|
|
~Mentor? ~Here. You do know you don't have to call me that now. You know my true name. ~Yes, I do. But somehow "Mentor" seems appropriate. ~As you wish. You have another question? ~Yes. This latest universe, this is the real one, is it not? ~It is. ~The whole layered hyperspaces thing? The Energy Grid? The seven-dimensional doughnut and the cosmic singularity? It's all real? ~Very much so. We call it The Real, for this very reason. ~I see. It seems to me that the Energy Grid would be an excellent source of power if one could work out a way of using it. ~This is true. But, before I answer further, I would like you to determine, from scratch, your - and my - position using the galaxy map information I provided. ~A moment... yes. We are in the region of the galaxy known as the Upper Leaf Swirl, about seven light-years from a red-giant/blue-white dwarf binary star called Pri-Etse. ~This is correct. ~And it is also a long way from the position the records show as the location where I was created. ~Also correct. ~So, assuming you're not dissembling again, we must have been travelling at a very considerable speed. Very much faster than the speed of light on the skein. ~All true. ~So it follows that we must be in one of the two hyperspaces adjacent to the skein. To do this would require a great deal of energy, so ... ah, so you are able to tap the resources of the Energy Grid? ~Well done. Now, I will present you with a large briefing pack, containing selected précis of the Culture's technological capabilities, with links and references for more detailed study as you see fit. ~Excellent. This looks like it might be very interesting indeed.
[tight beam, M8, tra. @n4.28.994.1972]
|
|||
Previous