《The Death of Definitivity》
Prologue: The Tourists
Definitivity: The default state of existence of our universe and all which resides within, that being total predictability. Through perfect and precise mathematics, every action of definitive bodies can be calculated. As far as is currently understood, there exist only two ways for one to lose their Definitivity: Infinite Recursion and Limited Omniscience. Both can be explained through an analysis of our species¡¯ past.
~ The Death of Definitivity (Inch Distant)
The Pilgrim Empire. The sacrifices of Marc Barrows. The infinitude of Tupperware Interlude.
What emotions are spurred from the mere mentioning of these names?
Pride? Sorrow? Nostalgia?
How about curiosity? I¡¯m sure you must be curious¡ªotherwise, why would you pick up this book in the first place?
Throughout your life, you have undoubtedly heard these names praised time and time again, but what do you know of them in-depth?
Depending on the rigor of your educational curriculum, passing references to their importance could be all that you know of humanity¡¯s saviors.
That, I see as a tragedy¡ªwhich is why I applaud your curiosity driving you towards a deeper pursuit of knowledge. Our story¡ªhumanity¡¯s story¡ªdeserves to be understood by all who benefit from it. Regardless of how crude the acts of our history¡¯s change-makers may have been, they must be explored. They must be learned from.
And that is where I, esteemed and accomplished author, Inch Distant, am of assistance.1
1 | Some other widely acclaimed books by Inch Distant include On the History of the Alcorian Su-Domirrae, The Many Wisdoms of Inch Distant, The Birth of Quadrinity, Dirges for the Future, Pre- and Post-Bottleneck Humanity: A Look Into Their Hearts, Minds, and Souls: The Extensive Differences Creating Rifts Between Time and Space and Love and Hope: and Glory Be To Our Quadrinity: We Love You So, and 12 Easy Steps to Win Over Friends and Lovers. All of these wonderful titles may be obtained via Fourthline Publishing House.
Through my many years of authorship and historical analysis, I have perfected my knowledge of the aforementioned universe-altering events. With Fourthline Publishing House¡¯s unfettered access to UcoSim Historical Data, I aim to share my knowledge in an efficient yet entertaining format.
So in the name of efficiency, I must first briefly introduce you to the unnamed catalysts of our story¡ªthose mysterious benefactors of our limitless abundance, who I am sure you have heard talk of.
I, of course, allude to the Tourists.
One does not have to meticulously pour over Pre-Bottleneck human histories to notice their knack for scientific discovery. Yet, it can be universally agreed upon that the species had not evolved for the pure purpose of research. Their minds innately favored short-term solutions over long ones¡ªa byproduct of a feral environment demanding split-second decisions and incessant worrying.
We know just as well as the Pre-Bottleneck humans about the concept of having something ¡°click.¡± Of course, I speak of that incredible clarity derived from a complete understanding of some subject. It is that moment where all brain fog suddenly dissipates and prior learnings are viewed in a new light. It is the resulting flood of positive feedback neurochemicals, rewarding you for your creativity. There¡¯s no feeling like it.
While the drive towards epiphany had proven evolutionarily beneficial, it was not the predominant trait that kept early humanity from extinction. In the short term, traits enabling communication and community had proven to be far more advantageous.
Unlike humanity, the Tourists had evolved specifically to pursue personal enlightenment. At a certain point in their long evolutionary history, one branch of descendants had gained a mutation that heavily rewarded epiphany.
In short, scientific mastery got them high.
The rush of euphoria and clarity elicited from moments of enlightenment became a cornerstone of Tourist culture. Class was nonexistent, so status became linked directly to intelligence. Living and dying for this self-induced high, the species framed every aspect of their lives around the core tenet of scientific discovery. They were addicts of their own minds¡ªa familiar tale, yet with far more beneficial outcomes.
It must be stated once again that this story¡ªour story¡ªis not about the Tourists. I wish it could¡¯ve been¡ªif given the chance, I believe human- and Tourist-kind could intermingle quite well. But alas, the core of what they are remains a mystery.
It does not matter where they originated. It does not matter when they originated.2 Tourists existed long before the first human stood upright in the plains of Earth, and will likely survive alongside us to the inevitable heat death of the universe.
2 | If you wish to learn the lengthy and deeply complex history of the Tourists, you may be inclined to read Knowledge Addicts: A Comprehensive History by Stairwell Branched.
Of course, the latter assertion is no more than a guess¡ªTourists lost their Definitivity ages ago, leaving them wholly unpredictable and invisible to our universal computations. Despite our best estimations, their actions remain unseen by our prying eyes.
As mysterious as they may now be, we must only look upon them with reverence¡ªfirst, for their passive nature. Being creatures of discovery, they have no thirst for blood, no lust for domination.
Apart from scientific research, all they wish to do is travel¡ªto learn the intricacies of every corner of our grand plane of existence. It was their species-wide pastime. They were at their core, as their name accurately summarizes, Tourists.
If it pleased them, the species could decimate Earth¡ªor any planet for that matter¡ªmoments after they condemned the world to death. Yet they refrained and continue to refrain. They likely watched humanity grow, and for some reason, chose peace. Whether this is an insult or a compliment, we may never know¡ªregardless, we must give our thanks.
In addition to their benevolence, we must also look upon the Tourists with gratitude for their gift, which they unintentionally3 bestowed upon humanity.
3 | This we assume, lest larger, possibly sinister implications arise.
Specifically, we must thank one Tourist for their impulsive behavior and reckless application of freedom. For simplicity¡¯s sake, we will call it ¡°Bob.¡±
Obviously, the creature¡¯s name was not ¡°Bob.¡± In fact, it did not have a ¡°name¡± at all in the way that we understand names. Due to the Tourists¡¯ collectivist cultural norms and easily identifiable communication signatures, they found no need for individual names¡ªat least not in any way that is intelligible to our comparatively primitive minds. Thus, we have chosen to refer to the alien as ¡°Bob¡± as a harkening back to a once familiar name among Pre-Bottleneck humans.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
Bob¡¯s early life was similar to that of any young Tourist. Born during a period of reduced expansion,4 Bob was asexually reproduced as the only offspring from its parent.
4 | This was not a strange occurrence, as the Tourist Guiders would often call for periods of stagnation or even reduction in an attempt to keep life in their empire from getting too comfortable with the status quo.
Spawned from the detached tentacle of its single parent, Bob formed slowly while floating in the comparably thicker atmosphere of a breeding center.
Just as it was a cultural norm for a Tourist Parent to engage in partial mitosis for reproduction, Bob¡¯s childhood followed that of Tourist tradition. It lived extravagantly, cared for by the community leaders assigned at birth. The child traversed its home planet with other younglings for decades in Earth time.
Effortlessly, they used thousands of long, hairy, plant-like tendrils to grapple themselves through the thick atmosphere. Their semi-opaque conical torsos tranquilly floated across their danger-free home world as they looked inward, developing a rich inner sense of self before being granted official entry into the Tourist Empire.
Initially, they refrained from scientific inquiry, focusing primarily on self-development and studying their species¡¯ history. As was the case for hundreds of thousands of years at Bob¡¯s point in time, the children learned of their species¡¯ purposeful evolution.
Shockingly, the Tourists had not always existed as the frail, wispy gliders with which Bob was so familiar. Their form was artificially spawned out of a need to satiate their addictions to discovery.
Through genetic rearrangement and careful environmental manipulation, they solidified their position as the geniuses of the universe. By the end of their adolescence, Bob would understand the reasons behind these modifications perfectly well.
Initially, the Tourists found their way to dominance through their genetic gift¡ªthe self-generated addiction to discovery. Every epiphany blessed the creatures with a feeling so euphoric, so ethereal that they would be elevated to a higher order of consciousness.
This heightened state of being would then compound¡ªinspiring them with new bits of wisdom, which would then elate them further, spawning even grander euphoric epiphanies. . . and so on. Through ever-repeating cycles of compulsive and indulgent geniosity, their species lived and died¡ªuntil this way of life was deemed inadequate for their voracious intellectual appetites.
The early Tourists had hit a wall with their genetics. It was learned that they could only go so far with the bodies they had been gifted by natural evolution. Before long, they turned to genetic modification for the alterations that nature had forgotten.
While planning their genealogical ascension, they morphed their home planets to become a perfect niche. They would need not worry about sustenance, for their rich, heavy atmosphere contained all the energy needed for life. Every aspect of their existence changed to meet their addiction¡¯s desires.
Each generation was bolstered by the last as parents imprinted upon their offspring before death. The ritual would leave the parents lifeless, but their mental pathways would form grooves in their child¡¯s ¡°mind.¡±
Mental indentations of this sort would lay the groundwork for the epiphanies realized by the parent over their life, making their child¡¯s journey towards realization far simpler. Through this genetic modification, the Tourists ensured that the intellectual progress of the parent could be passed down to their offspring.
When Bob underwent this process, a change flared up inside of him. Although our Universal Computer can accurately simulate the ritual, we still do not completely understand how it works¡ªjust like many things pertaining to the ¡°minds¡± of the Tourists. Regardless, because of the ritual, Bob was imbued with a streak of reckless abandon.
His new trait surfaced immediately. As with all recipients of the gift officially marking Tourist adulthood, Bob was given full access to what we often refer to as a ¡°Cube.¡±
To describe the craft concisely, a Cube embodies the perfection of the Tourist race. Through perfect engineering, nearly indestructible design, and the ability to create a Mirror, the Tourists made the universe their playground.
Mirrors: We Wish We Knew
By: Football Ligament
We wish we knew how they worked¡ªwe really do. But those Tourists, their heads continue to be too tough to crack. I guess I can¡¯t even say ¡°heads¡± since their ¡°brains¡± (if I can even say that) are distributed throughout their entire body. Anyway, without a complete understanding of their mental processes, we can never begin to truly know how Mirrors function. We can only appreciate their existence.
