Galanet, driven by the thirst for life, found a way out. He created the Pluto. Another tool, the weapon of information warfare, as they would say on Earth.
The civilization of the mass-effect discoverers was not expected to overcome the Indoctrination of the Plutus and joined Galanet in presenting him with its discoveries. Galaneta was well - the speed of communication between parts of his vast Swarm had increased many times.
But not only because of this - the reapers who cultivate zero civilizations, the mass-effect was also in place.
They received FTL engines, and they also figured out how to accelerate the development of new civilizations.
Yes, right, by creating a catapult network - that is, a mass relay.
But it is impossible to say that the Reapers created the Reillette. This is wrong. The Relay network is a part of the Reapers, as the Reapers are a part of the Galanet.
The mass relay network for Galanet is a huge distributed computer that calculates the value of a single function. The electronic processor moves electrons between the memory cells - the mass relay network moves ships and cargoes from star to star.
And as soon as the received value of this function gets in the limits specified by triggers, the executive mechanism operates.
And the Reapers come to harvest - or eliminate the threat.
And sometimes the Rogues come.
Locked in a network of mass-relays of civilization, developing after each Harvest on the traces of the last "harvest", are boring repetitions. Like endless repetitive fanfare for the same story. The usual gum for the brain, in which you come across fresh thoughts, but still tires of reading about the same thing. But regularly.
Rogues, not connected by a network of relays, find a new "delicious". Like humanity. Sometimes it is not a "tasty thing", and new finds are rare, but still.
What difference does it make? Anyway, but the new information will arrive in Galanet and quench its information hunger for a while. In the time it will settle down, will disperse on a network, will cease to be new, and the supermind again will start to chew over and over again already known, waiting, when will arrive fresh updatings or there will be a appreciable threat.
In the end, all its unconditional reflexes and mechanisms millions of years ago are prescribed by the Architects. The firstborn children of the Galaxy, the creators of Galanet.
Horn, when activated, "truncated" the entire galaxy, informing Galaneta of the connection of a new civilization, and the reapers, respectively, signalled the rejection. That's what the core of elixir was for...
However, not only for this purpose. Now Horn was performing his second function, "remelting" humanity in a convenient form for the Rascals. To be more precise, the human civilization - the refugee galaxies - still made up a significant part of the population, but their civilizations were already shaken.
Jack looked up - Pluto reigned on the screen surrounded by bluish reflections. To be more precise, one of Rascal's particles, the Harbinger. A unit that was to enlighten Jack about the realities of the day. To his left was the Earth's ball.
- So what? Are we going to be arthropods like you now? - Harper squeaked.
- Why, did he think, or did the creature on the screen shrug his shoulders? - Changing bodies is too expensive. Let the Reapers do it or you do it yourself. It is enough for us to change your minds and your information environment. Your mind has already changed, your information networks are already under our control, and we are beginning to process other self-replicating units.
- Self-replicating... Units? People?
- Yes.
- But...
- We've been studying your species for millions of years. Don't you think we can't control you through any available channel?
Jack has shaken - the Gorn core mass fields have hesitated again, reshaping. Krivos, obliquely - but for people, it was still an elitist matter X, so we shouldn't have expected them to be as skilled as Azari.
- I didn't want to talk about that. You... Conquered us. Why?
- You didn't want to ask about it," the Harbinger said wisely.
- Yes. What will happen to me?
- Nothing special. You will keep the memory of life before the transformation, your mind, your independence - in known limits. And the life of the others will be subordinated to your will. Does it seem that this is a reason for pride in your civilization?
- I am the lord of humanity. - Harper tilted his head back and laughed. The harbinger waited patiently. When the man was silent and calmed down, the Rascal continued calmly:
- Not a lord. One particle cannot command the other. You will be the administrator. The incarnation of humanity for Galanet, the core of his private unity in general. It is not your commands that will be executed by the civilization of people, but your control will bind it together.
- Harper's control," he said, "is tired and sits on the chair carefully. - Full control. So you will answer my question? Why would mankind want to do that? You got in touch exactly at the moment when the Harvest began. Why not wait until the Reapers are finished if there is no difference for Galanet?