The Road Home

Posted on Sun Nov 1st, 2026 @ 2:20pm by Commodore Phoenix Lalor-Richardson & Commander Kyle Reece & Lieutenant Anna Esquivias & Major Mattias Richardson [Reece] & Orven Tash Commander & Riov Olmex Thikoho D'Grellon[Reece] & Rhael'ta Zovrenn & Keth Varn & Vevira & Merris Tal & Sava Krenn & Varesh Khar'ten

Mission: Season 6 - Episode 8- The Price of Home
Location: Location: Hall of Mirrors, Zyphera Prime
Timeline: Mission Day 2 — 0900 Hours
5538 words - 11.1 OF Standard Post Measure

OOC: Open to: Command, Diplomacy, Science, Engineering, Operations, Security, Medical, Intelligence & Delegation Representatives

The party was over. The alcohol had disappeared. The music was gone. And nobody was pretending there wasn't an agenda anymore.
Phoenix decided she preferred the reception. The Hall of Mirrors had been configured differently for the opening session of the summit. Despite its name, there were very few actual mirrors. Instead, translucent panels surrounded a broad circular chamber, their surfaces reflecting distorted fragments of the people seated within. Nobody sat at the head of the table. Phoenix suspected that had been the subject of at least three hours of diplomatic negotiation before anyone had admitted there wasn't going to be one.
The principal delegations had been arranged around the circle.

The Rin’thar.

The Varn Ascendancy.

The Ael’ven Enclave.

The Zypheran Concord.

The Lorah Syndicate.

Representatives of smaller governments and organisations occupied the second tier, along with specialists and advisers.

And Elysium. Phoenix looked around the chamber. Some of these people wanted to help them. Some wanted access to Federation technology. Some wanted new trade routes. Some wanted weapons. Some wanted guarantees. Some were probably here because everyone else was here and they were terrified of what might happen if they weren't. Fair enough. Phoenix would probably have done the same.

Rhael’ta Zovrenn rose. Unlike the previous evening, there was no glass in her hand. “Honoured representatives.” The room settled.
“Yesterday evening I suggested that conversation might be less ambitious than diplomacy.” The faintest suggestion of amusement touched her expression. “I have since been informed by several members of my staff that this assessment was optimistic.” A few smiles appeared around the chamber. “Today we begin something considerably more difficult.” Rhael’ta looked around the circle.

“The delegation of the USS Elysium has requested this gathering because they believe they have developed a theoretical method of artificial long-range transit.” A hologram appeared over the centre of the chamber. Six enormous rings unfolded slowly into existence. Erebus. Not the simplified image that had begun circulating through rumour. The actual simulation. Incomplete sections remained highlighted. Power pathways twisted between the rings. Field geometry surrounded the structure in layers of impossible mathematics. Phoenix watched the room change.

Rhael’ta continued. “The proposed structure cannot presently be constructed.” That earned several murmurs. “Nor does the current model offer direct passage between Circinus and the Federation.” More. Rhael’ta allowed them to fade. “What it may provide is something Circinus has not possessed before.” She looked toward Phoenix. “A road.”

Then she sat. Leaving Phoenix with it. Phoenix stood. For several seconds she said nothing. Then she looked up at Erebus. “That's the part where I'm supposed to convince all of you that we know what we're doing.” She glanced around the table. “We don't.” There were several reactions to that. Phoenix continued before anyone could interrupt. “Eleven months ago, Elysium arrived in Circinus by accident. Since then we've encountered technologies capable of moving vessels across distances Federation science would have considered impossible.”
The hologram changed. Fragments appeared around Erebus. Thaih’ea transit telemetry. Rin’thar spatial mathematics. Varn power architecture. Ael’ven resonance modelling. Zypheran field regulation. Federation and Romulan research. Borg transwarp principles.
None complete. Together, something else emerged. “We've spent months collecting pieces.” Phoenix looked around the chamber.
“Seven weeks ago, we stopped treating those pieces as separate technologies.” The fragments moved. They integrated.
The six-ring structure brightened. “And this happened.” For several seconds Erebus remained stable. Then the simulation collapsed.
Phoenix let everyone see that too. “We can create a stable model.” She pointed toward the vanished aperture. “For forty-one seconds.”
Her hand lowered. “We cannot power it.” A glance toward the Varn delegation. “We cannot manufacture several of the materials required to build it.” The Ael’ven. “Our navigational model remains incomplete.” The Rin’thar. “And without field regulation capable of responding faster than the aperture destabilises—” Her eyes found Rhael’ta. “—we can't keep the thing open.”

