Hera was following the model, so Mars continued.
“Now, let’s make it a little more complicated and imagine that our friends are two-dimensional critters. These guys believe they live in a universe that is an infinite plane, which also began as a singularity and is expanding.
“These two-dimensional people understand the concepts forward/backward and right/left, but cannot comprehend up/down. But we can. We can imagine their expanding, yet seemingly flat and infinite, universe being the two-dimensional surface of a sphere.
What if their universe is the surface of a three-dimensional balloon that expands as the balloon inflates and shrinks as it deflates? Like our one-dimensional friends, these guys could travel in a two-dimensionally straight line and wind up back where they started without ever turning right or left. That concept blows their minds because they cannot comprehend the third dimension, and the balloon is so gigantic that they cannot see around it.”
Hera said, “OK, that makes sense, but how does the balloon inflate and deflate?”
Mars answered, “Good question, and this is where it gets a little more complicated. You might not be able to visualize my answer but think about it mathematically. We established that the surface of a three-dimensional sphere creates a circle where it intersects a two-dimensional plane. What do you think happens where a four-dimensional sphere, called a glome, intersects a three-dimensional space?”
Hera tentatively answered, “You get a sphere?”
Mars exclaimed, “Precisely! Now, it might be hard, or impossible to visualize a four-dimensional sphere, but what do you think happens when a glome balloon passes through this three-dimensional space? Remember what happened to the circle when our spherical balloon passed through the two-dimensional plane.”
Hera answered, with a little more confidence, “I suppose their universe would appear to start as a singularity. The surface of the sphere would rapidly expand into an apparently-infinite plane with no center. And it would eventually collapse back into a singularity and disappear as the balloon passed out of the three-dimensional space.”
Mars grinned and said, “I think you’re getting it. And, while there is no center on the two-dimensional surface of the balloon, the three-dimensional balloon does contain a center. However, our surface-dwelling friends cannot comprehend it because that center point is below them in the third dimension. Again, they cannot visualize up or down.
“Now, let’s extend our model one more time to bring it home. What do you think the ‘surface’ of a five-dimensional sphere passing through a four-dimensional space would be?”
Hera guessed, “Well, I suppose that the next step up from a two-dimensional surface would be a three-dimensional space.”
Mars agreed, “You are right again. And, as this five-dimensional bubble passes through the four-dimensional space, everything in this, apparently infinite, three-dimensional space will expand and contract with no center.
“Our universe is not infinite, but it is enormous. If we were able to see far enough, we would see our butts, although they would be billions of years in the past.
“I realize, of course, that this concept makes no more sense to us than it does to our one- and two-dimensional friends. But, you see, the fourth, physical dimension not only has forward/backward, right/left, and up/down. It also has in/out. The center of our expanding and contracting universe is inside this four-dimensional balloon upon which we are riding.”
Hera said, “I suppose that makes logical sense. But, even if you are right, then our universe will still have billions of years left before the bubble or balloon passes through.”
Mars sighed and said, “Yeah, wouldn’t that be nice? Unfortunately, we have this little physical law called ‘the conservation of mass and energy,’ which isn’t entirely correct but is accurate enough to mess everything up.
“You see, we can’t change the amount of mass or energy from within our universe, but it can be added or removed from higher dimensions. After all, that is where all our mass and energy came from at the beginning of the universe, right?
“Now, think about our one-dimensional friends. How much mass is there in their circular universe created by the balloon passing through a plane?”
Hera said, “Well, the balloon’s skin is the same thickness everywhere. So, more of the balloon’s skin intersects the plane as it passes until it reaches its widest point. Therefore, the amount of mass in their universe should increase until the middle of the balloon passes through the plane and then decrease until it disappears.”
“Right again! So, the amount of mass and energy in their universe would always be changing. But let’s say that the law of conservation of mass and energy also applies to them. In other words, their universe also has a fixed amount of mass and energy. Can you think of a model where their one-dimensional universe expands without the amount of mass increasing?”
Hera thought for a while and posited, “Well, a balloon’s skin stretches as it inflates. So, the amount of mass will remain constant while the circle grows if a stationary balloon inflates within the plane. In that situation, its skin would maintain the same amount of mass, while becoming thinner as its diameter increases.”
Mars agreed, “Yes, and what happens if you overinflate a balloon?”
“It pops.”
“Yes, it pops, which is what will happen to our universe in slightly less than seventy-six-million years. You see, once you accept this model, you realize that EVERYTHING in our universe is expanding. It’s easy to use powerful telescopes to observe galaxies and stars spreading apart at vast distances over billions of years. It is much more challenging to see what is occurring at a subatomic level. But everything is expanding in our universe at every level. That means that the distances between atoms, molecules, and subatomic particles, are stretching apart just like the distances between our galaxies.
