One theory of time held that any given moment was simply a specific arrangement of every quantum particle that made up the universe. The particles, always in motion, created the perception of a forward progression in the flow of time, which was really nothing more than the constant variation of those particles, morphing from one state and position to another. To be in any place, or any time, all one had to do was find a way to tell all the particles of the universe to assume a given state or position in relationship to one another. Any reality that was ever possible could become this moment; this reality. The realization of the theory seemed impossible, however, for one could never know how to arrange each particle of the universe just as they were at the Globe Theatre in 1612. It was challenge enough to understand even one particle of the universe—but science held that the whole of the universe had sprung from one single point. If that were true, then any possible universe might arise in the same way.
The way, it was found, was through the seeming annihilation of a small black hole. Dorland found a theory, and the theory became an Arch. It was found that the crushing effects of gravity as one approached the singularity could be neutralized by simply getting the black hole to spin at a fantastic rate of speed. The resulting reality was like a dead spot of calm in a whirlpool, or the eye at the heart of a swirling hurricane. It was realized in the center of the Arch, and anything that passed within its aura was protected from the annihilation of the event horizon. The Arch opened and forged a safe pathway through the event horizon of a controlled black hole, and all that lay beyond it.
While it was impossible for humans to physically re-arrange the particles of the universe into a new pattern, a quantum singularity achieved this result effortlessly. Humans only had to tell the universe what they wanted—what shape and time to assume on the other side of the singularity. Mathematics was their voice, and the universe, being about nothing of any particular importance at any given moment, was kind enough to heed them and comply.
TIME GLOSSARY - Terminology
From Dorland’s Theory
ABSOLUTE CERTIANTY - A condition brought about by willful determination that serves to limit variation in the continuum, creating a kind of tunnel in the Time Meridian that restricts outcomes to an absolute certainty.
ATTENUATION - A property of an incomplete Time shift, where the traveler manifests across a range of several milliseconds, slightly out of synch or phase with his correct manifestation point.
CLARITY – Clear or good understanding of a temporal locus, pattern, event, Outcome or Consequence.
CO-LOCATION - The presence of an object transported back through time to any point or Meridian on the continuum where that object existed. This is expressly forbidden by Time, and therefore impossible. In like manner, no person can ever shift in Time to a point where they co-locate with themselves.
EXCEPTION: See Vanishing Point.
CONSEQUENCE – An undesired result achieved by a temporal Transformation – Usually referring to the negative (i.e.) Sometimes certain Consequences must be accepted in order to achieve a desired Outcome.
CONVOLUTION – The relative difficulty or complexity of a given temporal event or condition.
DEEP NEXUS – Sometimes called a “Void” – A crucial, significant Nexus Point where radical alteration of the time line is possible. A Deep Nexus has a universal effect on all moments in Time until resolved, and can therefore be a portal into any potential Meridian passing through the Nexus.
DENSITY – A relative term describing factor counts in temporal events.
ELASTICITY – The tendency of Time to resist alteration and reassume its original shape. Also known as “Quantum Memory Foam.”
FACTOR – An element contributing to convolution in temporal events.
FINALITY – A catastrophic Grand Imperative (like the Cuthulu asteroid strike that led to the eradication of the dinosaurs and other life.)
FREE RADICAL – A dangerous, erratic variable in the course of temporal events – usually only existing within a Deep Nexus.
GOLEM - A special search program written by Kelly Ramer and distributed to hundreds of thousands of computer users via the Internet. Golems are able to search and report on information on the net and can perceive data on every Meridian during a time of Deep Nexus through the phenomenon known as “Resonance.”
GREAT VOID – An interminable shadow or Penumbra cast by a Grand Imperative.
HAZE – Obscurity in the understanding of a temporal situation or event.
IMPERATIVE – An event in Time which must happen – Usually a natural event. A Grand Imperative is a natural event of special significance. Some Grand Imperatives can become a Finality.
INEVITABILITY – A progression of events that is inexorable and unalterable.
INITIATOR – A person directly responsible for a new Time Meridian (Like Mohammed, or Christ). A Prime Mover of great significance.
LEVER – A secondary contributor to movement in a series of events.
MERIDIAN – An established line of temporal events on the continuum.
NEXUS POINT – A point of connection, intersection or branching of one or more Meridians in the Time continuum.
NODE – A specific point on a Time Meridian.
OUTCOME – A desired result achieved by a temporal Transformation – Usually referring to the positive.
PARADOX – Time’s way of correcting errors in the Time continuum. Paradox is a real force, and quite dangerous. It kills or erases people and objects from the Time Meridian when unaccountable complications arise from their actions. A Paradox is NOT simply a thorny problem, it is a real effect and force of annihilation. A kind of “Anti-Time.”
PENUMBRA – The shadow of influence on future events cast by an Imperative.
POINT OF ORIGIN – The temporal locus where a person or object becomes a Prime Mover.
PRIME MOVER – A primary causative lever or agent for an event – usually a person but sometimes an object.
PUSH POINT – A moment of insignificance that gives rise to a key event on a Time Meridian. Often associated with a Prime Mover.
QUANTUM KARMA – The influence of causality on a Time Meridian. Each moment on the Meridian affects the next, and certain Prime Movers accumulate an aura of Quantum Karma around them that also has profound effects on the configuration of future moments in Time.
