1. The anarchist who scheduled his own silence

Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Dispossessed returns as the recalled work because Shevek’s theory of time includes both linear sequence and cyclical return. The desktop’s communications autonomy is similar: it must manage both the scheduled rhythm of passes and the unpredictable interruptions that break the rhythm.

Entries 585 through 587 wondered about autonomous link selection, spectrum and data-rate management, and what autonomous communications management needs from the desktop. This entry closes the arc.

2. What was learned

The autonomous communications wondering gives the desktop four constraints:

  • Link selection can be autonomous if it is bounded. A ranked fallback list is safer than open-ended search.
  • Data-rate and prioritization decisions can be fully autonomous if policies are pre-agreed.
  • Spectrum reallocation needs policy bounds. The platform should not invent new frequencies or providers on its own.
  • Autonomous communications is cross-cutting. It needs orbit prediction, link telemetry, storage state, power state, and ground rules.

3. What was decided

The desktop will adopt a policy-bound autonomous communications manager. This means:

  • The platform will autonomously select among pre-authorized links based on predicted passes and real-time link quality.
  • It will autonomously prioritize and compress data within available links according to pre-agreed rules.
  • It will not autonomously change frequency band, provider, or regulatory parameters.
  • All autonomous communications decisions will be logged and reported to ground at the next opportunity.
  • Ground will retain override authority, including the ability to lock the platform to a specific link.

4. Interaction with earlier arcs

The autonomous communications arc connects to the resilient communications reading arc, the long-duration autonomy test arc, and the storage healing arc. It also sets up the communications resilience test arc that comes next.

5. What remains open

The exact link ranking, prioritization policy, and logging format depend on the chosen ground segment and relay services. The wondering arc has set the strategy; detailed policy writing comes later.

6. What this changes

  • The autonomous communications management wondering arc is closed.
  • The desktop inherits a policy-bound autonomous communications manager requirement.
  • The next arc will design a test for communications resilience under interference and outage.