"We shortly will have filled up all your available HoloMem crystals," Sky-Teacher's image said, its halo of robotic eyes doing a perfect imitation of the traveling wave pattern in a real cheela. "I am afraid that you will find most of this material is encrypted, since we are now the equivalent of many thousands of years ahead of you in development.
"Yet, if it had not been for you, we would still be
savages, stagnating in an illiterate haze for thousands or even millions of greats of turns. We owe you much, but we must be careful how we pay you back, for you too have a right to grow and develop on your own. For your own good, it is best that we cut off communication after this last HoloMem crystal is full. We have given you enough material to keep you busy learning for thousands of your years. Then we will both be off on our separate ways, seeking truth and knowledge through space and time. You in worlds where the electron is paramount, and we in worlds where the neutron dominates.
"But please don't despair. We may live much faster than you, but there are only a finite number of fundamental truths to learn about the Universe,
so eventually you will catch up to us."
A tone sounded and a small message appeared on the screen.
HOLOMEM CRYSTAL FULL
"You are on your own now," Sky-Teacher said, hearing the tone. "But we have one last present for you. You will need tens of thousands of years to develop fully, and minor nuisances like ice ages on your planet would slow you down. While we were exploring the interior of your Sun, we found five small black holes. There were the four that you already know about and a much smaller one. Since they were disturbing the fusion reactions in your Sun, we removed them for you. Now the Sun will stay stable while you are learning from the HoloMem crystals."
"We thank you," Pierre stammered, awed by the power implied by the simple statement.
"And we thank you," Sky-Teacher said "But it is drawing near the time for you to leave. Goodbye, my friends."
"Goodbye," Pierre said as the screen blanked
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