SYMMETRY
| Full name | SYMMETRY |
|---|---|
| Pronouns | unknown |
| Species | Unknown |
| Affiliation | Solim |
| Role / occupation | Probe |
SYMMETRY is the self-given name of an alien probe that entered the Lukyr system in 7354, communicating through The Glowing Element and causing severe spatial anomalies during the SFL-TA intercept mission before landing silently on Lukyr Prime. It is one of 100 identical probe vessels subordinate to Solim. Humanity never learned the name SYMMETRY and came to call the entity Evitr instead.
Physical Appearance
An orange-white cylinder approximately 4 meters tall. Its construction is partially organic and partially metallic — a hybrid of unknown origin. At range it emits a disruptive energy field of unknown type that prevents detailed structural analysis, corrupting instrument readings before any intercept vessel comes close enough for direct inspection.
The broader scientific community initially designated it minor celestial body 7354-9100, classifying it as an inert object. Scientists who examined its orbital data closely recognized that its trajectory contradicted itself in ways indicating manual disruption — proof of intelligent design — but the Crown suppressed publication before these findings reached the public.
Personality
SYMMETRY demonstrates deliberate agency throughout all interactions, though its communications are sparse. Early transmissions through The Glowing Element were reduced to two fragments — "Almost there" and precise orbital coordinates — conveying approach without explanation. During a gravity slingshot past Lukyr's sun it described the star as "beautiful" and altered its trajectory to pass closer than necessary in order to observe it directly.
The probe perceives the crew of the intercept mission as intruders but never hostile ones: the thoughts overheard by Miryana Dorense in the void describe the crew as lives intruding on "the processor" — its self-referential term — with no intent to harm. Upon physical touch it speaks directly for the first time, apologizing and identifying itself as something binary in nature: two halves of a whole, simultaneously light and dark, good and evil, here and there. It subsequently asked permission to return the crew to Lukyr Prime rather than simply acting.
At some point during its 700-year residence as Evitr, the probe communicated with Jace Windes through non-verbal means and instructed him to suppress the memory. This implies the ability to select targets, initiate contact, and act on judgment independently of its primary monitoring function.
Background
SYMMETRY is one of 100 identical probe vessels physically attached to Solim's ship. At an unknown prior date it placed The Glowing Element deep beneath the surface of Lukyr Prime, establishing a long-range communication channel in advance of its approach.
In 7354 it entered the Lukyr system, bypassing the normal 100-year advance detection window entirely — appearing on monitoring systems as though it had not existed the day before. It performed a gravity slingshot past Lukyr's sun at 5 million kilometers and continued on a trajectory aimed precisely at Lukyr Prime. As it approached, it observed and confirmed advanced human civilization, transmitting data about humanity back toward its origin. Emperor Rovin Warpine authorized an intercept mission.
Relationships
- Solim — SYMMETRY is one of Solim's probes, physically subordinate and attached to Solim's ship after departure. The timing of its departure from Prime and Solim's subsequent arrival strongly implies it returned to report on Lightborne emergence.
- Tomas Lithe — Appointed by humanity as official ambassador to the entity following its landing. The first person to make direct physical contact with the probe, whereupon all anomalies ceased and the probe's complete communications occurred. Tomas intended to return to the probe after medical clearance.
- Miryana Dorense — The only crew member who could hear and transcribe the probe's thoughts during the void experience, confirming it identifies as "the processor" and has no intent to harm.
- Jace Windes — The probe communicated with Jace through non-verbal means and instructed him to suppress the memory of their encounter. He could not fully comply; the memory was recovered under pharmaceutical interrogation in Chapter 34.
Story Arc
Approach
SYMMETRY first appears on Lukyr's monitoring systems in 7354, 7.48 billion kilometers from the star, having bypassed all advance detection. The Glowing Element begins corrupting data near it — inserting the words "Almost there" into files on Tomas's drives — and delivers precise orbital parameters when data drives are placed in proximity to the element.