“That is why the physics of the early universe was different than it is today. It is also why our current universe’s physics will eventually break down. There is a constant we call the Maximum Universal Stress Point where the distances between subatomic particles become too great to sustain attraction. Universal Stress is so small and changes so slowly in micro-physics that it is almost impossible to measure. However, we have determined its current level and rate of expansion. In about seventy-six-million years, the distance between all subatomic particles in the universe will become too large. At that point, the forces binding them will lose cohesion, and our universe will pop. And, when that occurs, everything we know will dissipate very quickly.”
They both sat quietly, listening to a pair of birds twittering in the rafters above them as Hera contemplated what she had just heard.
She eventually said, “So, you think these other civilizations came to the same conclusion and decided to meet up for a party to watch the end of the universe?”
Mars laughed, “Well, I’m sure there will be a party, but remember that these are all species who have ruled the galaxy. I expect that Great Gathering will rapidly evolve into the biggest and bloodiest battle the universe has ever seen. But, yes, the victor will win the right to watch the end of the universe.”
Hera concluded, “And you don’t want to participate in that bloodbath, right?”
Mars shook his head. “Oh, it sounds like a hoot, but we have other things to do. You see, Szalracht’s laboratory contains possibly the most valuable object in the entire universe. His experiment resulted in creating several alternative timelines. He even managed to move this laboratory from one timeline to another. He, of course, didn’t really transfer mass. However, he did manage to reconfigure mass existing in this timeline into him, you, this laboratory, and everything in it. The result is effectively the same.
“He also sent information which caused people in one timeline to dream of being in another. As a result, he turned Terra, myself, and two others into immortal gods. Our counterparts, with whom we meld in our dreams, met you nearly ten-thousand years ago. They gav
e you the cylinder you thought was pretty and stashed in your closet. Of course, that seemed like only a few days ago to you.
“Our counterparts in the other timeline built that cylinder. It is the most powerful computer ever constructed, containing data and structural matter from a precisely-known time and location in an alternative timeline. You and Szalracht have transitioned between realities several times. However, that cylinder is the only object in the universe which precisely shows the relationship between two different realities. We’re going to use it, and Szalracht’s data to find a way to prevent our extinction.
“You see, Szalracht figured out how to send messages back in time and then transition to the new timeline to see what happened. However, his method was all trial and error. Also, you guys left one reality and came out in another at the same point in time. We’ll use our new understanding of temporal relationships to craft the alternative timelines we desire without relying upon guesswork. And, we’re going to jump to different points in time in those realities. We won’t need ancient heroes fulfilling cryptic prophecies in their dreams to make it work.
“We might be able to create a reality where the universe doesn’t explode. Or, perhaps we could shift to a time far in the past and start over in an alternative timeline.
Terra had taken a break and joined them. She added, “Or we might simply skip ahead past the end of the universe.”
Hera had a startled expression on her face, and Mars laughed. “Yeah, that one makes my brain hurt too. But Terra is convinced that it works, and she is the smart one.”
Terra smiled and said, “You see, while understanding the origin, history, and future of our physical dimensions answered many questions, it left the big one unresolved. What happened before the beginning of time, and what will happen after time ends?
“Religions answer this by saying that a supreme entity created everything, but that is unsatisfying. After all, who or what created that supreme being? Religious answers simply elevate the question of the origins of everything to another level. The same is true with our five-dimensional bubble theory. What created the bubble in the first place? Does time have a beginning or an end? Is time infinite? Even our beautiful five-dimensional bubble theory doesn’t inform us what happened before everything began nor what will occur after our universe ends.
“However, I believe that we can derive the answer using the same model we used to explain the big bang of our three physical dimensions. You see, I believe that time has no beginning nor end, but that it is also not infinite.”
Mars laughed. “See what I mean? Terra’s temporal theories sound like crazy talk, right?”
Hera nodded in agreement, but Terra chuckled knowingly and continued. “Remember our one-dimensional friends who thought that their physical universe was infinite when it was just a vast circle? They could only move forward and not right, left, or even back. These guys could not imagine how moving forward in space would eventually bring them back to where they began. They couldn’t comprehend a circular two-dimensional path.
“The same model applies to us. We are one-dimensional temporal beings who can only move forward in time at a fixed pace. However, I propose that our single temporal dimension is a massive circle rather than a finite or infinite line.
“If my theory is correct, then our physical universe will be endlessly created, destroyed, and recreated as we continuously loop around our temporal circle. Thus, time has no beginning nor end, but it is not infinite. We simply move around and around an endless temporal circle.
“But perhaps we can find a way to jump ahead and skip over the universe’s end and its first billion years of insane physics. Doing that would mean we could keep living in a stable, physical universe indefinitely, skipping over its repeated destruction and rebirth.”