Phoenix looked around the room. “Elysium cannot build Erebus.” A beat. “The Federation couldn't build Erebus.” That distinction mattered.
“But together…” The hologram reconstructed itself. “…we might.” Phoenix let that sit.

Then Thal’ra's voice came from across the chamber. “And when it is built?”

Phoenix looked toward her. There was no accusation in the Rin’thar's question. Just consequence. Phoenix nodded once. “That is why we're here.” She touched the control. The hologram changed again. Circinus appeared. Then another point. Far beyond it. Not Earth. Not the Federation. Not even the Milky Way. But closer. Much closer. “This does not take us home.” Phoenix wanted that understood before anything else.

“The distance is too great. Every model attempting a direct transit becomes unstable.” The path shortened. “What Erebus may do is move Elysium substantially closer to the Milky Way.” She looked around the chamber. “After that, we continue the old-fashioned way.”

Tir Lorran raised one webbed hand. “Commodore.” Phoenix looked at him. His expression was unusually thoughtful. “You keep saying Elysium.”

“Yes.”

“And yet you are proposing the construction of a machine capable of moving ships across distances previously requiring months or years.” His gill ornaments glittered beneath the light. “You intend to use it once?”

Phoenix had known that question was coming. “No.” That created considerably more reaction than anything else she'd said. Phoenix waited.
“I'm asking you to help us build a road.” Her eyes moved around the chamber. "I'm not asking you to burn it behind us.” That silenced some of them.

Keth's crest shifted. “And ownership?”

There it was. Phoenix looked toward him. “Not ours.”

Thal’ra's eyes narrowed slightly. “Then whose?”

Phoenix shook her head. “That isn't mine to decide.” She gestured around the chamber. “That's ours to decide.”

Keth leaned back. “An admirably diplomatic answer.”

“I'm learning.” That earned a quiet sound from Tir that might have been laughter.

Mora’thil finally spoke. “And those who are not sitting in this room?” The chamber quietened again.

Phoenix looked toward the Ael’ven Keeper.

Mora’thil's bioluminescent markings moved slowly beneath her skin. “If this road changes Circinus, Commodore, its consequences will not restrict themselves to the governments capable of helping you construct it.”

Phoenix nodded. “No.”

“Then they too possess an interest.”

“They do.”

Vevira shifted somewhere among the smaller delegations. “An interest,” the Zethari observed, “is not the same thing as a voice.”

“No,” Phoenix replied. “It isn't.”

Vevira's antennae moved. “Good.”

Apparently that had been a test. Phoenix looked around the chamber again. “This is why we're not here asking everyone to sign an agreement today." She touched the controls. The technical display vanished. In its place appeared a simple list.

CONSTRUCTION
POWER
NAVIGATION
SAFETY
ACCESS
GOVERNANCE
SECURITY
KNOWLEDGE

Phoenix looked at them. “These are the problems we know about.” A beat. “I fully expect all of you to spend the next several days telling us about the ones we haven't thought of.”

Thal’ra leaned forward. “If this gate can carry your vessel…” Her copper eyes remained on Phoenix. “…it can carry a fleet.”

“Yes.” No hesitation.

Keth followed. “If it requires Varn power architecture, then the Ascendancy assumes responsibility for technology capable of altering the strategic balance of Circinus.”

“Yes.”

Mora’thil spoke next. “If it fails during transit?”

“We don't know.”

“And biological effects?”

“We don't know.”

“Repeated activation?”

“We don't know.”

“Whether something can travel through from the opposite direction?”

Phoenix paused. “We don't know.”

That answer travelled around the chamber differently. Rhael’ta watched everyone. Phoenix did too. “This isn't a sales presentation.” She gestured toward Erebus. “I'm showing you something unfinished because finishing it in secret would be worse.” For the first time since Phoenix had begun speaking, nobody immediately responded.

Then Tir leaned back in his chair. “My dear Commodore.” The Lorahn's mouth spread into a smile. “You do realise that you have gathered representatives of several competing governments, industrial interests, military powers and academic institutions into one room…”
His hand indicated Erebus. “…shown us perhaps the most commercially and strategically significant piece of technology developed in generations…” Another gesture encompassed everyone. “…and then suggested that we share.”

