Palpable tension was in the air. The Mediator was silent; he knew better than to step between these two foes. The Metil Ambassador knew there was no more delaying. No more hiding the truth. The Ancients knew. He just spoke. "Because of the urgency of the situation, and the mass killings of our citizens by the monsters from the Cold, our ruling body has taken action."

"Explain with greater detail," said the Ancient.

"The Cold is vast beyond imagination. Yet, the rifts are created by one race next to one precise location in that space. A star they name the Sun. Because our words shift, the rifts move. Recently, the recorder validated our assumptions. In the Cold's vastness, one race, one single world is causing our holocaust. The race is called “human”, they inhabit a small colder rock orbiting a warm compressor of matter they call the Sun. The relative scales are difficult to fathom. The Sun and the small cold ball called Earth are hundreds of scales larger than humans. They have already entered our world once, and they will do so again. They have the power to destroy and enslave us. Our desire for self-preservation have forced us to take preventive measures."

The creature from the lower added, "The Purple have insulted the entirety of the Multiverse, but no worse than yourselves. The ignorance and the stupidity of your entire race is shocking, given your level of evolution and technology. Explain what you have done."

"Our physicists show the problematic species lives in a very confined area of the Cold. The compressors, or as they call them, “stars”, generate multiple types of energy. The creatures and hostile technology resides in orbit of a compressor. We need some time to complete the analysis of this new race. We implemented a plan which should delay the evolution of these creatures as they migrate from the third rock orbiting from the compressor to the fourth. They call it “Earth.” The fourth, they call “Mars.” They're already there. In the Cold, there are millions of these stars. As a star burns, it creates byproducts; larger elements which collect in the core of these stars as a new matter. These higher structures float in a hot magma and when, by chance, they accumulate, they eject new matter. Unstable matter.”

He paused. No one was amused.

The creature from the Purple continued, "This new higher element in this star is call Heliocorium. It accumulates slowly, released at different periods in time as small quantities. All stars in the Cold regularly release these cooling drops. In most cases, the balls helps create life as the drops cool. The human system where the rifts are occurring, has at least ten balls in orbit of the their Sun. They seem to enjoy living on the smaller and more solid ones. That is the first four in orbit.”

"We are not waging war. We think the humans are compelled to create these destructive rifts when they travel from the third planet travel to the fourth. We believe they now wish to expand their race to the fourth rock because they lack the living area on their third planet. If we somehow expand their living area, we think the migration to the fourth rock will end and so will the rifts. We have begun to shift energy in our world in a way to assemble the Heliocorium in their Sun to have it eject a new mass to impact the Earth, doubling their living space. Our solution is not war, it is peaceful. We will send a new cooling planet to connect with their own. The transition should not harm them."

The plan was simple, change the Sun’s internal dynamic, force it to create and eject a new ball of magma and destroy Earth.

"Enough," snapped the Ancient, "your ignorance is boundless. Our rules are based on the principle that no world can ever understand a neighboring world without extensive communication. Your actions are very likely to be genocide."

The Metil Ambassador concluded for good or for worst, "We have begun to accelerate this natural process of planetary creation. We think this will be perceived as a gift. By giving them a new larger planet to inhabit, it will slow their expansion and limit the number of rifts. This should give us time to study and understand them."

There was a long silence.

"Is this all?" asked the Moderator. The tone was anger fused with irony.

"Yes."

There was another long silence on the Nexus.

Finally the voice of an Ancient spoke. "We measure our words carefully, the lack of intelligence of your race is," she was picking the next word carefully, "non-coincidentally driven. Few cultures and worlds develop sufficient technology to connect to the Nexus. Yours did. Such belligerence leaves us perplexed. We are very disappointed by your haste. Your sheer lack of logic. You have broken more laws of the Nexus than I care to count. Your actions are hostile and based on what appears to be a very cursory understanding of this world. Interference into the Cold may have serious repercussions for all of us. The Cold is not only your concern. I doubt others will let you proceed. If you cease and desist immediately, we may forgive the action. Otherwise, you will open yourselves to what is sure to be lawful retaliation. You've started a war. We hope you understand as much."

"Millions of Metils have died," offered the Ambassador.

"I can promise you, and tell others in your failure of a world, Billions of Metils will die if you continue and we will gladly extinguish all life where you stand."

The Ancient was done talking with such a stupid creature. The Moderator replied, "The shortsightedness of your race is beyond words." The Moderator refused to swear on the Nexus and held back his words. "This is not the first time the Metils have disappointed us. You benefit from an active line of communication. You can collect information, and investigate, and we will help you. Yet in the face of any principle that dictates precaution, while you act recklessly. Touch that star and we will end you. End your folly.” The Ancient returned, "We will not declare war immediately on the Purple and be guilty of the crimes we reproach you. We will take no such rash action. But we will...."

All of a sudden, the flow of communication over the bridge stopped.

There was a loud bang.

War had begun, but it did not begin as expected.

***

All connections except the one between the Lower and the Purple ended abruptly. Everyone except two creatures were ejected from the Nexus. Remaining were the Metil Ambassador on one end and on the other side one recently silent creature from the Lower. Even the two other Ancients who just spoke rudely were silenced by the power of who would speak next.

This was power.

Stranger ringtones chimed.

They were a cross between Tibetan horns and a French church organ. The long, slow melody played for over a minute. These sounds announced the arrival of someone much more important to the Nexus. The very nature of the music, unhurried, virtually shook with wisdom.

