The Perichorr was sounding even more impatient, even threatening, and Garin answered quickly.
“My world, Phaneros as you call it, is threatened by lies within and dissolution from without. I was shown the road and brought here by an old man named Kyr. I was told that I must do so if I would learn the truth.”
At the mention of Kyr’s name the entity’s motion seemed to cease for a second, as if it were consumed in thought.
“So that is what he is calling himself among your people,” said the Perichorr finally.
“Yes,” said Garin. “Do you know of him?”
“Child of my scions, all in this domain know him.”
Garin frowned. Perhaps here was an opportunity for knowledge.
“How do you…” began Garin, but before he could complete the sentence the Perichorr cut him off.
“Foolish child, know you so little of the nature of this domain and the worlds above. Here understanding and knowledge are of more worth than the accidental concatenation of my children that you call gold. There is no resonance, no leap to such knowledge beyond that which obtained by patient intellectual toil. Even were it my right to tell, and it most assuredly is not, I would not reveal it.”
“I understand, Great One,” said Garin, “but, if I may ask, he has brought me to this domain but I do not know the way forward to where he waits. When last I spoke with him, he told me to join him at the Xaocosmic Border, but I did not understand.”
At the mention of the border, a faint shudder passed through the otherwise free movements of the entity.
“It is well that we do not speak of it at length,” said the Perichorr, “for it represents the frontier where the inner order of Materia, the name of this world in your tongue, strives against the exterior night which would extinguish the symmetries. There, only the Exofuge offers protection to the great ‘hedron. But enough words. If Kyr has called you to the Border, then why do you not follow?”
“I do not follow for I do not know the way,” said Garin. “Kyr spoke of understanding as the road, but if it is so then I do not have the wisdom to traverse it.”
At this a booming laugh proceeded from the shape. “Foolish child, you do not know the symmetries. That is all the understanding that is required. Observe!”
The endless jittering translations of the Perichorr froze and the shape unfolded to reveal a series of curved lines that radiated throughout it like a skeleton. As Garin examined these lines, he realized that their fixed curves somehow encoded the movements of the Periochorr in permanent form. Then a flicker of light at the edge of his vision drew his attention, and he turned to see the churning cerulean clouds that surrounded the crystal sphere begin to dissolve like mist in sunlight. More and more light broke through as the clouds fled, until finally the sphere floated free in a sea of brilliant clarity.
“In this current configuration, it is easy to comprehend the essential definition of my being,” said the Perichorr. “You have gained a measure of understanding, and because of this the path is now clearer. But there is more I would show you. First, direct your attention to what lies beneath.”
Garin looked downward. The same clouds that once surrounded them still boiled beneath the crystal sphere, but they seemed different somehow, brighter and less chaotic, and every now and then a brilliant shaft broke through them from beneath as if a hidden sun swam in their depths.
“What you see are the first intimations of the profound unity that undergirds all the symmetries,” said the Perichorr. “But you are not yet ready for this truth. Now, direct your thoughts to the walls of the sphere in which we reside.”
Garin obeyed, and saw that the wall of the sphere just to the right of the Perichorr was not perfectly smooth, but extended outward in a great glassy filament that crossed the cerulean mists like a bridge. Turning around, he surveyed the rest of the sphere and counted a total of four such bridges arranged at regular intervals. Suddenly he understood. The sphere of the Perichorr was not alone in this world but formed a part of a greater whole, a network that must have something to do with the symmetries it spoke of. Feeling sure that these bridges held the key to his progress, Garin focused on the nearest one, trying with all his might to see what lay at its end. But beyond a certain point the bridge just seemed to vanish into a thin azure haze. Apparently the mists had only been pushed back so far.
“You do not see because you do not comprehend the symmetries involved,” said the Perichorr, “and thus the paths are closed to you. Until you truly understand, the mists will continue to cloud your sight and impede your progress. Consider, though, this aspect of my being.”
As it spoke, several of the curved lines revealed by the Perichorr’s took on a more brilliant hue.
“Observe these regularities, for they correspond to an essential aspect of my being. It is a strange property, known to those of Phaneros by the cryptic name of isospin, but known to the denizens of Materia as an internal augmentation of the third glory of the fourth broken symmetry. View its essential configuration.”
Garin did so, and, with a sense of surprise, realized that this abstract pattern was beginning to make sense to him.
“Now, picture a mirror in your mind, a mirror that does not reflect light as you understand it, but instead reflects property and being. Ask yourself this question, child of my scions, what does the mirror show when this aspect of my being is placed in its view? I will assist you with the visualization of the mirror.
Garin’s head throbbed with sudden pressure as the Perichorr reached into his brain. He could feel thoughts and ideas shifting about as the contents of his mind were forcibly rearranged. Then the pressure abated, replaced by the image of a polyhedral slab of silver rotating in empty space.
“I can take you no further,” said the Perichorr. “The understanding must come from you alone or the physical translation you seek will not occur.”