Phoenix considered that. “When you put it like that, it does sound stupid.”

Tir laughed.

Thal’ra did not.

Keth looked positively delighted.

Rhael’ta closed her eyes for perhaps half a second.

Then the doors opened. Merris Tal entered. That, by itself, would not have been remarkable. Merris had entered and exited the chamber several times already. This time she wasn't looking at her PADD. She was looking directly at Rhael’ta. The Commander of Zyphera Prime noticed immediately. The conversations continued around them. Merris crossed the chamber quickly and leaned down beside Rhael’ta.
She spoke quietly. Phoenix couldn't hear the words. But she saw Rhael’ta's expression change. Barely. For anyone who had spent less time around the Zypheran Commander, it might have meant nothing. Phoenix had spent enough.

Rhael’ta rose. The room gradually quietened. “My apologies.” There was no humour in her voice now. “I have just received a communication from Station Control.” A new hologram appeared above the centre of the table. Not Erebus. A vessel. Black. Angular. Its hull seemed almost grown rather than constructed, dark structures folded around a central spine in patterns Phoenix recognised far too quickly. Her stomach tightened. Several people around the table reacted just as quickly. Thal’ra was on her feet. Mora’thil's bioluminescence changed sharply.
Keth's crest flattened. Tir Lorran was no longer smiling. Rhael’ta looked around the chamber.

“A vessel has entered the outer control zone of Zyphera Prime.” The hologram rotated.

Its identification appeared beneath it.

THAIH’EA DIRECTORATE

Silence. Rhael’ta continued. “They have requested diplomatic clearance.” Phoenix stared at the ship. Of course they had. Rhael’ta's eyes settled on her. “And they have requested permission to send a representative to this summit.” A communication indicator appeared beside the vessel.

PRIORITY DIPLOMATIC TRANSMISSION — PENDING

Phoenix looked around the table. Yesterday, everyone had been worried about who knew they were building a gate. Apparently they had their answer. Someone did.

Andrinn had been sitting and listening to everything within the summit. Everything that they were building towards. But, then, the news of the THAIH'EA DIRECTORATE ship was coming in and requesting diplomatic access to the meeting. Andrinn got up and walked over to a nearby console and entered his diplomatic access codes to look it over.

There was a preliminary Diplomatic transmission that had been sent to the station and the Elysium both. It was CC'ed to both the CO of Elysium and Andrinn himself. Andrinn quickly read over the little bit that they had as he grabbed a nearby PADD and downloaded it. Once it was done, he took the PADD over to Phoenix and whispered, "Ma'am, it looks like we've got a preliminary diplomatic transmission that was sent to the ship and probably others. You might want to look this over."

He handed the PADD To Phoenix.

Mora'thil watched the assembled dignitaries as silence descended over the room. "Are you planning on inviting them in?"

Phoenix accepted the PADD from Andrinn, her attention shifting briefly from the image of the Thaih'ea vessel to the preliminary transmission. She scanned what was available, resisting the temptation to draw conclusions before she had the complete message. "Thank you, Andrinn," she said quietly. "I'd like you to review the diplomatic implications of their request. Particularly what obligations we may have under the station's neutrality arrangements." Her eyes returned to the hologram. Of all the people who might have decided to attend their little gathering, the Thaih'ea were very close to the bottom of Phoenix's preferred guest list.

She could still remember what Elysium had endured since arriving in Circinus. The losses. The battles. The extraordinary lengths her people had gone to simply to survive. And now a representative of a power that had caused so much suffering was requesting a seat at the table. Wonderful. Mora'thil's question brought her attention back to the assembled delegates. "That's an excellent question," Phoenix replied. "And I suspect it's one we're going to have to answer together."

She glanced towards Rhael'ta. "Commander Zovrenn, this is your station and your summit. I'm not going to presume to dictate whom the Zypheran Concord may or may not receive." Her gaze moved around the chamber, taking in the reactions of those gathered. "But I would suggest we consider precisely what we're agreeing to before anyone extends an invitation." Phoenix gestured towards the holographic representation of Erebus, still visible alongside the image of the approaching vessel. "We've spent the morning discussing the importance of cooperation, transparency and making certain no single government can claim ownership of something that could change the future of this galaxy." She paused. "That doesn't mean we should be naïve about the intentions of everyone who wishes to participate."

