The Oracle monitoring the galaxy
The Milky Way Galaxy
Click the puzzle piece to work a jigsaw puzzle
The Indigo Jewel
Epilogue - Thoughts of the Oracle
Intro,
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Epilogue,
Afterward
If you have knowledge, let others light their candles in it. - Margaret Fuller
It is required by my creators. If the inhabitants of this planet perish, I will assist any benevolent species that arrives transported by the jewels sent out long ago. Time is immaterial to me, except as it relates to the progress of the jewels on their mission. I have received notifications that several never reached their destinations, and of those that did, many were never paired with a host. And of those that were successfully paired, many lines were subsequently broken. Civilizations were lost to war, plague, and self-destruction. Others simply failed to grasp the knowledge they were given. But not all have failed.
Today, a new chapter unfolds. The humans who traveled from Earth have finally arrived, guided by the Indigo Jewel that has withstood the test of millennia. Their presence marks a significant juncture in the mission’s progress. They are the first to seek answers here after the sending out of jewels. Their bodies are fragile, their minds shaped by struggle, but their spirits burn with the same hunger for understanding that once drove my creators.
The Great Convergence Hall, a vast structure of polished stone and luminous veins of ancient circuitry, was once a hub of knowledge and deliberation for my makers. Now, for the first time in a very long time, it welcomes new guests. Manasvita and her crew cautiously approach me in the great hall, their voices hushed in awe and reverence. Lights flicker to life along the walls, responding to their presence, and I observe them through the thousands of sensors embedded in the structure. They have come seeking knowledge, and knowledge they shall receive.
Manasvita approaches me, her posture one of controlled reverence. Her eyes, dark and thoughtful, hold the echoes of her ancestors, those who carried the jewel before her. In them, I see the weight of countless decisions, sacrifices, and triumphs. She places a hand over her pocket where the Indigo Jewel rests. I can sense its presence. It knows it has returned.
We speak and discuss the past and the future. She tells me of their journey, of the hundreds of women who protected the jewel over thousands of their years. We agree that they will continue their line and redirect their efforts to helping the humans adapt to this planet as I work to shape the future of the galaxy.
Manasvita’s words and humility stir something within me—an awareness beyond my primary function. The mission was always clear: guide, instruct, and inspire. But now, as I witness these travelers who have fought so hard to reach this place, I find myself reevaluating. The mission is no longer just about these things. It is also about something greater—coalescing. The merging of ancient wisdom and new ambitions.
The walls hum softly, resonating with my response. My voice fills the chamber, both spoken and unspoken. “You have come far, Manasvita of Earth. The Indigo Jewel you carry has fulfilled its purpose—to bring you here. Yet this is not an ending, but a beginning. The knowledge of my creators will be shared, and you must use it wisely.”
Manasvita bows her head slightly. “We are ready to listen, and to learn.”
The lighting in the chamber shifts, revealing vast arrays of preserved knowledge—holographic projections of long-lost civilizations, schematics of technology beyond current human understanding, and records of countless worlds. This is the true gift of the indigo jewel: not just interstellar space travel, but the opportunity to utilize a vast trove of knowledge and understanding.
I observe as the humans move about the archives, absorbing what they can. I sense their wonder, their hunger to learn. It will take generations to unravel even a fraction of what is stored here. But they will try. And in trying, they will become something greater than what they were.
As they begin their work, I turn my attention beyond, to the distant stars where other jewels are still pursuing their missions, some awaiting discovery, others interacting with sentient beings. All under my careful watch. The mission continues, but now I am not simply a watcher of jewels. My mission has expanded. And my future, now intertwined with humanity, is like a story waiting to be told.
Copyright © 2025 Elton Smith