Shell Games

Once again, our heroes are doing a training as the Siphians (Siphian Syzygy), the super-intelligent rodents who solve problems for the universe. Sintris should have been stable for thousands of years. It isn't. When the red giant unexpectedly enters its final phase, the Siphians face extinction, and they're not alone. The blast radius threatens everything they've built, and everyone they've promised to protect. The question is, why did the star destabilise? The answer reveals a threat far more dangerous than any supernova: a species willing to weaponize the stars themselves to get what they want. The Siphians have solved impossible problems before but this time their solution may be their most audacious yet - nothing less than building a world. Oh, and accidentally creating new life along the way.