Her expression became more serious. "Nor does it mean we can simply exclude a government because we distrust it. If we're going to establish principles for access and governance, those principles need to mean something when they're inconvenient, not just when everyone around the table happens to like one another." She glanced towards Thal'ra, then the other delegations. "However, diplomatic participation is not the same thing as unrestricted access to our research, our technology or the people developing it." Phoenix turned back towards Rhael'ta.

"My recommendation would be to receive their diplomatic communication, establish exactly what they are requesting, and determine what conditions would apply to any representative permitted to attend." She raised a hand slightly. "That includes security arrangements, access to technical information and a clear understanding that attendance does not confer any special rights over the Erebus project." A faint, humourless smile crossed her face. "And I would rather not discover halfway through tomorrow's discussions that someone has mistaken an invitation to talk for permission to dismantle our research." Phoenix looked towards Mora'thil. "So, to answer your question, Keeper, I'm not opposed to hearing what they have to say. But I am opposed to allowing them to dictate the circumstances under which we hear it."
She glanced once more at the Thaih'ea vessel. "And before we make a final decision, I think we should hear from our hosts and the other delegations. Some of you have considerably longer histories with the Directorate than we do." Her attention settled on Rhael'ta. "Commander Zovrenn, what does the Concord's neutrality doctrine require of us in this situation?"

Rhael’ta remained standing, her amber eyes moving slowly around the chamber. She had expected disagreements over Erebus. Arguments about ownership, access, security and the inevitable question of who would profit from its construction. She had not expected the Thaih’ea to arrive quite so early. Although, she reflected, perhaps she should have. "Commodore, Keeper Mora'thil," she began, acknowledging both women with a slight inclination of her head. "The Zypheran Concord's Neutrality Doctrine is quite clear in its principles. We do not deny diplomatic representation solely because a government is unpopular, feared or has previously been involved in hostilities with another delegation." Her gaze briefly settled on Thal'ra before moving onwards. "However, neutrality is frequently misunderstood. It is not an obligation to provide unrestricted access, nor does it require us to disregard legitimate security concerns." She gestured towards the image of the Thaih’ea vessel.

"The Directorate has requested diplomatic clearance and permission to send a representative. Under our established protocols, we are obliged to consider that request. We are not obliged to accept whatever conditions they may choose to attach to it."

Rhael’ta turned towards Merris. "Chief Steward, please advise Station Control that the Directorate's request has been received and is under consideration. Their vessel is to remain within its assigned control zone pending clearance. No delegation personnel are to disembark until the appropriate arrangements have been established." She allowed a moment for the instruction to settle before addressing the gathering again.
"Now, there is another matter we should consider."

Her expression became thoughtful. "Yesterday evening, this gathering was intended to be an opportunity for introductions. This morning, we have begun discussing a project with the potential to alter the political, economic and strategic future of Circinus." She looked towards the holographic image of Erebus. "The Directorate's interest is therefore neither surprising nor, in itself, evidence of hostile intent." A faint, dry smile appeared.

"Although I appreciate that some of you may find that distinction less reassuring than others." She turned her attention towards Phoenix.
"Commodore, you have made it clear that Elysium does not seek exclusive ownership of Erebus. That is an important principle, and one I believe this summit must take seriously." Her gaze moved towards the other representatives. "But we must also distinguish between the right to request diplomatic participation and the right to obtain access to sensitive technical information. Those are not the same thing."

Rhael’ta folded her hands before her. "My recommendation is that we first review the Directorate's formal communication. We should establish whom they intend to send, under what authority that individual would attend, and whether they are requesting observer status or a role in the negotiations themselves." She paused. "Only then should we determine the conditions of their participation." Her amber eyes travelled around the circular table. "I am aware that several governments represented here have considerable grievances against the Directorate. I will not insult anyone by pretending those grievances are insignificant." Her voice remained calm.

"But if this summit is to establish a framework for cooperation, we cannot abandon that framework at the first difficult diplomatic question."
She looked towards Thal'ra. "Nor should anyone be expected to set aside their security concerns simply because the Concord has offered its hospitality." Finally, Rhael’ta glanced towards Merris. "Chief Steward, once the preliminary transmission has been verified, please make the relevant diplomatic portion available to the delegation representatives."

Meris nodded and moved to do so.