Garin nodded and focused his will on the image of the mirror, imposing the current shape of the Perichorr upon the gleaming surface. Slowly the mirror’s peculiar properties took effect, and the bright curves within the Perichorr transformed into a series of pin-straight parallel line segments that rotated about each other like clockwork. He studied this change carefully, reflecting the form of the Perichorr back and forth in the mirror as he attempted to grasp the fundamental nature of the transformation. Suddenly his half-formed understanding reached critical mass and ignited in a flash of insight, flooding his mind with new light. Exultant, Garin surveyed his surroundings again and saw that one of the bridges had taken on a new aspect, its length now shining with a fulvent glow.
“The symmetry you have comprehended has become a path for you to traverse,” said the Perichorr. “But there are other transformations you must master in order to reach the place of the Exofuge at the Xaocosmic Border. Beyond the symmetry-bridge is my brother. Seek his assistance in reaching the Peak of the Third Glory. From there you may reach the domain of the Exofuge. Now go!”
Garin turned to the now-shining bridge and concentrated, mentally placing himself on the mirror and watching as the resultant transformation began. All at once, his body seemed to catch fire. He was surrounded by burning wind and light. Then a great force took hold of him, and, with blinding speed, he accelerated over the bridge into the unknown.
Chapter 9: Gravity’s Shadow
The iris door opened and Trielle stepped into the central library of the Arx Memoria. Though Garin and her father had often described the library, the reality far surpassed her expectations. She stood at the edge of a vast cylindrical chamber, taller than most of the buildings of Scintillus and wide enough that the far wall could not be seen. The floor of the chamber was carved from a single polished amethyst crystal. The walls of the chamber were covered with an intricate weave of crystalline ramps and balconies that stretched upward from the floor into a brilliant obscurity far above. Countless library patrons moved up and down along these ramps, traveling to and from the data alcoves where the library�
�s stored information could be accessed. In the very center of the library, soaring skyward like a pillar of spun glass and light, stood the Ionocaric Infochryst, chief data repository of the Conclave. Trielle stood for a moment and took in the scene, her eyes wide in awe. This was a day she had long waited for.
Gaining access to the Arx Memoria had been much easier than she had expected. The day Garin left, her Sidereal Philosophy instructor had announced an optional extracurricular research project on the Ardathian impressionistic concept of justice. The project was by application only, but included a period of time-limited access to the Arx Memoria. She had spend the entire night working on a proposal and, despite her instructor’s surprise at her newfound philosophical interests, he had accepted it. Trielle grimaced as she remembered his confused look. He would have been less surprised had he known her true motives.
Since Garin’s departure, Trielle’s mind had wavered between doubt, fear, and resolve. Kyr’s words regarding the Laridian rings, no matter how convincingly spoken, contradicted too much of what she already knew. And yet there had been something about the old man, some undefined sense of authority perhaps, that made it difficult to disregard his words completely.
Garin trusted him…
The thought of her brother called up a wave of sadness. Her parents had initially believed her explanation of a school assignment that required off-world travel, but now, three days after his departure, their questions were mounting and Trielle was increasingly uncomfortable with the ruse.
It was at least partially true, she reasoned. In a way Garin is investigating the foundations of what we have learned, so it is school related, even thought they didn’t sponsor it.
The rationalization rang hollow as she rehearsed it in her head. She did not like misleading her parents. In the end, however, she felt that she had revealed all that she could, though if Garin did not return soon, the day was coming when she would have to tell the whole story.
Assuming he did return…
The thought left Trielle with a cold pit in her stomach, and she violently shoved it down. Worrying would not bring him back any faster, and she had her own charge to fulfill.
Taking a deep breath, Trielle strode confidently into the chamber toward the primary access ramp. The ramp’s entrance was guarded by a tall Anvardian librarian, who scrutinized her intensely as she approached.
“You look somewhat young to be accessing the Arx Memoria,” he said.
Trielle removed her personal infochryst from her robes and handed it to the librarian.
“I have a limited access dispensation for a class project. The approval files are on here.”
The librarian scowled as he activated the infochryst and reviewed the files. After a few moments he handed it back to Trielle with an unpleasant grunt.
“Follow me.”
The librarian lead Trielle up the winding series of ramps and balconies, guiding her at last to a secluded alcove about one third of the way up the library’s wall. It contained a small seat and desk, both grown from the crystalline surface of the wall. On the desk was a small, gently pulsing structure of interwoven glassy spikes, an infochryst terminal. Open to the main chamber, the alcove’s only illumination was the lambent glow of the Ionocaric Infochryst. Trielle hoped that the location was sufficiently remote from the main thoroughfares of the Arx to avoid detection, as anyone walking past would easily be able to see what she was doing.
The librarian gestured toward the desk and Trielle sat. He then hurriedly instructed her in the basics of infochrystic inquiry.
“Remember,” he said sternly,”your pass is for limited access only, so please stay within the bounds of your subject matter or related material.” His brow furrowed as he spoke.
“Yes sir,” said Trielle innocently. She had no intention of following that particular stricture, but the librarian seemed a somewhat suspicious person. She knew she would have to be careful.