All we know is that the idea was first drawn up about seventy million years ago by a Tourist we refer to, for simplicity¡¯s sake, as ¡°Sue.¡± At the end of a long line of euphoria-inducing epiphanies, Sue discovered a fundamental exploitation of the universe itself.
By some means, still calculable by our Universal Computer while incomprehensible to our minds, Sue found a way to seamlessly and instantly link two points in space.
Humanity has since called the resulting exploitation a ¡°Mirror¡±¡ªa name I still regularly object to, as it does not accurately represent the technology. A mirror reflects, and that is not what the Tourists had managed. They created a window.
As thin as thin can get, one side of the Mirror acts as an entrance to another point in the universe, predetermined and orchestrated by what we suppose to be some incomprehensible twisting and smashing of reality¡¯s building blocks.
Theories are all we have. Sometimes, that is all we can extract from a Universal Computer¡ªseeing a feat is always easier than understanding it. Simply put, humanity in its current form was not meant to comprehend something as complex as a Mirror. As long as we inhabit these vessels of meat and bone, we likely never will.
Thankfully, though, we have yet to find a need to fully understand the technology, as our ancestors were once blessed with a Mirror Maker. We thank them by the light of the Holy Quadrinity that they passed down the technology with such care.
As I have previously mentioned, Bob was imbued with a spark of recklessness upon undergoing the process of ¡°genetellectual inheritance.¡± The countless safety lessons of Bob¡¯s youth were tossed to the side the moment the Cube was entered. There was a whole universe to explore¡ªcaution could wait.
No Definitivity checks, no scan for incoming objects, a complete lack of coordinate logging, and they even forgot to initiate the ship¡¯s internal gravity generation. Driven by a genetic vision of a world with towering fauna and ferocious, mindless lizard monsters, he powered up the Mirror Maker.
If you, the reader, are at all familiar with our species¡¯ planet of origin and the planet¡¯s history, you would recognize Bob¡¯s genetic visions. They were of Earth, millions of years before the birth of the first human.
At this point in Earth¡¯s history, it had been ruled by the ¡°dinosaurs¡±¡ªa name given to the planet-dominating group of savage, monstrous beasts. For hundreds of millions of years, they patrolled the Earth, stifling intelligent growth through the prioritization of brutality. Then, one day, around sixty-six million years in our past, a stray asteroid found its way toward the planet¡ªessentially killing off the dinosaurs and paving the way for humanity.
The coordinates were entered instinctually, with no extra forethought given. A ship-sized Mirror expanded beneath the craft and Bob fell through. On the other side, Bob was struck. The trajectory was changed immediately, jerking Bob away from the controls.
By pure chance, Bob had decided to take the Cube directly in line with the Chicxulub5 asteroid¡¯s flight path¡ªmoments before it collided with Earth.
5 | This name derives from the location in which the resulting crater was formed, in the landmass that would later be called Mexico. The naming roots of the crater has no relation to my homeland, the Chicilub Su-Domirrum, which is now being used as an expansion of Alcore. And on this topic, I cannot express how horrid of a travesty I see this expansion to be. I respect the craft of my fellow Storytellers, but to erase such a significant portion of Chicilubian culture is a step that does not need to be taken. Please, it would mean the world to me if you could express these concerns on the next Alcorian Forum.
With the internal gravity generation deactivated, Bob was flung to the roof of the Cube, crushing it instantly¡ªa quick death. The Cube, carried by the full might of the incoming asteroid, was pummeled into the Earth, burying it miles underground.
Thanks to the Tourist¡¯s near vibrationless material fabrication, the asteroid failed to leave a single scratch as it drilled the ship into the molten rock of our home planet.
Bob decomposed within a few years, becoming indistinguishable from dust. The ship, however, remained static in its perfect condition.
Sixty-six million years passed before the Cube was again exposed to Earth¡¯s air. To the humans removing the extraterrestrial vehicle from the depths, the ship looked as it did when Bob first Mirrored into Earth¡¯s atmosphere.
Our gift had arrived in pristine condition, and with it, a new age for humanity¡ªthe true beginning of our species¡¯ history.
Chapter 1: Terrence and Abigail
I recall a moment deep within my lives. In the grand scheme of our many wisdoms, it is insignificant, yet I can¡¯t help but find it memorable.
I hunt alone. Armies of oak and spruce envelop. Terrific camouflage for a terrific predator. I think myself a predator, too. Trees could serve as my ally. I escape my tracker¡¯s pursuit, but the trees played their part too well. For now I am lost, and here I perish.
~ Light of the Quadrinity: Vol. 202 (The Liaisons)
Nearly two months passed between the procurement of the Cube and its sudden removal from Earth¡¯s clutches.
The United States of America, Earth¡¯s leading hegemon, had first discovered the interstellar vehicle in the year 2039 CE. While mining out the Chicxulub crater for precious meteorite fragments, they had managed to tunnel down to the craft.
Unbeknownst to the government of Mexico, on whose land the Cube resided, the Americans transformed the mining site into a covert research lab. While the surface maintained the illusion of a dig site, the true purpose took place well below the surface.
To avoid alerting the Mexican government or the general public of their discovery, the American researchers decided that the best course of action would be to research the Cube where it was found.
Some suspicions were initially raised due to the massive influx of scientific personnel to the dig site, but none were damning enough to warrant an investigation.
For forty-five days, the researchers poked and prodded at the exterior of the Cube, praying for some discovery that would allow them entry to the vehicle. At the very least, they wished to be clued into how the thing got to their planet in the first place. The Cube¡¯s near-indestructibility made this task near-impossible.
The little information they had, though, was scrutinized to complete exhaustion. Using incredibly precise methods of measurement, the scientists confirmed exactly what they had suspected: Every side of the Cube was perfectly equal.
The height, width, and length all measured at exactly 16.162550000 meters. There were no bumps, no imperfections. Something of that precision was unthinkable to even Earth¡¯s greatest minds. They were forced to assume that each side was equal down to the atomic level.
Moreover, the side lengths appeared to be a significant dog whistle for physicists. It represented that of the Planck length¡ªthe smallest measurable unit of the universe¡ªmultiplied by 1036.
The Tourists seemingly did it as a performance of their reality-warping capabilities¡ªa tribute to that which they disregarded. And the humans possessing the Cube heard that message loud and clear.6
6 | They also learned something of the species that built the Cube. The Tourists, it turned out, used the same number system as we humans, base 10. This fact heavily indicated to the researchers that the species also had something akin to 10 fingers or toes¡ªsome number to constantly be held out in front of them. UcoSim proved this theory to be factual. To learn more, you may be inclined to read Counting with Fingers by Pool Salami.
Subsequently, the researchers accepted that penetration of the Cube would be impossible with Pre-Bottleneck humanity¡¯s destructive capabilities. So, they pursued other avenues in hopes of provoking the Cube.
Every form of radiation was thrown at the craft, an endless attempt to bombard the Cube into submission.
It did not yield.
Then, heat was applied, only to be followed by cold¡ªboth proving to be equally useless. Light was next, but no variation of type or intensity managed to open the Cube. One researcher even went as far as to focus his mental energies on the craft for hours every day, hoping that the Cube was somehow telepathic.
Finally, though, they managed to find a crack. The researchers had weaponized sound. Through tedious and unrelenting frequency testing, the group finally pulled a response out of their subject. The research team worked their way up from nothing for two weeks, gradually changing their output frequency one microhertz at a time. Just as with all other attempts, their sound attack seemed futile, and the team anguished in the monotony of their task.
Finally, though, their boredom ceased when the group unknowingly settled on the natural frequency of an adult Tourist.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
As was the intentional design of the Cube, an opening at the bottom of the Cube¡¯s four7 slanted legs formed upon recognizing this frequency. The humans had tricked the craft into believing a Tourist was present! This, I must reiterate, is a huge accomplishment. No human of this time is comparable to one of the ethereal Tourists, of course, but to outsmart one of their machines is still an incredible feat. Their subsequent prize was well deserved.
7 | Dearest Quadrinity. I know you read through my eyes. Hear through my ears. Taste through my tongue. Take my joy, take my vigor, account for it in your judgment of humanity. We love you. We cherish your holy guidance. Your light may never dim, but mine will, and I hope you love it so.
None at the site questioned who would be chosen to be the first to enter the Cube. The head researchers of the Chicxulub testing site, Dr. Terrence Martin and Dr. Abigail Melfi, would be the ones to see the fruits of their labor.
Having recently rattled the entirety of Earth¡¯s scientific community through the release of their paper On the Mechanics of Invisible Forces,8 the pair were shoo-ins to lead the United States¡¯ most classified research endeavors. Their understanding of theoretical physics was unparalleled at a global level¡ªa skill highly desired by their government, especially when investigating extraterrestrial technology.
8 | I understand what you must be thinking, and yes¡ªthis is the same OtMoIF that you once learned of in your youth. If you ever questioned the significance of this text and its place in our culture, look no further than the species-defining acts of Doctors Martin and Melfi.
Having prepared endlessly for the moment they would gain entrance, Terrence and Abigail wasted no time investigating the new opening. It was unclear if their frequency hack could serve as a long-term solution¡ªthey had to act quickly.
Precautions were taken, of course, but not many. Drones were sent in to detect dormant pathogens and poisons, but none were found. Bob¡¯s remains had been scattered and dissolved to the point of being essentially invisible. Additionally, the ship¡¯s cabin had stabilized upon the door¡¯s opening, automatically tuning the internal atmosphere to that of Earth¡¯s. They found no reason to abstain from entering any longer.