She returned her attention to the assembled delegates. "Until then, I would ask everyone to refrain from assuming either the best or the worst of our unexpected visitors." A small smile returned. "Though I realise I am asking a great deal of a room full of diplomats."

Keth Varn studied the holographic representation of the Thaih’ea vessel, his feathered crest shifting as his cybernetic eyes processed the information. "An unexpected development," he observed. "Although perhaps not an entirely surprising one."

He turned his attention towards Rhael’ta. "Commander, the Ascendancy respects the Concord's neutrality arrangements. However, I would suggest that we distinguish between the Directorate's political history and its technical expertise." He gestured towards the Erebus simulation. "We have spent the morning acknowledging the considerable gaps in our understanding. The Directorate may possess information capable of resolving some of those uncertainties." Keth paused. "Naturally, any exchange would require appropriate safeguards. Access to technical information must be reciprocal, documented and subject to clearly defined agreements."
His crest rose slightly. "Commodore, you have told us that cooperation is essential to completing Erebus. Does that principle extend to those whose methods we find objectionable?"

Vevira's antennae moved slowly as she considered Keth's question. "An excellent question, Representative Varn. Although I would suggest there is another." The Zethari's carapace shimmered faintly as she looked around the chamber. "If we invite those who possess the knowledge we require, are we also prepared to accept the conditions under which that knowledge was obtained?" She allowed the question to settle. "The Directorate may know considerably more about artificial transit than anyone present. That knowledge could save lives. It could also introduce assumptions into our work that we have not yet examined."

Vevira turned towards Phoenix. "Commodore, you have been admirably forthcoming about what Erebus cannot presently accomplish. I would encourage us to extend that honesty to what we are unwilling to do in order to make it work." Her antennae tilted towards the image of the Thaih’ea vessel. "By all means, let us hear their representative. But let us remember that the ability to build something does not, by itself, establish the wisdom of building it." A hint of amusement entered her voice. "And I would be delighted to ask the Directorate's representative whether they agree."

Phoenix listened to both representatives, her attention moving between Keth and Vevira. Neither had asked an unreasonable question, although she suspected neither would particularly appreciate her answer. "Representative Varn, cooperation doesn't mean that we have to approve of someone's methods. Nor does it mean we're obliged to accept their assistance." She glanced towards the image of the Thaih'ea vessel. "Believe me, I would be quite happy never to encounter another Thaih'ea vessel for the remainder of our journey. Unfortunately, what I would prefer and what might be necessary aren't always the same thing."

Phoenix turned back towards Keth. "If the Directorate possesses information that could prevent Erebus from destroying a ship and everyone aboard it, then yes, I'm prepared to listen. But listening isn't the same as agreeing to their terms." She looked towards Vevira. "And you've raised precisely the question that concerns me, Arch-Dean. There are lines I will not cross to get my people home. We will not sacrifice innocent lives, participate in forced relocations or accept the exploitation of other populations as the price of building this gate."

Her expression became more serious. "I've spent eleven months trying to get my crew home. Some of them have already paid a terrible price for that. But if the only way to complete Erebus is to become the sort of people we've spent those months fighting against, then we find another way." Phoenix paused. "That doesn't mean we refuse to hear what the Directorate has to say. It means we establish the rules before anyone starts negotiating." She offered Keth a faint smile. "And those rules apply to everyone, Representative Varn. Including the Federation."

Rhael'ta regarded Phoenix thoughtfully before turning her attention towards Keth and Vevira. "I believe we are beginning to identify the distinction upon which this summit may ultimately succeed or fail." She gestured towards the holographic representation of Erebus. "Knowledge, access and authority. Three things which are frequently treated as interchangeable, particularly by those who possess one and would very much like the other two." A faint smile touched her expression.

"Representative Varn, your argument concerning the Directorate's technical experience is valid. We would be foolish to disregard potentially useful information merely because its source makes us uncomfortable." Her amber eyes shifted towards Vevira. "Equally, Arch-Dean, we would be equally foolish to assume that information arrives without obligations, consequences or expectations."

Rhael'ta folded her hands before her. "The Concord will therefore propose a distinction between diplomatic participation and technical collaboration. A representative may be permitted to observe or address this summit without receiving access to restricted research. Any subsequent exchange of technical information would require separate agreement." She glanced towards Phoenix. "And I believe the Commodore has raised another matter worthy of formal consideration. Before we negotiate ownership of Erebus, perhaps we should establish the ethical principles governing its development."

