Excerpt: Hypothesis

Excerpt from Prologue:

At the current interval, he was currently examining the next subject of his current observation. From his corner, the subject was technically a distance far enough away that the actual numerical value was unfathomably large. Still, it was a simple and effortless task for him to bring the subject into view, even considering the space between them. A floating ball, blue, mottled with brown and green. It was a world, a ball of matter formed through the condensing of atoms and chemical reactions. It slowly moved within in an orbit around a yellow star, among with a small collection of other celestial bodies. What made this particular sphere more important? Was that it supported life. Not only life, but sufficiently advanced life. Advanced enough to be eligible for participation. Not that the race would be told. One thing that this construct had learned was that once the particulars of the process were uncovered, the participants were often less than willing to continue. As such, the specific details were usually hidden and kept tucked away. Only a very few learned the truth, and were willing to continue. So, he would undertake the same process with this race as well. To begin, he would evaluate the species which currently held residence on the target world.
It took but a single moment to finish the given calculations. Current population: 6,794,559,580. An adequate number, perfect for the process at hand. However, a large sample size alone was not enough. No, a proper experiment required that he use a control group as well. Already, the construct’s mind worked, going over process after process as he mentally began the experiment. He took a single step across formless space, emerging from his long forgotten corner so that he might begin the early stages of observation. It only took him a moment to reach from his corner, and to find himself before his target, the sphere expanding in size exponentially. Moving from one corner to the other was a simple task as well, at least for him. For most, the concept of ‘steps’ was alien, and beyond even the reaches of most of the sciences. Standing before the circling world laid out before him, the construct raised up a hand, fingers outstretched. He would take his time, and carefully examine the situation. When it was finished with its current processes, then it would begin.