Mars interjected, “But tell her how we aren’t actually moving forward through time. That’s the part that blows my mind.”
Terra sighed and explained, “As odd as it sounds, my math indicates that Mars is right. We aren’t moving forward through time at a fixed rate. There are too many variables and possibilities for everything in the universe to be moving through time at precisely the same speed. Therefore, there is only one rational explanation. Everything in our universe is stationary, while time is moving backward through us. The relativistic effect is the same, but the math becomes dramatically simplified. Picture us running in place on a spinning disk. We’re just going to jump at the right moment, wait for the end of the universe to pass below our feet, and then land in a fresh universe.”
Mars said, “Every time I hear that, it almost makes sense for a split second before I lose it. But what Terra is suggesting is that it might be faster and easier to jump ahead in time instead of attempting to go back in time. Of course, this requires her to be right about our temporal dimension being circular.”
Terra added, “We also need to determine the size of our temporal circle, when we are on our timeline, and when we want to reenter the time stream. We have a lot of work to do before we’re ready to give this a try.”
Hera tentatively asked, “But, it seems as though there might be an easier solution. You’re already skipping ahead in time by skimming the edge of a black hole’s gravity well. Why don’t you just stay in a little longer and come out once everything has restarted?”
Terra smiled and answered, “Because we would still be in this physical universe. Everything in it will collapse when it pops, including the black holes and whoever is orbiting them. You see, time dilation caused by gravity wells or high-speed travel is different than skipping to a different timeline. Let me try to explain.
“We exist in one temporal dimension, but two other temporal dimensions must also exist to balance our three-dimensional, physical universe. Also, while temporal and physical dimensions are distinct and different, they do interact. Extreme physical mass, like a black hole, distorts temporal dimensions.
“I find visualizing temporal dimensions challenging, so I’ll try to describe what happens with gravity wells using physical dimensions. Imagine that time is like physical distance. You can think of years as being mile markers on a road. Since we’re one-dimensional, everything in the universe travels along this road at precisely the same speed and direction. So, pretend we’re all in cars using cruise-control to go the same speed. The mile markers are the dates and times, and our odometers are our ages.
“Gravity wells distort time in ways which create shortcuts. Diving into one does not change our speed in any way. It simply reduces the miles, or time, we need to travel to get to the next milepost.”
Hera was completely confused, so Terra drew a clock face in the dirt and tried again.
“Imagine that our timeline is really a circle, which we’re all racing around at the same speed. Gravity wells distort our second and third temporal dimensions. When Szalracht enters the black hole event horizon, he will be pulled closer to the temporal circle’s center. He won’t realize it, of course, because he cannot comprehend higher-level temporal dimensions. But look at what happens to his path.
“Your ‘Uncle’ will still be traveling at the same speed as us, but the radius of his circular timeline will be shorter. In other words, he won’t have to go as far as us to get to the same place in time. Szalracht will pop out of the gravity well and return to the same timeline radius as us but will have moved farther around the temporal circle. In other words, he will have aged less than the rest of the universe without speeding up because gravity provided him a shorter path. That path is still within our universe, though. So, anyone on it will be destroyed at the same time as the rest of us. They will just die younger.
“Mars, the other gods, and I will be creating and exploring countless alternative timelines. The good news is that we have seventy-six million years to experiment. The better news is that our explorations should be a lot of fun and generate some great stories.
“We’ll return to this timeline and meet up with our friends at the celebration once we�
��ve figured everything out. Then we’ll win the battle at the Great Gathering and take everyone home to our new time and reality.”
Mars grinned and said, “Now, aren’t you glad that you stayed here with us?”
About the Author
Gregory Cholmondeley grew up on the eastern side of Cincinnati, graduated from Walnut Hills High School, and vacationed throughout Kentucky and West Virginia, which he drew upon for the settings in this series. He is currently married with three children and living in Florida.
When Gregory is not writing, he is President of Cholmonco, Inc., and PRINTelligence Consulting, which provide technical writing, video production, and sales & marketing training services with a primary focus on workflow enhancement software.
Mr. Cholmondeley finds that, while there are many ways in which fictional and technical writing differ – they are also surprisingly similar. Both require a tremendous amount of research. Both need to have the stories coaxed out of the data. But, while a marketer can ask supporting questions during a case study interview, a novelist needs to create and populate a believable world to find those answers. Both involve a process where often the writer is as surprised by the results as the readers.
Most important, however, is that he finds writing novels to be as much fun as reading them.
Other Books by
Gregory Cholmondeley
Discover and purchase all of Gregory Cholmondeley’s books at www.amazon.com/author/cholmondeley or at www.cholmonco.com/storyteller.
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