Rhael'ta allowed the suggestion to settle. "Not merely what we hope to accomplish, but what methods we are prepared to prohibit. Safeguards against involuntary experimentation, forced population transfer and the use of transit infrastructure to facilitate coercion would seem reasonable subjects for discussion." Her expression became more thoughtful. "Naturally, drafting such principles will be considerably easier than persuading everyone to agree to them." She turned towards Merris. "Chief Steward, please ensure that the Directorate's representative is advised that any initial clearance, should it be granted, will be for diplomatic observation under Concord security protocols. Technical participation is a separate matter." Rhael'ta looked around the chamber. "And perhaps, before our unexpected guest arrives, we should determine whether anyone objects to beginning work on a common ethical framework."

Merris inclined her head towards Rhael'ta, already making a notation on her PADD. "Of course, Commander. I will advise Station Control that any diplomatic clearance granted to the Directorate is provisional and restricted to observation under Concord protocols." Her fingers moved efficiently across the display. "Their representative will be required to provide verified diplomatic credentials, accept the station's security arrangements and acknowledge that attendance does not confer access to technical archives, research facilities or restricted summit communications." She paused briefly. "I would also recommend assigning a diplomatic liaison to accompany the representative while aboard the station. Given the sensitivities involved, it would be preferable to avoid any misunderstandings concerning where our guest is permitted to go."

Merris glanced towards Phoenix and the other delegates. "Any requests for private meetings or technical consultations can be submitted through the summit administration and referred to the relevant delegations for approval." A faint smile appeared. "I anticipate this will generate a considerable amount of paperwork." She returned her attention to Rhael'ta. "Shall I transmit the preliminary conditions to the Directorate now, Commander, or would you prefer to await the formal decision regarding their admission?"

Rhael'ta nodded towards Merris. "Transmit the preliminary conditions, Chief Steward. There is no reason to delay informing the Directorate of the requirements they would be expected to observe." She glanced briefly towards the holographic vessel. "Make it clear that this is not yet an invitation to attend. Formal clearance remains subject to the appropriate approvals, but I see no reason why their representative should be left uncertain about our expectations." A faint smile touched her expression.

"And Merris, I agree with your recommendation concerning a diplomatic liaison. Given the circumstances, I suspect an escort will be considerably more useful than an elaborate welcome ceremony." She turned her attention back towards the assembled delegates.
"Now, unless there are further objections, I suggest we return to the question of establishing an ethical framework for Erebus."

Anna had been sitting and listening the entire time. "I think the difficulty is not just setting up a structure but determining what ethical understandings are shared. Perhaps we might start with the basics. It shouldn't be accessible to any force or power that seeks to prey on other intelligent species for food, slaves, or conquest?"

Phoenix turned towards Lieutenant Esquivias, considering her words for a moment before nodding. "That's a very good place to start, Lieutenant. And I would suggest it's something we ought to establish before we get too far into discussing who gets to build this thing, let alone operate it." She glanced towards the holographic representation of Erebus. "One of my concerns from the beginning has been that we're potentially creating something that could be used for purposes very different from those we intend. A road that allows us to travel enormous distances could just as easily allow someone else to transport an invasion fleet, move enslaved populations or reach worlds that have previously been beyond their grasp."

Phoenix looked around the chamber. "However, I'd suggest we need to be careful about making judgements concerning entire civilisations rather than the actions we're seeking to prevent. Governments change. Alliances change. And I suspect there are very few powers represented here whose histories are entirely without blemish." She paused. "What we can establish are principles governing how Erebus may be used. No transportation of enslaved populations. No forced relocation. No use of the Gate for trafficking or hunting sentient beings. And safeguards against its use as a means of launching military conquest." Her expression grew thoughtful. "Of course, agreeing to those principles is one thing. Establishing how they're enforced is quite another. Who authorizes transit? Who monitors compliance? What happens if a government violates the agreement? And who has the authority to suspend access?"

Phoenix glanced towards Mora'thil and Vevira. "Keeper, Arch-Dean, I believe your respective perspectives would be particularly valuable in considering those questions. Lieutenant Esquivias has given us a sensible starting point, and I would suggest establishing a smaller working group to develop the principles and practical safeguards for consideration by this assembly."