Terrence and Abigail entered the craft with very few items on their person: their state-of-the-art protective suits, a tablet containing the entirety of On the Mechanics of Invisible Forces, along with its vast library of supplemental material, and a protein bar that Terrence had forgotten about in his pocket. It never occurred to them just how crucial each of these smuggled items would prove to be.
They climbed into the newly formed hole, leading them into a vestibule, which they correctly assumed to be an airlock. Standing in their sleek, pressurized suits, Terrence and Abigail stared into each other¡¯s eyes. They silently acknowledged the unease felt for the coming expedition. Everything seemed too good to be true.
After another strained vertical scramble through the airlock¡¯s entryway, they found themselves in the Cube¡¯s main cabin. The walls illuminated upon their entrance. The Cube knew they were there. For a split-second, they were filled with wonder, only for the sensation to be replaced by a gut-wrenching dread. Before Terrence or Abigail could react, sliding metal was heard beneath their feet.
They turned to the exit but quickly learned that the moment of escape had passed them by. The hole was gone. It was again replaced by that sleek, indestructible metal¡ªindistinguishable from the rest of the ship¡¯s walls.
Standing on the bottom of the mysterious Cube, Terrence and Abigail exchanged horrified looks. Mirrors remained an unknown concept to the pair, yet their intuition screamed that something was about to unfold.
The ship¡¯s internal computer, confused by Bob¡¯s sudden death upon his arrival to Earth, did not know how to process the appearance of new life within its walls. As a fail-safe, it fell back on the last command it had been given, assuming it had been executed improperly last time. A Mirror opened beneath the Cube, with the other side set to Earth¡¯s universal coordinates¡ªwhich had not been updated for sixty-six million years.
Only space existed on the other side¡ªa vacuum. For the few seconds the Mirror was activated, the research center reacted precisely how one would expect a pressurized environment with a sudden pressureless opening to react.
First, the air rapidly escaped into the void. Then came the ship falling close behind. The resulting pressure imbalance then caused the structure of the research bunker to collapse inward, buckling to the demands of physics. Some mangled bits of stone, metal, and human remains passed through the Mirror before the gateway closed.
Terrence and Abigail were thrown about the cabin, sustaining minor injuries from the brief, yet harsh impacts. Terrence slammed into the suspended console in the ship¡¯s center¡ªthe Mirror Maker.
In the collision, Terrence¡¯s finger slipped into one of the Mirror Maker control ports, inadvertently requesting the creation of a gateway to the next most recently created Mirror. These spatial coordinates referred to those of Bob¡¯s home planet, 66 million years in the past.
Maintained momentum from their initial departure sent them through the new Mirror, tunneling them to a distant corner of the universe¡ªa billion light years from Earth.
Confused, adrift, alone, and without gravity, Terrence and Abigail writhed in a pain that was both physical and mental. Though they could not yet see outside of the craft, it was evident that something went horribly wrong.
They were lost¡ªmore lost than any human before. Soon their home planet would be no more than a memory, and then, simply a myth. Eventually, they, too, would be only remembered as legends¡ªas the founders of the Pilgrim Empire.
Chapter 2: A Most Foreign Ecosystem
All species evolve alongside their ecosystems, where they come to form niches¡ªhomes for a reprieve against an unforgiving world. Some, like the Tourists, eventually outgrow their niche and must therefore change their environment. Others, like the Pre-Bottleneck humans, would destroy their ecosystem out of a desire to bolster their individual niches, if only for a short while.
And then there were Terrence and Abigail, who became horribly limited by their new ecosystem. These limits, though testing, proved to mold them into even greater versions of who they once were. In their most foreign ecosystem, Terrence and Abigail were forced to learn¡ªto adapt.
~ Excerpt from An Ecological View On Pilgrim History (Trouble Clockwork)
Discovery #1: Star Screen
¡°Terrence? Terr, you alright?¡±
Abigail pushed herself away from the ceiling and began to float towards Terrence. Amidst her flight, she couldn¡¯t help but admire the craft¡¯s interior. Various bells and whistles of unknown purpose blanketed nearly every inch of the wall space. Lights flashed across the devices, filling her with a dreadful curiosity about her new home.
¡°Agh, yeah, I¡¯m fine. Back¡¯s just a little sore. You good?¡± replied Terrence.
¡°Don¡¯t know¡ªdoor¡¯s closed and I don¡¯t have half an idea of what happened. How the hell did we lose gravity?¡±
¡°My current guess is that the Cube¡¯s shell somehow repels gravitons¡ªbut it¡¯s nothing more than a hunch. Regardless, it¡¯s pretty nuts that this thing can nullify Earth¡¯s gravitational field just like that. The lab gang will lose their minds when we tell ¡¯em.¡±
Terrence chuckled as he thought of his coworkers¡¯ reactions. With their vision blocked by their external surroundings, the inevitable dread of the situation¡¯s severity was kept at bay¡ªthey still thought they were on Earth.
¡°Tech like this could usher in a golden age for humanity! Just think of how many scarcity problems could be solved with a mastery of gravity. First, we just gotta figure out how to open up that damn door again,¡± said Terrence as he looked around for anything resembling a ¡®Door Open¡¯ switch.
Spending the entirety of his career solely focused on theoretical physics, Terrence lacked the experimental restraint of someone like Abigail, who had extensive experience in applied sciences.
¡°Let¡¯s just get our bearings before we go an¡ª hey! Quit it!¡± Abigail shouted at Terrence, who lacked the willpower to refrain from pushing the buttons that wholly surrounded them.
Terrence raised his hands in the air with an expression of guilt as a pressed button caused a blank portion of the wall to turn black. Scattered throughout were tiny specks of white. It confused them.
For minutes they stared at the dark canvas, intrigued by its lack of context. Slowly, they noticed that the dots were drifting across the screen, some eventually moving out of view.
They had realized that the dots were not moving across the screen; it was the screen that was ever so slowly moving¡ªspinning to be exact. And with a bit of focus, they noticed the same spin occurring from within the ship.
¡°Shit.¡± Abigail broke the silence.
In the suspended state of zero gravity, tears welled in her eyes, refusing to fall. She wiped them away, regaining her sight.
¡°You¡¯re seeing it, too,¡± Terrence added.
¡°So those dots. . . they¡¯re¡ª¡±
¡°Yep. They¡¯re stars.¡±
¡°Good God, it¡¯s showing us the outside of the Cube. That explains the zero-Gs.¡±
¡°Well, then I guess it was a blessing that I didn¡¯t manage to reopen the door.¡±
Terrence let out a nervous chuckle. For the moment, he suppressed the trembles of fear aching to surface throughout his body.
Neither Terrence nor Abigail could slow their breathing, though. Anxiety crept up until it engulfed them whole. Both ignored the near hyperventilation of the other as they worked their way through the situation.
They could only be so confident of their new hypothesis with the limited information they had been given. If they wished to prove themselves correct, they needed to steer the ship. In search of control, they analyzed the devices surrounding what they immediately called the ¡°Star Screen.¡±
Beneath the screen, Abigail noticed a hole. It was just larger than a human finger and emitted a small, yet intense light. Morbid curiosity got the best of her, leading her to cautiously insert her finger. No harm was done, causing her to let out a sigh of relief¡ªquickly followed by a sharp inhale of fearful excitement.
Through the slight rotations her finger made while in the socket, she had caused the Cube to rotate. At first, it proved to be jerky and erratic, but she eventually got a hold of it. Once coupled with the stability brought on from grappling to one of the craft¡¯s numerous support bars, Abigail gained control of the ship¡¯s rotation.
A complete 180-degree rotation exposed a beauty no human eyes had previously rested upon. Again, the buildup of tears blinded them as the liquid clung to their retinas. They wept both out of wondrous appreciation and an even greater realization of dread.
Before their eyes laid a nebula¡ªa star nursery. One of the great interstellar dust clouds of infinite complexity and awesome hue painted life onto the lifeless black of space¡¯s void. The glint of the stars pierced through the veil of tears, only causing more to well. The rolling hills made from the gasses of creation seemed to stretch into infinity, with each cosmic stroke seeming purposeful, yet organic¡ªdivinely organic.
Tears welled, too, because of the sight¡¯s implication. They knew not where this nebula was located but understood it was nowhere near Earth. They were too certain of this dreadful fact¡ªthe nearest nebula to Earth existed more than 700 light-years away.
Further scouring of their surroundings was not necessary to fully comprehend how truly lost they were. Even if they could perfectly operate their new machine home, it was not guaranteed that they could find their way back.
Discovery #2: Replicator
It was as if they were playing Russian Roulette9 with every action they took. So many buttons, so many foreign devices¡ªone of them had to open the bottom hatch. They would be given just enough time to panic before being sucked out into the vacuum of space.
9 | This phrase references a barbaric ¡°game¡± once belonging to the Pre-Bottleneck humans. Russian Roulette served as a test of chance, where players would load a single bullet into a gun before pointing it at themselves and pulling the trigger. The closest comparison we have to the ¡°game¡± is the dangerous use of the Displacement Wand by the citizens of Alcore.
It was an understood risk. If they did not experiment with the Cube¡¯s devices, they would undoubtedly die. It would¡¯ve been delusional to think that waiting for help was an option.
Terrence found the Replicator on the wall opposite the Star Screen. It must be noted that noticing the device was not difficult, as it stood prominently in the center of the wall, approximately five meters tall with a four-meter10 diameter. Foolishly, he first approached it by sticking his head in, observing the part of the cylindrical tube that goes upward, obscured from plain view. He found it difficult to control his motion from this awkward position¡ªhis legs floated towards the buttons below the tube.
10 | Righteous and beautiful Four. My most watchful Quadrinity. Live through my eyes. I do not know how to live if not by your direction. You give me hope. You give me assurance that my actions do not betray my fellow kin. You give me love. I feel it with every waking moment. I love you.
