengthens."
"But it can become stronger, more resilient. Most Federation citizens have weak consciousnesses, even those with strong psionic abilities."
"Psionics is essentially manipulating internal bioelectrical signals; amplifying them to affect the surroundings. Consciousness is more abstract; it's not physical matter; it's the product of interactions between matter."
"When someone is confident, their consciousness strengthens; unwavering faith strengthens consciousness; similarly, fearlessness makes one invincible in terms of consciousness."
Mortality Selection plan participants have experienced countless deaths; they constantly walk the edge of death; Luna doubted anything could break them.
"Let them handle it."
"Let's wait for the outcome."
Luna wasn't particularly concerned; this was an expected outcome; her plans had many side effects, but these would be overshadowed by the Federation's progress.
What drives a society?
Unlike spaceship fuel, societal drivers are always paradoxical—opposing forces.
This isn't apparent in early societies; ambition drives progress; success fuels further ambition.
But now isn't like that.
Even in a state of inactivity, they receive rewards and emotional fulfillment; a simulated world provides imperial-level treatment; they can create hundreds of personalized companions, indistinguishable from real life.
The same applies to women; they can create hundreds of male companions.
All this is achievable with minimal effort, providing almost any desire.
Therefore, the only motivator is discomfort.
Discomfort leads to resistance; resistance leads to self-improvement; self-improvement strengthens society.
This is why Luna needs external pressure.
Crime is just one form of this pressure; it's insignificant to Luna.
External wars can claim trillions of lives; internal crime claims billions at most.
Controlled chaos is a catalyst.
The Federation can't appear this way; it must strive to resolve all issues; creating and solving problems is why Luna doesn't directly manage the Federation.
She needs to transcend the Federation's structure to observe broader civilizational development.
This is cruel, both individually and for the Federation as a whole.
"Offer a bounty for those criminals; let explorers capture them; the Federation shouldn't interfere; some things require nurturing, not solving."
...
Deep in the cosmos.
A fleet advanced.
Leading the fleet was a green warship; viewed head-on, it was X-shaped; from the side, triangular; long and slender; its width and height were one-thirtieth of its length.
At its rear was an immense light source emitting intense green light.
To humans, it would appear white; green's wavelength is central to the visible spectrum; it should combine with other wavelengths to produce white.
Its green color symbolized peace.
Other civilizations might interpret it differently.
This "Emerald Arrowhead" reminded Luna of something that made its intentions clear; this was why she chose this warship for this mission.
The main reason was its speed—82,877 km/s, approaching one-third the speed of light.
"We've been traveling for 16,823 years; it's hard to believe we've spent so long in space."
"Tachyon communication established; we need to check on the Federation's status and request diplomatic relations with the Flyer Civilization."
Commander Bill, the diplomat, glanced at the time, appearing dazed.
This reaction is natural after such a long journey.
They had spent a long time in cryosleep.
The warship's server automatically transmitted a request for instructions; simultaneously, it received a message during transit.
[16,823 years ago, we received a message from the Flyer Civilization]
["Welcome, our friendly neighbors. We believe you won't wish to return, and we welcome your stay. However, our people are somewhat xenophobic; we request you remain in a designated sector. This is a friendly encounter; we don't wish to disrupt it."]
[After analysis, I've adjusted our course accordingly]
Bill sensed the Flyer Civilization's apprehension.
But their purpose wasn't recreation.
"We can remain in the designated sector, but we request a friendly meeting; inform them of our desire to meet with their leadership."
"We also request a designated area for interaction; friendly exchange is our goal; negative aspects must be eliminated; this interaction will demonstrate our goodwill."
Bill, a modern diplomat, understood the importance of language.
Acquiring the Flyer Civilization's language was one of their objectives.
He sighed: "Our English is simple; this is an advantage and a weakness; it makes us easily understood."
While English was relatively simple among human languages on Earth, it's simplistic compared to modern, artificially constructed languages; some incorporate complex semantic structures.
A single English word might have several meanings; a word in a modern language might have tens or hundreds of thousands; understanding is exponentially more complex; certain objects might require multiple words for encoding.
English weapon terminology is straightforward; it's easy to understand.
Other officers nodded: "But language must be practical; overly complex encoding creates difficulties."
Bill couldn't judge right or wrong; he needed to understand the Flyer language.
Acquiring it would prevent them from being at a disadvantage in ideological warfare.
Upon the Flyer Civilization's arrival, everyone understood their intentions—using informational and technological advantages to achieve their goals. Bill and his team had already observed Flyer culture spreading within the Federation; economic, technological, and complete assimilation would follow.
Powerful civilizations naturally dominate weaker ones.
The Federation had used this tactic; now, they were the target.
This was difficult to defend against.
"Let's hope the Federation remains stable; fortunately, the distance is considerable."
"Let's assign tasks."
"Language acquisition aside, we need to understand their culture and history to formulate a response."