She turned her attention back to the wider gathering. "That would allow us to continue the technical discussions without pretending we've settled every ethical question today. We can make progress on the engineering while ensuring the people examining the consequences have a meaningful voice in how the project develops." A faint smile touched her lips. "After all, we're attempting to build something that could change the future of Circinus. I would rather we spent a little time deciding what it must never be allowed to become." Phoenix settled back into her seat, allowing the suggestion to stand before the assembly.

===

Merris stepped into an alcove to submit the information to the Thaih'ea.

A few moments later, the reply came back, indicating that, so long as the station's law of neutrality was upheld, and the Thaih'ean representative was not harmed in any way, thrn there would be peace. The sleek ship then began moving, heading for the berth that the dock master has assigned them.

Rhael’ta glanced towards Merris as the Chief Steward's latest communication appeared on the station's diplomatic network. The Directorate had responded. Their vessel was proceeding towards its assigned berth, and the message accompanying its approach was sufficiently clear. So long as the Concord upheld its neutrality and guaranteed the safety of the Directorate's representative, there would be peace. It was a reassuring statement, at least on the surface. Rhael’ta had spent far too many years in diplomacy to confuse an assurance of peaceful intentions with a guarantee of peaceful behaviour. "Chief Steward, please confirm that the Directorate's vessel may proceed with supervised docking arrangements. Their representative is to remain aboard until diplomatic credentials have been verified and the conditions of their participation formally accepted. Station Security is to coordinate the appropriate arrangements."

She allowed Merris to attend to the instruction before returning her attention to the assembly. "Honoured representatives, I believe we have reached a point where further discussion in this chamber may accomplish considerably less than focused discussion elsewhere."

A faint smile touched her expression. "And I say that with all due respect to the considerable diplomatic talents assembled here."

She gestured towards the holographic representation of Erebus, still suspended above the circular table. "This morning, Commodore Lalor-Richardson presented us with an extraordinary proposition. Not a completed invention. Not a demand for resources. Not even a promise of success." The six rings rotated slowly. "An opportunity." Rhael’ta looked towards the assembled delegations. "We have heard concerns regarding the security of such a structure, the consequences of its construction, the rights of those who may eventually use it, and the responsibilities of those who would control it."

Her gaze briefly settled upon Lieutenant Esquivias. "We have also been reminded that the means by which a civilisation travels between the stars should not become an instrument through which others lose their freedom." She inclined her head slightly towards Mora’thil and Vevira.

"These are not insignificant matters. Nor do I believe they can be satisfactorily resolved by another several hours of general discussion." The holographic display changed, the six rings diminishing to one side as three headings appeared.

TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY

ETHICS AND GOVERNANCE

SECURITY AND DIPLOMATIC ACCESS

"The Concord will make facilities available for three separate working groups. Each delegation is invited to nominate suitable representatives, specialists or advisers according to its interests and expertise." She indicated the first heading. "The technical group will examine the existing Erebus model, identify what may be achieved through cooperation and determine what would be required before any practical construction programme could be considered." The second heading brightened. "The ethics and governance group will consider the principles raised during this morning's discussions, particularly those concerning involuntary transport, exploitation, access and the responsibilities of those who may eventually operate the Gate." Finally, the third. "The security and diplomatic group will examine the protection of sensitive information, the conditions under which outside parties may participate, and the immediate implications of the Directorate's arrival."

Rhael’ta folded her hands before her. "These groups are not being asked to solve every problem facing Circinus. Nor will their establishment bind any government to contribute resources, disclose protected information or surrender its sovereign authority." Her amber eyes moved around the chamber. "They are being asked to determine what cooperation might realistically look like." She paused.

"The results will provide the basis for our next formal session. At that time, this assembly may consider whether sufficient common ground exists to authorise the next stage of the Erebus initiative." The holographic display returned to the six enormous rings. "Until then, the Concord will continue to uphold its obligations as host. That includes the safety and security of every recognised delegation, the preservation of this station's neutrality, and the right of participating governments to determine their own positions."

Her expression softened slightly. "This morning has demonstrated that we have many reasons to disagree." A pause. "Perhaps the next will demonstrate whether we have enough reasons to cooperate." Rhael’ta inclined her head towards Phoenix, Andrinn and the assembled representatives. "Thank you, honoured delegates. The opening session is adjourned." Above them, the holographic image of Erebus continued its slow rotation. Six rings. Forty-one seconds of theoretical stability. And, for the first time, the possibility of turning the theory into something more than a dream.

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