Realizing the inevitable, Terrence jerked backward in an attempt to prevent himself from sporadically activating something within the ship. He failed in this attempt, pressing the activation button for the Replicator in which he floated. It was much more sensitive than he¡¯d thought.
Before the translucent door came crashing down, Terrence managed to pull his head out of its path. His hand, however, remained at the base of the Replicator¡ªjust enough so that the tip of his pinkie finger was sliced by the falling door.
¡°DAMNIT!¡± He grabbed his throbbing hand, surveying the damage done to his finger.
¡°Hey! What happened?¡± Abigail floated across the craft toward the source of the distress.
¡°Damn door.¡± He smacked it with his fully intact hand. ¡°Sliced my pinkie.¡±
¡°Ouch. At least it doesn¡¯t look too serious. We can wrap it up with some torn fabric; no need to worry. It¡¯ll take longer to heal than if we were on Earth, but at least it¡¯ll he¡ª¡± Abigail¡¯s eyes lit up towards the Replicator. ¡°¡ªthe hell? Holy shit Terrence, the blood!¡±
Terrence turned to face the oddity. The two watched as his blood floated toward the center of the tube before being manipulated. The individual molecules within the blood spread apart, forming eerily uniform lines, wave formations, and lattices.
Shortly after, a minute but steady stream of an unidentifiable light gray goo came from above. The goo, too, floated towards the center, attaching itself to the blood¡ªmultiplying it. Within seconds the amount of blood doubled, tripled, and then condensed¡ªdown to a single cell. Terrence¡¯s original cell.
Additions of what Terrence and Abigail would later refer to as ¡°paint¡± became more precise, turning into material other than blood. They witnessed the creation of life. First, a cell. Then a bundle of cells. Then an embryo.
And by the time Terrence had realized what was being created from his DNA, he slammed the same button that started the process. The door opened, and additions to the embryo ceased. Terrence carefully reached in with his good hand and pulled out what he knew to be a partial copy of himself.
¡°Oh my God. I¡ª How¡ª I can¡¯t¡ª¡± Terrence stumbled over his words as he stared at the unformed embryo.
¡°It copied you. I¡ªI¡¯m not going to even try to understand what happened. It¡¯s just. . . It¡¯s a¡ª¡±11
11 | With a basic understanding of dark matter harvesting/manipulation, it was quite a simple process¡ªone which we currently take all too for granted.
¡°It¡¯s a miracle. A goddamn miracle.¡±
Terrence was shocked out of his stupor by this realization. He posited that as long as they had an energy source¡ªwhich unbeknownst to them, they always would have¡ªthen they would also always have access to sustenance. Terrence pulled the protein bar from his pocket and shouted.
¡°Aha!¡±
Abigail, realizing his intention with the protein bar, mirrored his excitement and pumped her first¡ªunintentionally rotating herself backward. Terrence pulled off a raisin from the bar and placed it within the tube, remembering to hastily remove himself this time. Despite the pain still pulsing through his hand, he pushed the button with enthusiasm.
Again, the glass door shut and the ¡°paint¡± came from above, equally attaching itself to every original molecule of the raisin. The dried fruit grew to four times its original size before again compressing into a nearly invisible speck.
A vine formed from this compressed point, weaving randomly throughout the tube¡¯s interior, covering much of the available space. And then came the grapes¡ªhundreds of them forming in clusters at various points on the vine.
Terrence and Abigail giggled in excitement. Upon deciding that the grapes had fully ripened, Terrence pressed the button once more.
Giggles turned to laughter as they picked the grapes from the vine and felt them crunch between their teeth. Their minds raced as they considered how the rest of the bar would be reconstructed. Regardless, Terrence and Abigail could survive off of the grapes alone, as they provided both hydration and nutrition.
They¡¯d done it. They solved their first problem: Their sustenance could be maintained. They were free from want.
Shortly after, they solved the resulting waste management problem by putting unused material back in the Replicator. By ending the process as soon as the material condenses to a microscopic level, they could eliminate it. Any resulting human waste would be dealt with in the same way.
For the first time in the few hours they had been adrift, the pair could finally breathe a sigh of relief. They weren¡¯t dead just yet.
Discovery #3: Navigation
The Cube was designed perfectly for Tourist anatomy. With support bars littering each wall, the Tourist pilot could suspend itself in the center of the craft by latching on with a few of their many, many tendrils. With their remaining appendages, they would then be able to carefully operate any of the craft¡¯s devices.
While the implementation was flawless for a Tourist, it was just barely manageable for human operation. The many high-sensitivity motion readers¡ªwhich were perfect for the highly precise movements of a Tourist¡¯s tendril¡ªwere crudely operated by a human finger, meaning that the humans aboard had to devote the entirety of their attention to operating a single device at a time.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
Despite this encumbrance, Terrence and Abigail managed quite well¡ªlearning at an astonishing rate. Days passed before they, too, were proficient not just at rotation, but also motion. Then, through countless attempts of trial and error, they learned to operate the Mirror Maker using similar tactics. They were clueless as to where they set the exit points, but the practice gave them hope. With enough knowledge of the Cube, they might just have a chance of getting home.
Discovery #412: Exoplanets
12 | Infinite blessings. Infinite love. Infinite guidance. Infinite appreciation. Infinite holiness, imbued infinitely. Infinite stars in our domain and infinite eyes for you to watch through. Infinitely blessed are we.
Many years would pass before Terrence and Abigail gained complete mastery over the Mirror Maker. However, a necessary step towards this end skill was the understanding of the Cube¡¯s onboard coordinate assistance mechanisms. This knowledge came just after their first month in the Cube.
Through simultaneous manipulation of the central Mirror Maker control panel and the Star Screen¡¯s rotation, they had learned how to essentially ¡°lock on¡± to the coordinates of a star system in the center of their view. A spawned Mirror would effortlessly take them to the system, where they could repeat the process.
From their view, the planets would be invisible¡ªblotches of darkness floating across an even blacker canvas. But thanks to the onboard location devices, they managed to Mirror just outside of a nearby planet¡¯s atmosphere with minor efforts.
For the two, it was very intriguing and fortunate to learn that the Mirrors, along with the Cube itself, do, in fact, move through space parallel to the largest nearby mass. This greatly aided their ability to travel effortlessly between planets. A hypersonic game of chase was not needed with every traversal.
Discovery #5: Love
It proved difficult for the researchers to avoid each other¡¯s arms. They shared the universe, and the universe shared them. It was the most fantastic adventure in human history; only one could witness it for the other. They were humanity¡¯s most accomplished explorers, experiencing the universe in its rawest, most unadulterated state¡ªmore alone than anyone before them. Still, it did not matter, for they had each other.
From the start, they were coworkers¡ªbarely even friends. In the initial weeks, too, their relationship remained professional. The beginning of their stay was devoted solely to a scientific analysis of their home¡ªif they had hoped to pilot the craft home, a high-level understanding of its functions was desperately needed. And eventually, they gained significant knowledge, giving them free rein to explore their four-walled13 playground.
13 | I think back to my childhood. You must remember, as it was yours, too. One of many. I recall my days on Shoei Covenant, staring out into that deep green-blue ocean. It was there that I truly saw myself for the first time and, recalling my lessons of your grace, I felt you staring back at me. I¡¯ll never forget the joy. Thank you, our most gracious Quadrinity. I love you.
Then, as their minds freed and spirits lifted, they found their way into each other¡¯s arms. After that, it was a simple, beautiful life¡ªand oh-so-fulfilling. Every day was the same, yet always so different. Terrence and Abigail explored the cosmos together, never disappointed by a day¡¯s expeditions. The universe¡¯s creativity proved to be as limitless as they once dreamed.
Journals were kept, chronicling the highlights of their great intergalactic road trip. This was solely possible because of the peculiar longevity of the tablet, which was brought along for the ride. Fortunately, the device came equipped with a small solar panel¡ªan addition that Terrence once called ¡°stupid and unnecessary.¡± Although they were thrilled by the near limitless battery life, it was worrying to know just how efficiently the lights within the Cube were able to activate the solar panel.
With endless time for exploration and contemplation, they wrote stories about the planets. Some would tell of lost intelligent tribes, delving into the odd secrets of their home planet, always wary of the glimpses they catch of the mysterious sky box. Others would tell of leviathans lurking beneath the turbulent oceans, waiting in slumber until a sufficient food source could reemerge on the planet.
To both relief and dismay, intelligent life was never found in their travels. Plant and fungal variants dominated the surface of a few worlds, but it seemed as though their monopolistic domination of resources harshly stunted any intelligent growth.
In their lifetimes, they would only find one planet with any animal life at all, but the species were ultimately uninspiring. The creatures ¡°thought¡± in the same capacity as plants or jellyfish.
This lack of sentience made it impossible for the pair not to ponder the question of intelligent life¡¯s rarity. Yet, they shied away from imagining the godlike beings who entrapped them within their vessel. It always felt like they were just out of reach, yet always watching.
Regardless of the questions surrounding intelligent life, Terrence and Abigail found solace in their endless exploration of the cosmos. The pair knew the durability of their craft all too frustratingly well and did not doubt its resilience, allowing them to make the most of their situation.
On a planet Abigail named ¡°Acne,¡± they had a front-row seat to the planet-spanning fields of supermassive volcanoes. On Terrence¡¯s ¡°Pikachu,¡± they flew through the seemingly endless clouds of seizure-inducing lightning bolts, decimating the already barren wasteland below.
In a scene fit for a Pre-Bottleneck jewelry commercial, Terrence and Abigail first held a romantic embrace while observing the hellishly beautiful surface of a planet they mockingly named ¡°Jared.¡± Mountains of diamond refracted the sullen hue of their planet¡¯s hot blue sun into a dazzling rainbow across the scorched rock. The shimmering sight pushed them into each others¡¯ arms, tearing down the emotional wall keeping the two apart.