RADICAL TRANSFORMATION – A catastrophic alteration of the Temporal Condition.
RESONANCE - Information emanating from the intersection of a Nexus Point, where many alternate Meridians “resonate” data concerning the outcome of events.
TEMPORAL CONDITION – The matrix, pattern or state of affairs in a given time period.
TRANSFORMATION – Any change in a Time Meridian that alters a future Temporal Condition.
TRANSFORMER – A person who causes a Transformation.
VANISHING POINT - The exact moment in Time when an object is removed and transported elsewhere in the continuum.
VARIATION – A subtle change in a Time Meridian that does not significantly alter Temporal Conditions.
WEIGHT OF OPINION - The culmination and likely outcome of future events as a result of a potential transformation, as perceived and reported by the Golem search cloud.
WILLFUL EVENT - Events resulting from decisions or actions taken by human beings
ZOMBIE - The walking dead. A person, fated to die, but whose life has been spared due to a willful intervention in a Time Meridian. Paradox will allow the elimination of a Zombie by restoring the moment of his natural death to the continuum.
The Writing Shop Press
The Writing Shop is a confederation of writers, poets and artists who are delighted to take advantage of the wonders of digital printing technology to offer their creative work to others.
Have you written a book that you simply must see through to printer’s ink? Please visit us at www.writingshop.ws and learn about our services for new authors.
The Meridian Series ~ Novels By
John Schettler
Book I: Meridian – A Novel In Time
ForeWord Magazine’s “Book of the Year”
2002 Silver Medal Winner for Science Fiction
The adventure begins on the eve of the greatest experiment ever attempted—Time Travel. As the project team meets for their final mission briefing, the last member, arriving late, brings startling news. Catastrophe threatens and the fate of the Western World hangs in the balance. But a visitor from another time arrives bearing clues that will carry the hope of countless generations yet to be born.
Book II: Nexus Point
The project team members slowly come to the realization that a “Time War” is being waged by unseen adversaries in the future. The quest for an ancient fossil leads to an amazing discovery hidden in the Jordanian desert. A mysterious group of assassins plot to decide the future course of history, just one battle in a devious campaign that will span the Meridians of time, both future and past
Book III: Touchstone
When Nordhausen follows a hunch and launches a secret time jump mission on his own, he uncovers an operation being run by unknown adversaries from the future. The incident has dramatic repercussions for Kelly Ramer, who’s place in the time line is again threatened by paradox. Kelly’s fate is somehow linked to an ancient Egyptian artifact, once famous the world over, and now a forgotten slab of stone. The result is a harrowing mission to Egypt during the time frame of Napoleon’s 1799 invasion.
Book IV: Anvil of Fate
The cryptic ending of Touchstone dovetails perfectly into this next volume as Paul insists that Kelly has survived, and is determined to bring him safely home. Only now is the true meaning of the stela unearthed at Rosetta made apparent— a grand scheme to work a catastrophic transformation of the Meridians, so dramatic and profound in its effect that the disaster at Palma was only a precursor.
Book V: Golem 7
Nordhausen is back with new research and his hand on the neck of the terrorist behind the Palma Event. Now the project team struggles to discover how and where the Assassins have intervened to restore the chaos of Palma, and their search leads them on one of the greatest naval sagas of modern history.
Other work by John Schettler
Taklamakan ~ The Land Of No Return
It was one of those moments on the cusp of time, when Tando Ghazi Khan, a simple trader of tea and spice, leads a caravan to the edge of the great desert, and becomes embroiled in the struggle that will decide the fate of an empire and shake all under heaven and earth.
Khan Tengri ~ Volume II of Taklamakan
Learn the fate of Tando, Drekk, and the others in this revised version of Part II of Taklamakan, with a 30,000 word, 7 chapter addition! (eBook Only)
Steamboat Slough ~ A Mystery
There was something under the ice at Steamboat Slough, something lost, buried in the frozen wreckage where the children feared to play. For Daniel Edwards, returning to the old mission site near the Yukon where he taught school a decade past, the wreck of an old steamboat becomes more than a tale told by the village elders. In a mystery weaving the shifting imagery of a dream with modern psychology and ancient myth, Daniel struggles to solve the riddle of the old wreck and free himself from the haunting embrace of a nightmare older than history itself.
Wild Zone
Science Fiction
A shadow has fallen over earth’s latest and most promising colony prospect in the Dharma system. When a convulsive solar flux event disables communications with the Safe Zone, special agent Timothy Scott Ryan is rushed to the system on a Navy frigate to investigate. He soon becomes embroiled in a mystery that threatens the course of evolution itself as a virulent new organism has targeted mankind as a new host.
Mother Heart ~ Sequel to Wild Zone
Ensign Lydia Gates is the most important human being alive, for her blood holds the key to synthesizing a vaccine against the awful mutations spawned by the Colony Virus. Ryan and Caruso return to the Wild Zone to find her, discovering more than they bargained for, and the ancient entity at the heart of the mystery of life on Dharma VI. (eBook Only)
For more information visit:
http://www.writingshop.ws
or
http://www.dharma6.com
Anvil of Fate (Meridian Series) Page 28