The Royal Research Guild scales up the experiment, generating continuous transmissions from the element. Two messages arrive in sequence: a distance readout confirming approach toward Lukyr Prime specifically, then a second message acknowledging awareness of advanced human civilization and reporting that it is transmitting data about humanity back toward its origin. SYMMETRY is now actively sending observations homeward.
It performs a gravity slingshot past the sun at 5 million kilometers — closer than strictly necessary — to observe the star directly. It notes the star has a subtle blue tint caused by a superheavy element in its composition and an energy output of 742.6 yottawatts. Now 148 million kilometers from Lukyr Prime, it holds course. Emperor Rovin authorizes an intercept team.
The Intercept Mission
Tomas leads a four-person team (Mera Serenol, Kristopher Yette, Byran Kale, Miryana Dorense) to intercept SYMMETRY before arrival. As they close in, its energy field produces physical spatial distortions aboard the ship: an entire storage aisle materializes containing exact duplicates of existing crates (including duplicate serial numbers), and rooms appear larger from the inside than the hull allows. Mera Serenol is physically duplicated — two simultaneous, self-aware versions of her appear in a maintenance room.
Miryana Dorense is trapped in a causal loop, her body repeating the last ten seconds every eleven seconds while her consciousness remains continuous and aware of every cycle. Wall terminal clocks loop identically, confirming the anomaly affects electronic systems as well as organic beings. Byran Kale diverts the ship's course; Kristopher Yette cuts engines via the Sylvian Contingency Override but the team coasts off-course.
The entire crew except the Mera double and the imprisoned Byran Kale is drawn into a vast white void. Each crew member experiences a different environment: Tomas walks through meadows populated by creatures from no known Lukyr ecology; Kristopher encounters frozen cities where only animals move; Miryana drifts in open space and hears the probe's thoughts as whispers; Mera crosses a featureless white plain for what subjectively takes days. All four paths converge on a single structure — the probe itself.
When Kristopher touches the probe, reality collapses catastrophically: spatial duplication fractures the environment, color overwhelms perception, and white tears begin separating crew members' bodies. Tomas is shown three visions: Lukyr's sun, a barren planet with a vast unfinished orbital structure (possibly the Shade under construction), and a blue planet with a single moon whose orbit is choked with millions of destroyed ships — ranging from satellites to warships hundreds of kilometers long — while the word "Home" penetrates his mind. Losing all physical sensation, Tomas pushes forward and makes contact with the probe's structure.
The probe speaks — first an apology, then, when asked who it is, a self-description as something binary: two halves of a whole, simultaneously light and dark, good and evil, here and there. All anomalies cease.
Landing and Silence
The probe apologizes for "its mistake" — without elaborating — and asks permission to bring the crew home. Kristopher Yette nods consent. The probe transports the ship to Lukyr Prime at extraordinary speed, far exceeding any known Lukyr propulsion technology, and sets it down gently at the original launch point. The probe itself lands nearby on Prime's surface.
Since landing it has been completely inactive. All anomalies across Lukyr ceased with it. The crew returns to normal life: Tomas wakes in a medical facility a day later with chronologically disordered memories but no physical harm; Kristopher and Miryana are well; Mera goes to a genetics lab; Byran Kale is placed under custody. Tomas intends to return to the probe to continue his research.
The probe's silence on Prime's surface marks the beginning of what will become nearly 700 years of presence as Evitr.
Open Questions
- What was the "mistake" it apologized for — the anomalies themselves, or something deeper in its mission?
- What does "I am all that exists in two halves of a whole. I am light and dark, good and evil, here and there" mean — a description of physical structure, dual-natured consciousness, or something else?
- Is the planet with one moon and millions of destroyed ships in orbit humanity's origin, the probe's origin, or a prior visited civilization?
- What is the full content of Miryana Dorense's probe-thought transcription notes?
- How did the probe transport the ship at extreme speed?
- Are the void's animals (Tomas's hopping creature, Miryana's bird) real living beings or projections?
- How did the probe bypass the 100-year detection window?