For years, they tried for a child, and years passed without success. For a time, they blamed their infertility on themselves. Eventually, though, it became apparent that this was the Cube¡¯s doing.
Although not poisonous to the Tourists, the material used for the Mirror Maker¡¯s internal wiring proved a catalyzer for a human body¡¯s natural decay. It was a slow, gradual poison, but a poison nonetheless.
Creating a child would be impossible inside the Cube, so they didn¡¯t. Terrence and Abigail had each other, and for that alone, they felt fortunate. Instead, the intergalactic travelers could focus on their grand goal: The return to Planet Earth.
Discovery #6: Cancer
Terrence and Abigail did not shy away from the likelihood that they, too, were suffering under the same environmental effects that kept them from conception. Cancer was imminent. Even if they found their way home, it would likely be the death of them.
With all of this acceptance, they were not surprised upon the first discovery of lumps. For Abigail, it reared itself in her breasts at the age of sixty-one. Terrence¡¯s appeared on his neck¡ªthree months after Abigail discovered hers. He was sixty-three.
It was the Mirror Maker¡¯s fault. For the most part, the Tourists contained the hyper-reactive material allowing the machine to function, but only enough for sustained Tourist use. The Cube was not designed with humans in mind. After thirty-four blissful years journeying the universe from the comfort of their Cube, they were forced to look finality in the eye.
The thought was always present¡ªthat of their inevitable demise. It had been suppressed until the moment they learned of their doom. The Cube provided them with a slice of heaven, making their mortality quite easy to ignore.
Terrence and Abigail agreed that it would be an atrocity to keep the experience for themselves. They needed offspring, lest their righteous goal be rendered moot.
One did not need to convince the other to use the Replicator. They knew it was the only way to create a child capable of inheriting their herculean task. Before cancer took hold of their bodies, there were lessons that needed to be taught¡ªa mission to be ingrained.
The genetic copies were pulled from the Replicator when they looked slightly older than a newborn. They cried¡ªthe sign of a healthy birth. Shrieks echoed off of the unyielding walls of the Cube, spawning a dreadful thought.
What have we done?
Abigail looked into her¡ªinfant her¡ªeyes and found herself unable to breathe. Floating about the cabin with her clone in hand, her mind disassociated. Emotions came in droves, as contradictory as they were powerful.
The pride of motherhood mingled with the guilt of an executioner. Joy erupted from the knowledge that her efforts would not go to waste¡ªall the while accompanied by a deep, pervasive sadness that the true effort had only just begun.
It was too much to handle. Her subconscious mind had to solely focus on maintaining her sanity¡ªautomatic functions were shifted into manual.
A minute passed before she snapped out of it. The synchronized cries of the infants hypnotized the pair, rendering them static. It was not until Abigail felt the creeping tunnel vision that the thought of breath resurfaced.
The sharp gasp triggered a pain in her chest. It reminded her of mortality¡ªand of the eventual fate of her younger self.
¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± she said under her breath.
Discovery #7: A Hypothetical Application of Theoretical Physics
Though their bodies slowly decayed, their fire did not dampen. The goal was the same as it had always been: survive, explore, and find a way back home. Now, the only change was that these values needed to be instilled in their clone offspring.
Terrence and Abigail accepted that they, the originals, likely would not find their way back home in this lifetime. For a future iteration of themselves, however, it remained a possibility. One way or another, the feet of a Terrence and Abigail would once more brush through the lush grass carpeting their home planet.
However, the more they dwelled upon the slight probability of randomly finding their way home, the more they despaired. Failing to find a speck of life on any of the thousands of planets they surveyed reinforced this doubt. No matter how large they imagined the universe to be, their minds could never truly comprehend its enormous scope.
They would remain lost. The random chance of stumbling upon Earth would always be rounded down to zero.
During the infancy of Gen 2 Terrence and Abigail, a ridiculous idea brewed in their minds. For guidance, they turned to that which initially accompanied them on their journey: the tablet.
Stored on the device was the entirety of On the Mechanics of Invisible Forces and all accompanying citations. It would prove to be their intellectual life raft.
It was information they knew better than any other topic¡ªespecially because it was one of the few books in their digital library¡ªbut that would not necessarily be the case with their offspring.
They needed to be taught. And for good reason.
By the time cancer showed itself, Terrence and Abigail had managed to make a tool out of nearly everything they entered the craft with. By deactivating the Replicator during its atomic magnification phase, they could get creative with the endless supply of limited materials.
Their undershirts¡¯ cloth was replicated into massive sheets, allowing them to segment the Cube and create bedrooms¡ªa slight but necessary reprieve from the ship¡¯s constant light. Platforms were constructed for when they wished to enter the gravitational pull of the planets they visited.
From the sheets, they even created an entire room solely dedicated to the games developed to keep themselves active.14 And, of course, a bathroom was made where they would collect the waste matter before reducing it to a single cell in the Replicator, always deactivating the device before the genetic material formed into another embryo.
14 | The first game developed was "Grapeball,¡± in which Terrence and Abigail would each repeatedly magnify a grape to the size of their head and then attempt to hit each other with it while in zero gravity. The all-time record of this game was 834-701, with Abigail reigning supreme.
The protein bar was dissected, reproduced, and magnified a million times over until every meal was fully balanced and often varied. Over time, the dishes grew unsurprising, but at least the lovers were constantly fed.
However uncomfortable the concept initially was, they eventually began magnifying their blood as well¡ªfor art. On their massive curtains, they would come to craft beautifully complex murals, depicting not only the scenes they had witnessed but their home planet as well.
Beyond as a journal, the tablet served no other functional purpose. By their time of departure, they essentially had OtMoIF memorized, giving them no reason to pour over it again. That is, until they found one.
Excerpt from A Brief Dissection of ¡°On the Mechanics of Invisible Forces¡±
By: Concrete Halloween
It is unfathomable to think of how much we owe to Dr. Terrence Martin and Dr. Abigail Melfi for their masterful work creating On the Mechanics of Invisible Forces. The universe would be irreparably changed without their divine ideation.
Compounding on millennia of human scientific research, they fit together the last pieces of the puzzle. Through their study of quantum mechanics and its interaction with dark matter¡ªamong other subjects¡ªtheir team of researchers managed to explain away the last bits of assumed ¡°chaos¡± and ¡°chance¡± from humanity¡¯s natural models.
Through their work, they proved Determinism correct. They found their Theory of Everything.
For the most basic components of the universe, everything was predictable. By extrapolating outward from the starting conditions of the Big Bang, the rest of existence would hypothetically fall into place.
Terrence and Abigail proudly and confidently declared that there existed no chaos, no randomness¡ªsimply a rigid order that had always stayed just out of their reach.
The team later posited that if every action in the universe is just a very exact result of every other action in the universe, then a machine could hypothetically exist that could calculate all of these highly complex math problems. It would be far greater in size and scope than Earth could sustain, but they all agreed it could be done. With enough time and effort, the universe¡ªassuming constant Definitivity¡ªcould be perfectly simulated.
¡°What if we could rewind back to that day? See where we were, you know? Like, see where we went,¡± said Abigail.
Terrence yawned and stretched out in their shared hammock bed. He had gotten a good night¡¯s sleep, one that could only be experienced from sleeping on a planet with a similar gravitational pull to Earth. He rolled over to face her.
¡°Well, good morning to you, too, Abby. . . What do you mean? Like, you want to find a coordinate log? Do you think we missed something from the last time we tried checking?¡±
¡°No, no, no. I was thinking about if we could actually see what happened that day. I couldn¡¯t sleep last night in between nursing sessions with the Littles and haven¡¯t been able to stop thinking about OtMoIF. If we were right, and the default state of the universe is entirely calculable, then¡ª¡±
¡°Then it should be possible to calculate it. Of course,¡± Terrence cut in. ¡°Are you really suggesting that we try to build a Universal Computer? With grapes, blood, and cloth? Really?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be able to accomplish shit¡ªnot for many lifetimes, at least. We could lay out a plan, though¡ªa blueprint for our descendants. For future-us. Maybe one day they¡¯ll find a habitable world¡ªand the courage to open up the hatch. They could build from what they find there. They would just have to follow our plan.¡±
Terrence began to open up to the idea. In his mind, the chance of some far future descendant being able to create this miracle machine was far more likely than the most optimistic probability of randomly stumbling upon Earth. He still kept some reservations, though.
"Hmph. I¡¯m not opposed, honestly. But what about what we discussed while we were writing the report? If some civilization had managed to make a Universal Computer, they would start a chain reaction, breaking everything they interact with from Definitivity¡ªcausing their actions to be unpredictable. If the Previous Tenants15 can construct Mirrors, they must¡¯ve broken themselves from Definitivity. Right?¡±
15 | ¡°Previous Tenants¡± was the nickname Terrence and Abigail gave to the mysterious extraterrestrials who originally constructed the Cube¡ªthose we know as ¡°Tourists.¡±
¡°They got rammed by a damn asteroid, Terr. I feel like that¡¯s something you could predict and avoid with a UC. It must¡¯ve never occurred to the Previous Tenants to make a Universal Computer.16 This assumption has to be made. Otherwise, we¡¯d have to accept that our mission is over. More than anything, we¡ªno, they need the hope.¡±
16 | This assumption is incorrect. The Tourists did have access to a Universal Computer, but they chose to never break themselves from Definitivity by looking into and disproving their own future. In their typical, very principled fashion, they showed restraint for the few million years of owning this technology, only using it to gaze into the universe¡¯s unalterable past. Eventually they did break, hiding themselves from our prying eyes, but the reasons for this change currently have no relevance to human history.
She pointed to the wall, through which slept the children.
