Artefact
by Fr Alfonso David, OSM
It was almost exactly as we had predicted, though we should not state this in any open forum. That would self-evidently be offensive both to others and to our own sense of propriety, especially since others espoused alternate hypotheses.
There were naturally those that made the – for them quite reasonable – assumption that Wider-We are perfect and unique in creation. There are no others, and thus no artefact or artifice to watch out for.
Then there were those who, like we, hold the opposite view. Wider-We cannot be alone in Creation. It is so vast that there is no logic to uniqueness. In similar fashion to Wider-We, others would eventually develop means of communication through distance. Wider-We should be vigilant for evidence of that.
Then again, there were those holding similar opinions as to the existence of others. However, they feared that, beyond certain levels of development, societies would inevitably self-destruct. Though it is not politic to posit the opinion, Wider-We exhibit regrettable evidence of the potential veracity of this theory.
And then, we feel obliged to note, if only for the sake of completeness, there are those questioning the concept of Creation itself. We do not give credence to their belief.
Only we have thought of the possibility that there could be others that could devise a thing and that it might penetrate that part of Creation inhabited by Wider-We.
It was, we have subsequently demonstrated, pure happenstance that the artefact came to be captured by the energy of the Home of Wider-We. It entered a most auspicious orbit, proof, as far as we are concerned, of the very goodness of Creation.
We were – possibly in recognition of our prescience, though we should never overtly give voice to that thought – conferred the honour of conducting a study of the artefact. Though others urged upon us its disassembly, certainly out of a desire to facilitate our task, our preference was to complete an examination of the whole.
Its design, for clearly there was purposive thought behind the curious object, appeared relatively simple. It exhibited indeed a fragility that belied the distance it had clearly travelled and the hazards it would have encountered. Again, here was evidence of the beneficence of Creation.
What was the purpose of the artefact? Physical objects of its size are quite unfamiliar in that part of Creation occupied by Wider-We. To guess at the reason why this alien thing might have been assembled thus required a substantial speculative leap. Our very tentative conclusion was that it was not destined to transport its builders, on which we would also refer you to our further thoughts below. Rather, it seemed designed to collect and provide them with information on aspects of Creation. We applaud that curiosity.
Clearly, however, it had completed its assigned function, whether by intention or otherwise we would not venture an opinion. The object displayed no evidence of life. Until it became a satellite of the Home of Wider-We, it was clearly adrift.
How did it come to be where it now was? How was it propelled? Adrift it had been, but something must have impulsed the journey that brought here. Wider-We move smaller objects through rationally limited distances of Creation by nudging them with great care. Something else happened to this artefact.
Perhaps, and this is pure speculation, its makers nudged it – they would have done so far less carefully than might appear seemly – on a course that would utilise the energies of natural bodies within Creation. Thus, like those smaller natural bodies encountered occasionally, it would gain momentum, but it would equally alter direction.
The energy of the Home of Wider-We had a similar, though opposite, effect.
Whence had it come? We could sense very well the path it had taken when it entered that part of Creation occupied by Wider-We. However, given what we also surmised about its means of propulsion, it was not a simple matter of following a straight line to the nearest plausible location.
We do not incidentally wish to imply that any line in Creation is ever simply straight.
Thus, we do not wish to speculate groundlessly regarding the artefact’s spatial origin.
What manner of beings had devised the artefact? We have already elaborated on the nature of objects familiar to Wider-We. The scale of this artefact was such that it would presumably require a similar scale of maker, as opposed to dismantler, which was well within Wider-We's capabilities.
There were once myths, supposedly useful cautionary tales, where beings of this kind would often figure. They were generally maleficent entities, animated by utterly alien urges. Wider-We have long since abandoned these irrational beliefs.
We did not wish to revive the darker fears that were also a potent drag on Wider-We’s progress and development.
One matter led to the next and the next, and then brought us inevitably back to the point at which our inquiry began. It was a conundrum without end, and lacking in any tangible conclusion.
Ultimately, only one question remained. In the absence of satisfactory answers, what should be done about the artefact?
The decision, almost without exception, of Wider-We was to complete the dismantlement of the artefact, so that its components should remain objects of further study for the annals. Thus might they finally yield all of the secrets we had, somewhat lamentably it was implied, failed to decipher.
We were the sole dissenting party. Moreover, we became adamant in our contrary stance. Reassimilation, we knew was imminent. We should then be not only obliged to bend to the will of Wider-We, we should be subsumed within it. Still, there existed a lapse where we retained responsibility for the artefact.
And so, with a view to the broader common future of Creation, we took a step without precedent in all of the existence of Wider-We. We nudged the artefact out of its orbit and sent it on a return journey, at least as precisely as we could estimate. How long it would take before it might be reunited with its makers, about that we were as ignorant as of much else. Surely though, it would at least raise questions, especially if they discover the enclosed gift: we.
