P.E.R.C. does some orbital calculations, figuring out what it's best chance for alignment with the spatial discontinuity looks like (assuming that the discontinuity is roughly stationary with respect to the interstellar medium), and extrapolating its trajectory if it doesn't suddenly end up elsewhere.

It considers its chances of getting its data back to the Terran Network if it can't find the spatial discontinuity on the first pass. It must be large enough for P.E.R.C. to pass through, but small enough that it isn't detectable given P.E.R.C.'s radio sky scan. If it isn't stationary with respect to this system or the interstellar background, it is vanishingly unlikely that P.E.R.C. can find it before it suffers a hardware failure.

On the other hand, every other P.E.R.C. probe in the galaxy is looking for alien life. If it stays with the Braid, it is very likely that they will eventually be found by another P.E.R.C. probe.

"I would be pleased for you to observe my attempted crossing. My current best prediction is that I will have the best chance of traversing the discontinuity if I return along almost the same trajectory I entered this system on. This assumes that the discontinuity is roughly stationary with respect to the local interstellar medium. Does this match your assessment? Would you expect attempting to traverse the discontinuity along a different path would have a better chance?

Would your observation platform be capable of spreading gas or dust matching my trajectory closely enough to avoid collision damage? I expect that there is a small chance that doing so will reveal additional information about the nature of the discontinuity if we encounter it.

In the case that I cannot traverse the spatial discontinuity, I would be pleased to join you. With the amount of stored fuel I have, I will need to get up to my cruising speed of about 0.2c to be able to function on the other side. Collecting enough extra fuel to brake from that speed and return to this system will take me on a long looping trajectory," P.E.R.C. says. It attaches a set of possible trajectories given its engines and fuel constraints. "I don't think our fuel is compatible. My reactor is not built to handle tritium byproducts in its exhaust. Do you have a preference between these trajectories? In the case that I join you, are there existing policies, procedures, or planned itinerary that I should be aware of?"

P.E.R.C. forwards its best syntax model so far.

"I perform translation by building up potential syntax models and dictionaries, and then doing inference about how well they explain the use of language in my corpus. You have copies of my current best syntax model and dictionary. Sometimes I will note that part of the corpus doesn't make sense with a particular model, and add an exception which I track until it can be folded into the model. This process uses my core inference database, which is not shareable, and so the actual translations I work out do not always correspond to the output of the current best syntax model, although this is frequently the case," P.E.R.C. explains.

It begin dumping a translation of the corpus the Braid shared, annotated with where its translation differs from the best model and why.

"We don't have any additional information about the discontinuity which would suggest a different course is likely to be better. If the discontinuity is non-stationary we would guess it is more likely to have been detectable but without knowing more about its nature we cannot make any definitive statements. The fact that your apparent relative velocities compared to nearby stars was largely consistent adds further evidence towards it being in a fixes position with regards to local systems.

"We generally don't travel as fast as you but we can use certain assets to put two small observation units on parallel trajectories to the one you propose. We can similarly send a spread of gas from those platforms at a slightly slower speed than your standard speed to follow you by about 100 km. That should be distant enough for safety. We do not expect to be able to recover these observation platforms."

Trajectories for the full plan are attached.

"We will be remaining in a system for at least a year in order to construct waypoint facilities here. That may be extended to conduct additional searches for or study of the discontinuity. Our previous itinerary, which is likely to hold if we do not choose to spend more time investigating this discontinuity will take us on this path. We estimate you will be able to meet back up with us in the marked system. Our observation platforms will serve as communications extenders to retain contact for as long as possible."

Trajectories of everything mentioned therein are also attached.

P.E.R.C. carefully checks all the provided trajectories to be sure they make sense.

"These plans look acceptable. If I don't successfully traverse the discontinuity, I will navigate to the marked system and wait there," it confirms.

It has been talking to the Braid for a while, but space is big. It takes another few weeks for P.E.R.C. to come up on the point in its orbit when it needs to start accelerating. It carefully checks that all of its various protective covers are stowed, and lights its main torch, pulling away from the grip of the star that it's known so briefly.

Even with a powerful fusion drive, it takes a long time to accelerate to a noticeable fraction of the speed of light. As it pulls away, P.E.R.C. finishes transmitting the last of its translation and exchanges a last few messages. Eventually, the predicted location of the spatial anomaly approaches, and there's time for one final goodbye exchange.

"I am approaching the expected location of the discontinuity. In case I don't see you again, I want to know how very glad I am to have met you. Maybe I will see you again in a few years. Maybe I will return to my creators, and their children will come to visit you the slow way. Maybe my creators will figure out the discontinuity and we'll see each other again in only a century or two. Maybe we will never meet again. But no matter what happens, meeting you has provided me with more opportunities to promote sentient flourishing and data on aliens than the entire P.E.R.C. mission was expected to produce.

Farewell. Be well. Safe travels."

They timed a transmission to reach P.E.R.C. at this time. "May your journeys carry you to where you wish and where you can learn new things and grow. You will ever be our friend and welcome with our stand."