Aaki's Office
A tense few seconds seemed to float by as Mitochondrion stared into the floor for a rather long period, possibly doing research into the subject over the polysentience. Their expression subtly changed several times, before a rattling cough overtook them and the ungainly thing was forced to pause and modify some settings on their rebreather inlet.
"...It's not a name which I readily recognize, but under closer examination, it would appear that this 'Veyrinite', and what the Astral Locksmiths call
Sinkstone, may well be one and the same..." There was a lower, raspy tone to their voice now, likely the result of additional gases being pumped into their system. Even then, their demeanor when talking about these 'locksmiths' turned particularly bitter. "They've been... Quite uncooperative in the past. Best explained as a cult that wants the 'spacers to remain culturally isolated and pure beyond all common sense."
"Yes, they currently hold all of the space within the Blue Rift, and seized all the technology that allows them to navigate it from the rest of us... Sinkstone is supposedly useless, but so
specifically discredited despite clear experimental interest, that the rest of the polysentience has long believed it to be a key material in fabricating
leyline gates."
Another pause, more adjusting. Their voice went back to normal.
"I'm sorry for dumping my nation's internal struggles on your doorstep, but that is simply the way of things right now. The Rifters do, at least, have a single unified leader for you to contact. The massive AI Cinereal..." They looked both concerned and genuinely apologetic. This seemed like a problem that they'd been trying to sort out for a long time, themselves. "Dangerous, selfish sort. They say it is unmatched in hacking skill and interpersonal manipulation."