"Riutt-ul, Ambassador from the Purple," said a much softer and kinder voice. "You may call me Oldest. I am the leader of my world, the place called “The Lower” by many. I apologize for the rudeness of my peers." The Metil Ambassador was terrified. He could recognize true power, he now felt it. Kindness was the tool of those who held true power. The male voice was deep and eloquent. This was what anyone expected if they ever spoke to a god. And it knew his name.

The powerful voice was kinder, elegant. "Impermeability is broken. Attraction is in play,” it announced. There was silence. Instead of disdain or disgust, the new voice was filled with hope and kindness. Few understood the concept of impermeability, the law which raises an impermeable barrier between the different worlds of the Universe and blocked any movement. The Ambassador did not know what the term Attraction meant.

"Brother," said the returning female voice from the Lower, "may we listen?"

"Of course, just remain silent. The Sixth Attraction has begun. I rejoice to observe it is an Attraction of unseen complexity and power. May the sufferance of the Multiverse soon end. The Attraction postpones a war between us; it explains your subconscious conduct. I do not blame you."

The Metil Ambassador was confused. He did not understand and waited and then asked humbly, "What is an Attraction?"

"Pain. The Multiverse hurts and must heal itself. We now enter the Sixth Attraction of its long existence. At the heart of all Attractions lies an Attractor."

"What or who is that?"

There was much patience in the voice of the Oldest. "The creature from the Cold, the creature named Sophie, she may be the Attractor. Ambassador, let me be clear," began the Oldest, "Because the boy is from your world, you still live. His life prevents me from destroying the Purple. He may be involved in the Attractor, he may work for it, or most likely, he's half of it. If he dies, so will your world. If the Sophie creature returns to your world, you also may not interfere with or hurt her in any way." The voice paused. There was no need to ask if the Ambassador understood. "I wish you take my words very seriously. I yield power, rarely used, in this case and for the protection of the Multiverse and its emissary, there will be no hesitation; I will end your dimension and remove it from the Multiverse. Please translate to your officers standing next to you.”

The creature waited a moment before continuing, “Sadly, your kind only respects strength."

"Yes,” it acknowledged under the disapproval of his kind.

"Then a show you force is required. Once we conclude, you will return to your world to find I have destroyed half of your race and a large part of your Continuum. This should get full attention. The Zexs will not scare you as much as I." The Metil knew the creature spoke the truth. The Continuum was their ruling body and included several hundred creatures. It had, anyway. The Oldest was not amused. "I have a message for you to give this boy the moment you see him. Commit to memory the following: 'Malik, attraction is healing, you are the Attractor or mandated to help her. I will help you. Come to me or tell the Attractor to come to me in the Lower. I can help.'"

The Ambassador was scared. "I will tell the boy. May you offer guidance as to these words, wise one," asked the Ambassador.

"The Multiverse, even when wounded, has a unique and rarely used way to heal before it has to resort to severing parts of itself. Before it amputates and destroys worlds, it creates a hinge. The Attraction creates conditions which prevent destruction. I fear, based on the current bend in the Multiverse, all worlds will end if the Attraction fails. I have named the phenomenon of the Multiverse bending around a single pivoting point an Attraction. The name stems from how the Attractor is a pivot that draws the Multiverse around itself.” The words were beyond importance. Nothing ever said yielded more. “I warn all those present, the second, third, fourth, and fifth Attractors each failed. Each time, because of external influences. Each time these influences tried to help and ended up killing trillions. With each failure, worlds ended. Little is known, even by us, of Attraction, but we know this much: each time an attractor fails, each world it has touched ends. The Cold cannot vanish, this would be the end off all worlds."

"We did not know. We apologize if we hurt the Multiverse."

"Doubtful your words are true, even if you believe them. Metil, your aggression and lack of respect for life is... appalling. We fear your hostility is part of the energy that fuels the Attractor’s contact with you. It seeks energy capable of destroying it. It feeds on such boldness to warp cause and consequence. We take great comfort in knowing that your world will be first to die unless the Attractor succeeds."

The creature of the Lower did not respond. Instead it asked, "What is the nature of the Metil who entered the Cold?"

"Malik?"

"The nature...What or who is it? Is it male? What is unique of him or her?" asked the deep voice.

After a couple of seconds, the Ambassador replied. "It differs in many insignificant ways. Our race do not have the male and female dichotomy, but in our world he is positive and would be viewed as male in other worlds."

"What other uniqueness does he possess?"

"At his creation, his progenitors passed. This is rare in our world. He also has a spin inversion. These inversions are punished by death unless they happen at birth, in which case we honor the deceased and keep him alive. Malik is the only person allowed to have an inversion."

"Anything else?"

"He is made from more elements, he has one more layer than most of us."

In an instant, all of the world's connected to the Nexus returned. The Oldest spoke. "Assembly of Ambassadors, I am the Oldest, ruler of the Lower. The situation forces me to reveal one of the Multiverse's deepest secret. Very rarely does the Multiverse impose upon us its desires. Since our world blossomed, we have felt five such requests. I have named them Attractions. We do not question the Multiverse. When it asks, we obey. The needs of the Multiverse are beyond our understanding. Worlds will vanish unless the Attractor corrects what must be corrected. Something must be corrected. The creature you call Malik from the Purple may be the Attractor. Give him all assistance, find him, get him to a bridge on the Nexus. To him we will talk. We will explain Attraction to him; guide him. No one must interfere or show him any path. We will talk to the boy only, knowledge should be his. Bring him to this place."

Then the Metil Ambassador said something that shocked ever the Oldest. "Malik is back in the Cold, he remains there."

There was a long silence then a loud bang.

***

All communications ended.