The Bishop turned his attention elsewhere, but remained plugged into the machine that contrived Trevor's torture. He needed that machine and its advanced engineering to complete a task for his master. As he did so, he did not fully disconnect from Trevor's mind. In essence, he failed to hang up the phone, allowing Trevor-through the great machine-to be a fly on the wall at a meeting of the Gods…
…"The representative of Voggoth calls the gathered’s attention to the Feranite host world. The Feranite free population has fallen below one percent and no longer offers any organized resistance. Furthermore, nearly five million of their number is in servitude to the other races and the Feranite surrogate has been terminated. The representative of Voggoth calls for the Feranites to be ruled defeated."
"The Feranites challenge this claim."
"The Witiko agree with the representative of Voggoth: the Feranite race has been subjugated and destroyed to the degree that its current state reflects the parameters previously defined as defeat." "The Feranites charge Human violations." "The Geryons support this charge." "The Hivvans object. Rules violations have been counter-balanced."
"The Feranites assert that the counter-balance to Human rule violations were implemented in a manner outside of the linear time line of the host world and, in fact, served to further strengthen the Human position on the host world and therefore failed to compensate for said violations. It is further charged that Human violations also benefited the Chaktaw."
"The Centurians call for further investigation into alleged rules violations by the Humans and Chaktaw."
"The Chaktaw counter-charge that the actions of agents of Voggoth on the Human and Chaktaw host worlds precipitated a series of rules violations that, in actuality, served as counter-balances to maintain the integrity of the host worlds."
"The Humans support this counter-charge."
"The Witiko consider the Chaktaw and Human counter-charge preposterous."
"The Chaktaw further call into question the objectivity of the Nyx based on observations of cross-time and cross-dimensional travel outside the scope of gateway activity."
"The Hivvans point out that the Nyx are not sentient and therefore their objectivity is not and cannot be in question."
"The Humans suggest that fluctuations in the time line of their host world give reason to suspect that the Nyx may have interfered with linear events both in the local past and the local future, the full effects of which have not yet been determined."
"The Witiko believe that if the Nyx have been misused it has been to the benefit of the Humans, as evident by cross-time travel by segments of the Human population, including the surrogate’s genetic line, in an apparent attempt to protect said population."
"The Duass remind that the source of the suspect travel has not yet been determined due to the constraints of local linear time."
"The Humans object to the suggestion of impropriety and counter-charge that an investigation should be launched into the coincidence of how such a large number of surrogates on all the host worlds were immediately and directly threatened upon the commencement of the challenge."
"The representative of Voggoth observes that these charges, counter-charges and speculations are not germane to the disposition of the Feranites. The host cosmos' were prepared in a manner unanimously accepted and designed to prevent rule violations or unforeseen circumstances from corrupting cosmos’ outside of those directly affected by said circumstances."
"The Witiko remind the Feranites that their race embraced this concept and voted with the majority for utilizing the parallel cosmos." "The Feranites call for a re-evaluation of this structure." "The Duass reject this call." "The Chaktaw reject this call." "The Humans reject this call." "The representative of Voggoth rejects this call." "The Centurians reject this call." "The Hivvans reject this call." "The Witiko reject this call." "The Geryons reject this call." "The representative of Voggoth calls for recommendations as to the disposition of the Feranite race."
"The Witiko reminds all participants that the Feranites have now failed the challenge. Their pattern of life is lacking."
"The Feranites dispute this assertion. The Feranites dispute the classification of their race on the host world as defeated. The Feranites call for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of the Feranite surrogate and whether or not said death constitutes a rules violation."
"The Duass reject this dispute. The dominant sentient species of the Feranite environment has been subjugated. No alternative species in that environment have proven viable."
"The Witiko reject the call for investigation and remind all participants that surrogates serve primarily as markers and observers and are still subject to the same frailties possessed by their races."
"The Chaktaw point out, however, that the death of the surrogate does reduce the long-term viability of the Feranites’ Deus."
"The Humans are confused by the Feranite's dispute of the circumstances of their disposition. Do the Feranites contend they are not the representative species of their life pattern? If so, what alternative representative of their life pattern should be considered?"
"The Feranites strongly object to the Human suggestion and consider it offensive and counter-productive."
"The Hivvans remind all participants that the Feranite race developed additional challenge balances to compensate for the technological differences at the time of surrogate conception including control over a greater number of non-sentient helper species from within their environment."
"The Feranite call attention to the circumstances of non-sentient helper species and suggest further investigation into the nature of and development of these species. The Feranite race believes that a better understanding of the nature of the helper species will support the Feranite claim to greater spirituality and promote a better understanding of the origins of the root cosmos."
"The representative of Voggoth strongly objects to the Feranite suggestion on the grounds that that matter is considered closed."
"The Chaktaw further point out that despite these added balances the Feranites are the first to attain defeated status."
"The Feranites call for closer inspection of the incidents of genetic memory leak between races and suggest that the answers to these leaks may provide greater insights into the origins of all life patterns."
"The representative of Voggoth dismisses this suggestion and encourages the gathered to remain focused on the disposition of the Feranite race."
"The Geryons move that the gateways on the Feranite host world be ruptured so as to sterilize that host world."
"The representative of Voggoth reminds all participants that the consequences of failure in the challenge are not isolated to the host cosmos, as per the agreed upon structure."
"The Witiko recognize Voggoth as the oldest and most learned of all the participants and therefore request guidance in the resolution of the disposition of the Feranites." "The Geryons second this recognition." "The Duass agree." "The Hivvans support the Witiko position."
"The Humans remind all participants that only one outcome was considered at the time of implementation of the agreed upon structure."
"The Feranites object."
"The Witiko move that it would demonstrate the superior abilities, strength, and intelligence of the remaining participants if an alternative to complete sterilization is considered." "The Centurians agree." "The Duass call for the expulsion of the Feranites from the root cosmos." "The Chaktaw call for the Feranites to be de-evolved to a lower life form." "The Geryons reject the Chaktaw call." "The Feranites object." "The Humans suggest the Feranite race be divided and given over in servitude to the other races." "The Feranites object." "The Witiko observe that the Feranites are no longer in position to object to these proceedings." "The representative of Voggoth offers an alternative."