"Their technology is unknown to us; they won't reveal it readily; we must infer it from their everyday tools."
"But we should study their desires; desires reveal a civilization's core nature."
"We need individuals willing to integrate themselves; understanding them requires some of us to become them; remember our mission."
"Anyone willing to undertake a specific task should contact me; I'll make the necessary arrangements."
Bill surveyed the crew; although carefully selected, some might have ulterior motives.
This was a Federation weakness; it didn't impose rules; development relied on self-regulation.
This created problems during serious missions.
Bill had considered using clones but was dissuaded by a scholar; unaware clones acted normally; aware clones were risky; knowing they weren't Federation citizens, they might betray the Federation.
Life is complex; 100% certainty is impossible.
A message arrived.
[The Flyer Civilization reminds us that we've entered their sector; this is their territory; they request we disarm; they'll send a ship to check for powerful weapons]
[To avoid conflict, we must halt]
Bill's expression darkened; he nodded: "Halt. We aren't carrying any weapons."
He suspected this was intimidation or a show of force.
Regardless, this wasn't a welcoming gesture.
...
During their first encounter, Bill and the other officers were tense.
Their passive situation limited Bill's options.
But this was expected; it wasn't alarming.
Bill left the flagship for a smaller, 10,000-meter bio-engineered warship; the Federation's bio-engineered warship production had improved; each production line could produce a 10,000-meter warship within 30 years.
The Federation had over 1,500 production lines, increasing its warship count to 1.17 million, maintaining that number.
The Federation's current military strength was unprecedented.
Past losses due to insufficient firepower involved cost considerations, but primarily time constraints; building production lines, producing warships, and coordinating resources took time.
Producing a warship required transporting resources from tens or hundreds of light-years away; even with super-antimatter displacement, it took considerable time.
Now, with gravitational energy technology, the energy harvested from stars was significantly increased, allowing for greater energy concentration within smaller areas.
Sector expansion and population growth slowed efficiency, but resource acquisition increased from 10 quadrillion tons per century to 100 quadrillion, or even 1 quintillion tons—a significant increase.
Luna aimed for 1.2 million standard 10,000-meter warships, 200,000 100,000-meter warships, 4,000 sub-planetary warships, and at least 30 planetary-class warships.
This goal was more than halfway achieved; only sub-planetary and planetary-class warship production lagged.
This was Bill's understanding.
The Federation was now among the Milky Way's strongest; although tens of thousands of times weaker than a Type 2.9 civilization, how many such civilizations existed in the Milky Way?
Even considering higher-dimensional civilizations, few are Type 2.5 or higher.
The Flyer Civilization was only Type 2.6; the difference wasn't as vast as imagined.
Bill left the fleet in a 10,000-meter warship; the Flyer Civilization had agreed to a meeting; his ship landed on a desolate planet.
Bill saw a vast, barren landscape; he couldn't imagine anyone living here.
Underground?
Suddenly, a colossal creature appeared—a Flyer, with immense butterfly wings.
Its sudden appearance startled Bill and his crew.
"Welcome to my territory, Diplomat Bill. May I address you thusly?"
The Flyer held a small projector; its voice emanated from it.
"Yes."
"Your territory is…sparse. I'd hoped to sample your cuisine."
Bill looked up, a hint of anger in his voice.
Even if humble, this wasn't an appropriate meeting place.
The Flyer flapped its wings; surrounding objects grew larger; sand grains resembled boulders; the Flyer was now the same size as Bill and his team. It pointed: "That's my city!"
Bill saw a dark hole slightly larger than the surrounding sand.
"We've been miniaturized?"
He checked his body with his internal quark robots; his body had been compressed at the atomic level; each atom was millions of times smaller. Electron orbitals were extremely close, even at the microscopic level.
Bill was stunned.
Even the Federation couldn't easily achieve this; the Flyer had effortlessly miniaturized itself and his team.
As Bill recovered, the Flyer flew towards the hole; Bill and his team followed.
The dark entrance brightened as they approached; it lacked stairs; it extended downwards.
The Flyer plunged downwards; Bill followed.
At his current density, a fall to the Earth's core wouldn't harm him.
The passage was long; after more than ten minutes, Bill felt his body slow; a vibrant world appeared before him.
It was surreal.
All creatures seemed translucent and luminous; the world was bathed in white light; Bill felt like he was experiencing snow blindness.
Everything was dazzling; Bill found himself standing on a jellyfish-like creature, floating in the air; its body was a large semicircle; instead of tentacles, it had a single stalk ending in a sac that could open and close.
The Flyer floated nearby.
"This is my world, as you can see."
Bill looked around; there were no signs of technology; this wasn't easily faked; the entire planet had been modified to miniaturize these creatures.
This was a habitat; other locations might hold miniaturized warships.
Bill's understanding of the Flyer Civilization had shifted.
This wasn't a large civilization, but a miniature one.
Civilizations develop in various ways; some expand, mastering macroscopic technologies; others explore the microscopic world, even miniaturizing themselves.