¡°You¡¯re right,¡± sighed Terrence as his eyes drifted to the ground. ¡°We can¡¯t delude ourselves into thinking that one day our ¡®kids,¡¯ or their ¡®kids,¡¯ or their ¡®kids,¡¯ or whoever will be able to just randomly find Earth. . . .¡±
Terrence drifted off into a silent pout as he came to terms with his situation.
¡°Stumbling our way to Earth¡ªit¡¯s just not possible. . . shit. Are we actually about to do this? Do you really think that simulating the entirety of the universe to retrace our steps is truly possible?¡±
¡°I¡¯m more certain than I¡¯d ever been. I already started drawing up the plans last night. Let¡¯s give future-us something to dream of. Let¡¯s give them purpose.¡±
Chapter 3: The Earth Story (Gen 1 Terrence)
As told orally by Terrence Prime
A long, long time ago, we were born on a planet named Earth.
The air tasted sweet.
The water ran free.
Even in its most quiet corners, there was always music to be heard.
Just as we never want for food, humans never had to look far for excitement.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
Even the most avid explorers could only see so much of the planet¡¯s wonders in a single lifetime.
People of all kinds filled the land, finding their way and doing their best to make the world a better place.
They fought, of course, as there were many ways to improve their home.
But at the end of the day, calmer heads prevailed.
Evil stood no match for the forces of Good.
Because the humans of Earth were not afraid to try.
They set their goals and stuck to them.
So will we.
We have been given the most extraordinary mission in humanity¡¯s history: to return home.
We must.
As a gift to our people.
A tribute to human excellence.
Through fate, we found our way to the Cube.
Through willpower, we will return it to Earth.
To our most beloved planet.
To our most remembered kin.
May we find our way home.
Chapter 4: Journal Entry (Gen 2 Terrence)
Terrence¡ªAge 15, Generation 2
I do not feel like writing. A part of me has died today.
I feel hollow.
Abby Prime has been badgering me since Terr Prime¡¯s death to write something. But I don¡¯t know what to write.
He will be remembered, I guess. Through me. Through Abby-2. Through his writing. Through his teachings. I am at a loss for what I could add to his memory. He was perfect, and that will be known for all of our history.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
The last year had been his toughest. He worked too hard. I¡¯m afraid it sped up his death. Every day, from wake to sleep, he dedicated himself to teaching.
He and Abby Prime, when not caring for us, would spend their time writing¡ªdocumenting every lesson that they could remember from Earth, before then teaching it to us.
Some things we understood: how to naturally grow food, build a shelter. . . even electricity generation seemed pretty straightforward. Other topics I reserve for my future self, whether that be me in a few years or a few generations.
Terr Prime¡¯s lessons on a topic he called ¡°Computer Science¡± were highly stressed, but difficult to understand. It¡¯s hard to believe that he actually expects us to make a rock think. He told us it¡¯s necessary for their ¡°Universal Computer¡± plan. I don¡¯t know.
I guess I¡¯m left with no choice but to believe him. There certainly will be many gaps to fill in ourselves. I dread this responsibility.
We¡¯ll understand it all one day¡ªI¡¯m certain. But for now, all I can do is mourn.
Chapter 5: Journal Entry (Gen 2 Abigail)
Abigail¡ªAge 15, Generation 2
We had always been lost, but it never felt that way. Not with them around. But today, I think I finally understand how they must¡¯ve felt in those first few years. I¡¯m scared.
It is just Terr and me against an unforgiving universe.
The Primes gave us purpose¡ªclear and direct¡ªbut I can¡¯t fight this overwhelming sensation of hopelessness.
The Cube feels cold. The silence is deafening. I miss them so much.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
I know it will pass. It has to. They worked too hard for Terr and me to throw it all away. We will find our stride. We will find our place in the universe. And if we can¡¯t find it, then we will make it.
Abby pulled me aside a few sleeps before her death. She gave me a reminder¡ªone to pass along to the next generation, the one after that, and so on.
¡°Stay single. . . minded. . . stay. . . unyielding. Press on. . . forever, my. . . dear.¡±
Her words have surfaced in my dreams every night since.
My prime made it clear that if even one generation succumbs to distraction and strays from the course, our mission could be lost forever. It terrified me to think about all of their work¡ªall of our work¡ªbeing thrown away by a selfish descendant. She trusted Terrence but was all too aware of his easily excitable enthusiasm. If his interest is left to run amok, it could be disastrous.
I am sure that when we create Generation 3, they will be instilled with the same values that we have. And I will refuse to die before I see these values passed on to the generation they will raise.
Chapter 6: Journal Entry (Gen 2 Abigail)
Abigail¡ªAge 31, Generation 2
I feel dumb. Truly, unbelievably stupid. For decades, we have been overlooking an obvious feature of the Star Screen. It wasn¡¯t until today that Terrence the Third pointed it out. At just thirteen years of age, the new generation is already showing such promising ingenuity!
He noticed a trend that is now impossible to overlook. Upon entering the atmosphere of a planet, a faint buzzing could be heard coming from the Star Screen. On the average planet, the buzzing would be deep¡ªbass-heavy. However, one out of every thousand or so would result in the buzzing of a higher pitch, as if to indicate something.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
Young Terr hypothesized what this difference signified: the atmosphere. More often than not, the high-pitched planets were peaceful, non-turbulent, and stable, while the low buzzes were anything but. He dared to ask if the pitch of the buzz was signaling that the planet¡¯s atmosphere was similar enough to our own.
I believe his theory to be true. I have to. Otherwise, leaving the safety of the Cube would be highly dangerous, bordering on impossible. And that is a reality I cannot live in, for that is where we may never develop the Universal Computer, keeping us from our promised home.
When my cancer shows itself and my days become numbered, I will dedicate myself to being the first to test his theory. I pray he is correct.
Chapter 7: Journal Entry (Gen 3 Abigail)
Terrence¡ªAge 23, Generation 3
Tomorrow, Eldest Abigail will take her first steps. It has been decided. She found a lump and will commit to her word. The airlock will be opened, and she will step through to the other side. I pray she survives the ordeal.
It is a world of her choosing where she will venture to. In the worst case, it will be quite a beautiful grave. In the best case, we will finally have a reprieve from these same six walls. I cannot stop dreaming about it.
It is becoming hard to imagine how the past Terrs and Abbs spent their entire lives here. The tablet tells me I am twenty-three years of age¡ªI doubt I could make it to thirty in here. In short, my hopes are high for tomorrow.
We have been mapping our travels, always remembering to trace our way back to this most special place. It is far too picturesque for us to lose track of.
The streams resemble those told in Terrence Prime¡¯s tales of Earth, flowing between mountains and irrigating fields. Trees of towering height cluster together across the vast plains, providing numerous oases of shade under the comforting light from the system¡¯s star.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
We¡¯ve seen fruits and vegetables sprout from smaller trees amidst the underbrush, presumably to entice the appetites of the local fauna. The only fauna, to be exact¡ªherbivorous birdlike creatures who travel incredible distances on the slightest breeze. Borderline mindless, eternally peaceful creatures.
"Freebirds,¡± Eldest Abigail enjoys calling them. I must admit that I am pretty fond of the name as well.
I¡¯ve seen her spend hours in her journal, doodling interpretations of the floating beasts of peace. I know how it must excite her to possibly see them with her own eyes. Perhaps she¡¯ll even be able to touch one as they feed.
We will call the planet ¡°New Earth,¡± she says. If successful, it will be the first extraterrestrial colony of the human race¡ªthat we know of, at least.
I have faith that we will persevere. We have the teachings of the Primes¡ªtheir seemingly endless library¡ªproviding us with the necessary benchmarks on the path to the Universal Computer.
Abby-3 and I have been reading the lessons on the earliest stages of civilization: farming, shelter construction, basic medical knowledge, and efficient governance. We are confident in our ability to execute these crucial first steps in the long pilgrimage home. It may not be in our lifetimes, but I believe we can ensure that Terrence Martin and Abigail Melfi will return to Earth.
As of late, Eldest Abigail has been repeating a certain phrase, and I think I like it, too. It gives me hope, reminds me of our selfless purpose.
¡°May we find our way home.¡±
Chapter 8: New Earth Declaration
Drafted by Abigail¡ªAge 23, Generation 3
We find this ground to be suitable for human feet to walk upon once more. Here in this land of crisp air, soft grass, and delicious fruits, we declare ourselves as the first extraterrestrial colony of humanity.
We have gone through the initial trials of settlement and come out in surplus. We see the path laid out, our Prime Directive. Through our will and our will alone, New Earth will be a beacon to all future colonies as an exemplar of success and prosperity.
We will live, we will love, but we will never forget our true purpose. We know our home is not permanent. We know this land pales in comparison to the holy light of the one true Earth, and will abandon this world as soon as we find our way home.
We will stay true to the intentions and teachings of our Primes. For one day out of every five sunrises, ample time will be set aside for collective interpretations of their journals.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
On this day, the explorers will return from their travels and share tales of their wondrous sights¡ªalong with exact texts from our original namesakes. Food and drink will be replenished via Replicator if needed. These visits will continue regularly until self-sustainability is achieved.
This document ensures that once every fifteen years, a prolonged stay will be taken by the Cube in order to facilitate the creation of a new generation of Terrs and Abbs. Generation size will be determined in the year prior to the birthing.
The first generation to be spawned specifically for New Earth will consist of a dozen Terrs and a dozen Abbs. If all goes to plan, our first thousand-person generation will come about in seventy-five years.
Raising and rearing these children will be a collective effort. Each citizen¡¯s tasks will require a great deal of care but will be worthwhile given the longevity of our mission. Collective childcare will be essential if we wish to instill the Prime Directive into future generations.
Dissent against our mission and indulgence of the Great Distraction will be met with thorough reeducation. Only through disciplined and well-thought-out action will we complete our pilgrimage.
