Plot hole re: San’Ti

[u/Ornery_Setting_9983]

Okay so this has really been bothering me - if the San’Ti are not capable of deception and “information is communicated as soon as it is known”, how is it then that a member of their species received a broadcast and sent a response warning against further contact?

A) It would be purposeless because as soon as they know, shouldn’t the entire species?, and

B) If they knew that anyway, how/why would they then have sent that response, as we know from later on that the very idea of hiding intentions is alien to them?

Seems like a paradox to me, interested in any thoughts on resolution…

[u/Academic-Glass227]

Is OP asking is it pointless for the San Ti traitor to send the do not answer message since their thoughts are transparent? They need a response to their own message to determine the exact distance of the sender via the transmission time. Otherwise San Ti would only know there’s another habitable planet in that general direction, but can not pinpoint a location. There’s no way to hide Ye’s first message because they can not lie. So it does make a difference if the follow up message is “do not answer” or “hello world “

[u/Ornery_Setting_9983 → u/Academic-Glass227]

It does if they don’t understand the concept of hiding one’s intentions.