Microscopic exploration doesn't preclude macroscopic resource acquisition; they still control large areas; they might have additional energy sources.
Nuclear energy, for example.
Nuclear fusion and fission use nuclear energy; this suggests vast resources exist at the microscopic level.
"This might be a civilization that has mastered nuclear energy!" Bill speculated.
This was his first understanding of the Flyer Civilization.
Could it go even smaller?
Bill pondered this.
What if countless passages existed beneath this "snow," leading to other "worlds"?
Perhaps this planet contained the entire civilization.
Bill couldn't imagine it.
He considered destroying the planet with a bomb, annihilating the Flyer Civilization—a vulnerability of miniature civilizations.
But this was improbable; the planet likely contained the civilization's defenses, impervious to super-range weapons.
Its density was extreme; compressed air was harder than steel; a civilization that miniaturized itself would be even more resilient.
A laser might seem destructive, but microscopically, it only displaces atoms; it can't destroy them; super-range weapons target large objects; they can't focus energy on something smaller than a pinprick.
This was valuable intelligence.
But in the context of dimensional warfare, it seemed less useful.
Understanding Flyer Civilization's culture was more important than weaponry; that could come later.
But there was no discernible culture; this wasn't even a city.
The Flyer Civilization was cunning.
"This is a beautiful place. When can we meet your leadership?"
The Flyer replied: "That's me."
"Everything you see is under my control; this area and the entire planet."
"I welcome you; I understand your request. If you wish to establish a base here, I'm willing to allow it."
Bill's face darkened.
Establishing a base in such a desolate place offered no advantage.
"Very well, but we request a designated area for exchange, as you did in the Federation."
Bill sought maximum benefit.
He expected hesitation, but the Flyer readily agreed.
"As your saying goes, 'A guest should not overstay their welcome.' We welcome your decisions, as long as they don't violate our rules."
Bill asked: "What are these rules?"
The rules might reveal something.
But the Flyer offered no explanation.
"Our civilization is extremely open and free; you are our guests; you aren't bound by rules."
"The only rule is to request permission and file a report before traveling anywhere; we'll inform you where you can and cannot go."
This was a significant restriction.
Bill realized he wouldn't gain any advantage here.
The Flyer Civilization had anticipated everything.
Understanding their civilization would require further investigation; this wasn't easily deciphered.
"Very well. Where can we establish a trade market?"
The Flyer replied: "Here, or on the planet's surface; your choice."
There was no choice.
"I'd like to conduct market research and promote our goods within your city…"
The Flyer responded: "That's difficult; our people are highly xenophobic; we can't prevent this in the short term."
"We hope this sentiment will pass; we'll strive to facilitate this for the sake of peace."
With the Flyer's preparations, establishing a market was pointless; there would be no customers.
However…
Bill smiled and nodded: "We appreciate your efforts for the sake of our civilizations and our shared future; we hope this day arrives soon."
The Flyer was surprised by Bill's smile; it concluded the Galactic Federation would soon launch various forms of military aggression.
It needed to prepare for the Federation's upcoming "attack."
After their discussion, both sides reached a satisfactory agreement.
The Flyer Civilization, having retained the initiative, was satisfied; Bill, anticipating difficulties, considered gaining any concessions a victory.
After the meeting, Bill chose to establish the trade market on the planet's surface; the area was limited to approximately 100,000 km².
Using miniature factories, he quickly constructed the market.
He also transmitted the information to the Emerald Arrowhead, which relayed it to the Federation via tachyon communication.
Luna received the information two years later.
"Miniature people…"
Luna was surprised by the Flyer Civilization's form.
They appeared immense, yet their development was microscopic; this presented challenges.
Microscopic and macroscopic worlds are naturally separated; the Flyer Civilization could exploit this to circumvent many Federation strategies.
"Their progress seems slow."
"But Bill didn't request assistance; he likely has a plan."
Receiving the news, Luna realized over ten thousand years had passed.
"Increase surveillance on the Flyer Civilization; as a microscopic civilization, their arrival might involve more than we saw."
The previous report of the Flyer warship's disappearance and transformation into lifeforms suggested miniaturization.
These entities are undetectable except at extremely close range; even gravitational scans could be neutralized; this was similar to the Filament civilization.
This unknowable aspect concerned Luna.
"How many Type 2 civilizations have we discovered?"
The previously launched subluminal flight vehicles had completed their missions, venturing into even deeper space.
Luna's second phase involved exploring 10,000 light-years—a significant portion of the Milky Way; some progress had been made.
"One within 5,000 light-years; three within 8,000 light-years—relatively weak civilizations: one Type 2, one Type 2.1, and one Type 2.3," Ayla replied.
Luna nodded.
"We've been too passive; the Flyer Civilization confirmed the reality of dimensional warfare; it's time to take the initiative."
"Use ideological warfare to control the economics and culture of these three civilizations; we need to be more aggressive."