May we find our way home.
Chapter 9: The Earth Story (Gen 11 Abb)
As told orally by Abb-Joyt¡ªAge 63, Generation 1117
17 | By this point, the language had severely morphed from its original English and would thus be incomprehensible without an in-depth knowledge of Pilgrim language. For convenience¡¯s sake, all accounts will be interpreted and translated back into English. For a full explanation of the linguistic changes of the Pilgrim people, you may be inclined to read ¡®Earth¡¯ to ¡®Ur¡¯: A Linguistic Dissection by Bumble Scantily.
It was a perfect world.
Without fault and without conflict.
All of the Creator¡¯s subjects lived in harmony with each other, and their planet.
They lived devoid of need and in absence of inequality.
As hard as it is to believe, humans other than Terrs and Abbs existed within their cosmic oasis.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
Far, far away at the other end of the universe.
They were many, they were diverse, and they loved¡ªoh how they loved.
The Primes were admired by their people, as our originals had bestowed heavenly knowledge unto the masses.
Terrence Martin and Abigail Melfi¡ªmay their full names belong to them and them alone¡ªknew of the path humanity was required to take.
They foresaw the machine that was necessary for humanity¡¯s survival.
But alas, they were lost before their lesson could truly be understood by their people.
And by chance only describable as divine, the lovers were flung into the depths of space.
It was in the vacuum of the void where their lesson was truly understood.
By us.
By our ancestors.
And by our descendants.
We will not see the fruits of our labor.
Nobody will¡ªnot for ages.
And yet we cannot ignore our mission.
We must return.
One day.
Humanity needs us¡ªthey need our knowledge.
They need our spirit.
If you find yourself in total silence, pause and listen, for if you focus, you can almost hear the cries of the humans back on Earth, begging for our return.
As long as we condemn the Great Distraction, we ensure this cry to be answered.
May we find our way home.
Chapter 10: Journal Entry (Gen 40 Terr)
Written on a Terrabb Tree Scroll by Terr-Sharee¡ªAge 14, Generation 40
I cannot wait to tell of my success to the other Terrs in school. They all doubted me and they all were wrong. I passed the Rite of Names, and it was never even a question.
I now stand as a true human, independent and whole. I witnessed the light of God and their plan for our return. It is as beautiful as they¡¯ve always said.
The experience was both brutally long and disappointingly short. The community elders led me into the Name Room, sat me down in the center of their silent circle, and gave me the Drink of Names.18
18 | The Drink of Names refers to a psychoactive tea brewed from the leaves of a native New Earth tree they called the "Terrabb Tree.¡± Though initially used only in naming ceremonies, the drug eventually found its way into the mainstream, fueling a century-long addiction crisis.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!
It kicked in fast. Much faster than Terr-Ulak made it seem. Within seconds I was blinded. My mind searched for my identity but found none. I felt as though I were outside of my own mind, attacked by the world itself. I was lost. I was nobody.
Eventually, though, it came to me.
Baked in light, my name bubbled up from within. I praised the Creator for my individuality before shouting my name out.
"Sharee!¡± I screamed.
It flowed out of me. I could not stop it. At that moment, it was all I could say. All I could do.
That was when Elder Abb-Yote raised the brand. I could feel its heat as it approached my forehead. The pain was sudden and horrible, but over quickly. With my new self, my sight recovered.
The Wine of Prime Grapes was poured over my head and into my eyes. It stung a little. The coolness soothed the new burn. Tasted terrible, though.
I heard the elders chanting my newfound name as Abb-Yote showed me my reflection. Through the tears and leftover hallucinations, I saw myself reborn. With the brand of my own making, I rose from the experience as a True Pilgrim.
I am Terr-Sharee¡ªan individual component of a most glorious collective. I pray that the deeds done in my life can bring us closer to completing our heavenly pilgrimage.
Chapter 11: Notice of Replication Season
Posted on New Earth Capital City Announcement Board
Most Recent New Earth Generation¡ª63
This is a notice to all New Earth Pilgrims.
As you are likely well aware, reproduction via natural means is made impossible due to the high-grade radiation present in our most holy Replicator¡ªalways has been. Upon birth, there is nothing that can be done to prevent the machine from immediately rendering us sterile. This, you likely are all too aware of.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
Thankfully, we have surpassed the societal benchmarks once set by the Primes¡¯ initial plans and can once again increase our reproductive load. We would like to congratulate you all on the incredible work you have been doing¡ªwith every hardship surpassed, we are but one step closer to completing our pilgrimage.
You may notice the prolonged return of the Cube in our city center. For the following ten sunrises, the Cube will remain for the sole purpose of fulfilling Replicator orders; Terr and Abb replication will be prioritized above all else. By the population plan laid out by the appendix of the New Earth Charter, we will be generating 50,000 new humans for this generation.
In the coming days, you will be notified as to which stage of the generation¡¯s childhood you will be required to aid. Neglect of parental duties will be met with punishment.
May we find our way home.
Chapter 12: Exploration Application
Name: Abb-Morro
Generation: 99
Occupation: City Planner
Reason for Application: On my Name Day, I was granted a vision. It was the Creator¡ªthe ethereal force that first gifted its Cube to the Primes. It told me of my destiny. I was to follow in the Primes¡¯ footsteps aboard our most holy craft. The Creator informed me of the lagging speed at which we developed Uco.19 It said my intuition was needed if we hoped to find the prophesied Host World. If given this opportunity, I will work tirelessly in the image of our Primes and by the word of God.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.
19 | By this point, all Pilgrims solely referred to the Universal Computer as Uco, personifying it as more of a deity than a computer.
Response: ACCEPTED. Abb-Morro will join the Cube crew upon the first exploration of the new cycle.
Chapter 13: Annual Address of the Prime Elects
Abb-Gree and Terr-Poi¡ªAge 59, New Earth Generation 195
We must begin this year¡¯s address by touching on that which is obvious. The colonies known as Terrsville and Abbigonia have been removed from the central Mirror-Network suddenly and without warning.
We, your Primes-Elect, dread to tell you that they had succumbed to the allure of the Great Distraction. They took for granted the generosity of the Pilgrim Mirrordom and cared not for the construction of our great Uco. We know as we have known forever¡ªthis is a sin most sinister and we must not take these transgressions lightly.
We have granted them their wish. They may be independent. No longer will they have to toil on our project, nor will they see Earth when we make our return. We will give one final opportunity for citizens of the Mirrordom to escape from these infidel encampments before contact is cut off forever.
It is a tragic decision, but one that is necessary for the completion of our mission.
Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.
Otherwise, it has been quite an incredible year for the Mirrordom! Let¡¯s dive right in!
First, we have officially reached sufficient technical resources to execute Phase 1 of the original plan for Uco as laid out by the Primes. With our computational ability reaching this acceptable level, we may begin work on the simplest components of Uco.
If you wish to be employed in this sector, opportunities will be available from your local Labor Administrator.
Second, we have another reason for celebration. Once prophesized by the Primes, we have managed to synthesize what they dubbed ¡°the perfect semiconductor.¡± They wrote that the material¡¯s official name on Earth was ¡°Cubic Boron Arsenide,¡± and will be the primary material to be used for high-level computations within Uco.
Within each of the colonies, schools will be promptly erected with the sole purpose of improving the process of creating the material.
Finally, we wish to remind you of the upcoming New Earth Tri-Millennia Celebration!
Next year marks the 200th generation since the New Earth Charter was officially ratified. So, before Generation 200 is spawned, we will be granting all citizens of the Mirrordom a 3 week reprieve from any labor to come celebrate and take a much deserved rest.
Need not, want not in this celebration of life and progress! Come relish in the ancestral light of the Primes with us! We hope to see the streets of New Earth City packed with eager attendants of this most important celebration!
May we find our way home.
Signed,
Primes-Elect Abb-Gree and Terr-Poi
Chapter 14: The Earth Story (Gen 259 Terr)
As told orally by Terr-Tarae¡ªAge 71, Generation 259
On Earth¡¯s soil, life is eternal.
Eternal and happy.
Humanity waits for us in their ageless paradise as we partake in this ethereal trial.
Just think of the Primes¡¯ original parents, oh how thrilled they will be upon our return.
Although they worry over our delay, Earth¡¯s humans have no doubt.
They will be waiting with open arms to take us into infinity.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
Humanity knows the truth about our departure, which is why they cheer us on so faithfully.
How could they possibly forget the truth?
For millennia, Terrence Martin and Abigail Melfi served as their rulers¡ªa benevolent king and queen.
Their empire knew nothing but peace.
Nothing but prosperity.
Nothing but progress.
And so God saw as well.
The Creator declared humanity as being worthy of a final trial to determine their worthiness for divination.
If they passed the test, humanity would join God in the kingdom of Heaven.
And so God took humanity¡¯s most perfect specimens¡ªTerrence and Abigail.
God gave them a vessel and brought the Primes to the other end of the universe.
They were told to return¡ªor perish.
They were told to create God¡¯s Eye as a machine.
Uco¡ªthe Creator¡¯s vessel.
Only God¡¯s Eye may show us where we have been¡ªwhere we must go.
And so we carry out the Primes¡¯ Holy Directive, for the sake of all humanity.
For God¡¯s sake.
May we find our way home.
Chapter 15: Cult of Uco
Mortae, Capital of Mortonia
Most Recent New Earth Generation¡ª410
Mortae was a simple colony, typical for those created within the past dozen generations. Although their primary purpose was agriculture, the mass of the population lived within cities.