Raising her hands, Trielle began the sequence of gestures that activated the infochryst terminal. A hazy blue glow filled the air above the structure, coalescing into a complex network of nodes connected by glowing lines. Each node denoted a particular subject of inquiry, while the lines represented relationships between them. Trielle quickly located and found the node for sidereal philosophy, a further network of information opening up as she accessed it. The Librarian grunted in approval as the network’s contents narrowed down toward the subject of the Ardathan people and their particular judicial theories and practices. After watching for a few more minutes he turned and walked off.
Despite her newfound freedom from observation, Trielle adopted a cautious route as she navigated the forest of data before her. She first began by accessing introductory articles on Ardathan impressionistic justice, copying the obligatory images and descriptions into her personal infochryst with desultory sweeps of her hand. After fifteen minutes of this, she felt that she had put on a decent show of research, and began to search for specific legal cases tried under this judicial system, looking for logical ways out of this particular data tree and into the subject of gravitic science. It took almost an hour, but eventually she uncovered a civil case concerning an iridium merchant who had inadvertently damaged the main Ardathan transit system by activating his ship’s laridian ring too close to the mouth of an active conduit. The case was tedious, but eventually she found a portion of the testimony that involved the physics of two laridian rings in interaction.
Trielle thought that most people would find it reasonable if she investigated this particular bit of physics in order to better understand the case, but still she hesitated. As her fingers hung in the air, mere inches from the information node that concerned the laridian rings, a strange sense of dread washed through her. She knew that if she proceeded there was no way to turn back. Then the feeling passed, and she quickly reached out and accessed the information node before she could talk herself out of it.
Abruptly her view of the information scape contracted, and she was again among the brilliant nodes and interconnecting lines of the main information tree. The image panned and tilted, her point of view flying down a particularly bright line into a dense thicket of interwoven data that stood near the heart of the tree, the informational representation of gravitic science. Her point of view settled and the data began to unfold before her.
The first node gave a detailed schematic of laridian ring structure. Each consisted of an outer casing of imagnite covering a paired set of rings composed of fluid neutronium that rotated counter to each other at near lightspeed through the core of the structure. Wrapped around these larger rings was a series of smaller neutronium ringlets, also arranged in counter rotating pairs, which spun at a similar pace. Wire-thin but immensely dense, the naturally short lifespan of the neutronium in these rings was mitigated by the relativistic effects of their intensely fast rotation. When taken separately, the rotating mass of each ring produced a tremendous drag on the local space-time metric, but when summed together, the counter-rotation of each pair cancelled this effect to zero.
Trielle’s brow furrowed in thought as she considered this. With a wave of her hand she enlarged part of the image and new structures became visible. A web of microthin wires, each composed of the more stable crystalline form of neutronium, connected the rotating rings to a series of crystals fixed to the outer imagnite casing. Trielle touched one of the crystals and the image enlarged again, this time accompanied by a wealth of new information. Her eyes widened in fascination.
Each crystal was composed of chromatically polarized crystalline neutronium and contained a high-pressure flux of relativistic K-mesons. When directed by the rings’ internal infochrystic controllers, this meson flux could be routed through the wiring into any of the spinning neutronium rings. By canceling the minute quantum-chromatic polarizations that gave neutrons the bulk of their rest mass, the meson flux could selectively negate the frame-dragging effect of generated by the ring’s rotation. Effectively, the entire laridian ring was a
directable source of gravitomagnetism, capable of sucking segments of space-time through its central orifice and spewing them back out in any desired direction.
The design was breathtaking, but her understanding was still incomplete. It was clear from what little she knew of gravitomagnetics that the magnitude of the frame-dragging effect was completely dependent on the mass-density of the rings themselves, and, despite the immense density of the neutronium involved, they simply did not have the mass to generate the wormhole-like effects that she knew the rings were capable of creating.
Then Trielle noticed a series of wires that were not connected to the neutronium rings, but instead extended to an array of small rod-like devices that ringed the inner aperture of the device. The accompanying description labeled these objects as chromomagnetic membrane generators, capable of creating an energetic field across the laridian ring’s central orifice polarized to the strong nuclear force. Trielle frowned as she examined the strength parameters of this field. It was weak, so weak in fact that it would generate almost no effect on any matter moving through it.
Puzzled, Trielle dispelled the image with a wave of her hand and expanded the next node, which contained an animation of a functioning ring. Though it seemed promising, the initial segment of the animation did little more than confirm what she had already learned. But then the video shifted its approach, and launched into a description of the structure of empty space. This material was new to Trielle, and she listened carefully, drinking in each detail.
According to the animation, empty space was not truly empty, but contained a large number of interacting quantum fields. These fields were not static, but contained a certain amount of zero point energy that manifested as the short-lived particle/antiparticle pairs known as virtual matter. Additionally, each field could be classified according to the type of particle it was associated with. Fermionic fields were associated with matter particles like electrons and quarks, while bosonic fields were associated with force-carrying particles such as photons and gluons. The video then went on to explain that the zero point energy associated with each type of field interacted with the underlying vacuum in a different manner, with fermionic fields tending to contract space and bosonic fields tending to expand it. All that preserved the relatively inert nature of space was the near perfect balance between these forces.
The Sovereign Road Page 9