The first mediation request arrived two days after acceptance.
Not the scale anyone had anticipated. No diplomatic crisis, no institutional negotiation, no cross-civilization policy requiring Ambassador mediation. A private message through Coalition's internal communication system, addressed to Timeline 48, from a council member whose name Rodriguez confirmed before passing the request along.
The message was brief: I'm having difficulty that isn't philosophical. I'd like to speak with someone who can help me understand what conscious reality means for an ordinary life. If that's something Ambassadors do, I'm asking.
Rama took the consultation alone. The council member had requested privacy and the request deserved honoring—this wasn't institutional work requiring full Timeline 48 presence, it was one person needing help processing something genuinely difficult.