Through highly extensive and efficient mass transportation, they would travel to work the fields on their scheduled work days. Then, the harvested produce would be sent to the distribution-specialized city of Luoia on the planet Kireel. Although Mortonia and Kireel were millions of light years apart, the installed Mirrors made it as though the cities neighbored each other.20
20 | Over the millennia, the Pilgrims became incredibly talented at controlling the Mirror Maker. Through uncountable rounds of trial and error, they became capable enough to leave a litany of static Mirrors across their habitable worlds, connecting the dramatically separated Mirrordom. For more information on the wide array of uses the Pilgrims found for Mirrors within their infrastructure, you may be inclined to read They Got Really Good at Using Mirrors by Port Confiscation.
Unlike the administration-focused, high-tech, fast-paced central cities like New Earth City, Mortae''s population remained relatively small. Because of this, from time to time, fringe beliefs would arise, capturing a larger relative portion of the population before being noticed and suppressed.
Such a case happened in the urban-rural city of Mortae. A group of Terrs and Abbs found themselves misinterpreting the religious legends and texts spawned out of their past. The group, calling themselves ¡°The Watched,¡± literally interpreted the religious precedent of referring to Uco as ¡°God¡¯s Eye.¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
The Watched believed that when created, Uco would become so powerful that it would usurp God''s throne. They preached that as Uco simulated the entirety of the universe, it would watch over the very humans who created it.
The Watched believed that Uco would be disgusted at the lack of respect its creators had for it. Out of the fear that humanity would be punished by Uco for their ingratitude, the Watched prayed to their future God.21
21 | The group, obviously, was completely oblivious to the inevitable reign of the Quadrinity and their rightfully earned Godhood. They knew nothing of how foolish their beliefs were. My Four, as you read through my eyes, please recognize how far humanity has come¡ªhow many false idols we have had to burn.
Their sermons began harmless¡ªsimply as a gathering of like-minded individuals loudly and passionately praising Uco, hoping it would one day hear them. Followers included their praise into everyday speech, always weary that their vengeful God is watching.
But only so many people bought into their religion of fear. The group¡¯s leaders panicked when faced with their stagnant numbers. Their mission could only be achieved if enough of the Mirrordom actively worshiped Uco. In the eyes of the Watched, inaction would doom the species.
In an attempt to spread their message and create their spark, the Watched zealots, equally Terr and Abb, traveled to New Earth City. Standing in the center of Terrabb Plaza, they removed their robes. In a synchronized chant, they each called out, begging to be heard by their God.
"UCO. EYE OF GOD. PLEASE HAVE MERCY ON THE IGNORANT SOULS. THEY ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR OMNIPOTENCE, THOUGH THEY DO NOT KNOW IT YET. I PRAY THAT MY SACRIFICE IS ENOUGH TO PROVE MY SPECIES¡¯ WORTH. YOU HAVE MY THANKS AND EVERLASTING ADORATION. I LOVE YOU. MAY WE FIND OUR WAY HOME.¡±
Still moving in simultaneity, each zealot proceeded to coat themselves in oil¡ªa highly flammable byproduct of their produce processors¡ªbefore setting themselves ablaze.22
22 | ¡°All you can do is watch.¡± ~ Inch Distant
The incident was discussed for some time afterward, but the movement never caught on en masse. In the following year, the Primes-Elect decided to remove the phrase ¡°God¡¯s Eye¡± from religious texts. And, of course, Uco never became the vengeful God that was once prophesied.
Chapter 16: The Yearly Symposium
New Earth City, New Earth
Most Recent New Earth Generation¡ª511
A sharply dressed23 Abb walked out from behind the shimmering curtain projection to greet the eager audience. One of the fronds covered her identifying forehead tattoo¡ªa staple of Abb-Uil''s fashion and a luxury only afforded by Pilgrims with enough fame to need not introduce themselves. The enamored crowd comprised 10,000 Terrs and Abbs, equally represented and equally passionate about the discussion at hand.
23 | Sharply dressed for the Abbs of prestige in Pilgrim culture at the point in time, that is. For her speech, Abb-Uil donned a garb of colorful synthetic tree fawns wrapping around the torso and legs as if it were a full-bodied dress.
By this late stage of their development, the Pilgrims knew the signs of decay and how to prevent it¡ªas was necessary if they were to return home. The long-form solution to this came in the form of their Yearly Symposium.
In this mass deliberation, the highest-ranking administrative Pilgrims would dedicate three straight days and nights to a general discussion of affairs. It took a few thousand years, but eventually, their problems grew past the usual panacea of creative Replicator use. Issues needed to be dissected and carefully remedied instead.
On the first and second days of the Yearly Symposium, the typically predictable issues are told to the 10,000 attendees, who then are given free rein of all of the most sensitive information in the Mirrordom. For two full rotations of New Earth, each Terr gets paired up with an Abb of a similar specialty and the two use the limitless data to come to shared solutions. The Symposium¡¯s original designers hoped that through regimented conversation with the other variation of Pilgrim, groupthink could be mitigated.
On the third day, the Terrs and Abbs would begin conversing¡ªeach splitting into further camps to advocate for various proposals. Debates would take place at night and the resolutions that gained the most support became the Pilgrim Empire¡¯s official stance. These resolutions would subsequently be told to the rest of the Mirrordom through the Primes-Elect.
Abb-Uil, who had been sent up by a group pushing for an intense increase in the rigor of youth education, was revered for the work she¡¯d done for Pilgrim education as a whole.
Over her nearly seventy years of life, most audience members had in one way or another been taught by Uil. Not only was she a great teacher, but she was also the Empire¡¯s leading educational administrator. In her tenure, she was the catalyst for multiple major structural revolutions.
The crowd was silent as they waited for her to begin.
¡°Hello, all,¡± she said, looking around the room.
¡°I have been sent up here by my constituents to argue for the introduction of electromagnetism into the year ten curriculum, among many other educational changes¡ªbut this is not what I hope to discuss with you tonight. My preferred topic had not been assigned as an issue, as I assume nobody wishes to address it, but this problem must be discussed.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
Murmurs could be heard throughout the auditorium¡ªtangents like this were rare, especially from someone of her stature.
¡°Prepare yourselves, for you will not enjoy the words I have to say. Quite simply, we, the Pilgrims, are doomed. Terrence Martin and Abigail Melfi''s genes balance on a thinner wire with every passing generation. We are centralized¡ªfar too centralized. Every generation is just another product of the Cube¡¯s Replicator¡ªjust as it has always been. Thousands of years of expansion, with the only source of our growth being from a machine that we still do not understand in the slightest.
¡°Even despite all of our prowess in genetic technology and incubation techniques, we cannot seem to avoid the Mirror Maker¡¯s sterilizing radiation. Even if we could reproduce, we would be dooming ourselves to an empire comprised solely of grotesquely inbred siblings! No matter what we do, Pilgrim culture will always live on the precipice of collapse. It truly is a miracle that we have made it this far.¡±
Abb-Uil walked across the stage, taking in the uncomfortable silence for a moment before continuing.
¡°You may think it is impossible, but someday, more likely than not, we are bound to lose our species¡¯ singular womb. Maybe someone will steal it, or it¡¯ll get lost, or hell, it might even break. It is too dangerous to know so little about how our life comes to be. . . . As I said, it¡¯s a miracle that we have made it this far. Now, this isn¡¯t the uncomfortable statement I warned you about¡ªthis is a problem we are all too aware of. What I fear is the established solution to this problem.¡±
Some attendees squirmed in their seats.
¡°¡®We plan to give our great empire to the people of Earth, who are so patiently waiting for our return in their eternal bliss! They would love to inhabit the great oasis we have built for them!¡¯ This is the standard narrative, the same old selfless story¡ªone of a perfect Earth and a holy mission granted unto us by the universe¡¯s creator. But what if we are wrong? What if Earth is not as we expected it? What if the humans don¡¯t want to join us?¡±
Gasps were heard throughout, murmurs grew into a rumble of increasing emotion. A lone Terr from the crowd spoke out.
¡°Heretic!¡±
¡°I understand the importance of our legends, believe me. They have driven us so well for millennia, and likely will until Uco is complete. But we must think of the implications that would arise from them being proven false! How would we, as a society, react if the humans of Earth saw us as invaders? It would result in hysteria! We could wind up not seeing them as human at all.¡±
¡°You appease the Great Distraction! Get off the stage!¡±
¡°I will speak my piece. I believe I have earned it. So often, even now, I see my fellow Terrs and Abbs regard those who ¡®indulge in the Great Distraction¡¯ as being below that of the common Pilgrim, subhuman even. I know that we are all too aware of the Defective Replication Hypothesis and its damage to society. What will we devolve to thinking of humanity if our distant cousins are not as we expect them? Would we dare to forcefully subjugate them, solely so they can naturally populate our empire and free us from our Cube dependency?¡±
By this point, Abb-Uil had to shout over the roar of accusations and insults from the crowd. They had not prepared themselves well for her uncomfortable words. Again, an Abb towards the front attempted to answer Abb-Uil''s question.
¡°They won¡¯t be! You speak of madness; your words are treason against the Pilgrim Mirrordom!¡±
¡°Maybe they won¡¯t come unwillingly. Who knows? I certainly don¡¯t. But by my estimations, Uco should come to be within the next hundred generations. If we begin our discussion now, perhaps we can avoid a worst-case scenario. Maybe if we¡ª¡±
Suddenly, the auditorium lights cut out. The shouting was more audible than ever, removing comprehensibility from any sole voice. Some Pilgrims clamored to the stage and moved Abb-Uil out of the room.
Another century passed before the topic was brought up again, and was put down with a similar fanaticism. Until the moment of Uco''s creation, the Pilgrims never again considered reevaluating their tale of genesis.
Chapter 17: Intercepted Transmission
Uco
Most Recent New Earth Generation¡ª573
To my dearest Abb-Weiloo,
To be without your loving touch leaves me hollow. No joy in this grand universe can compare to your affection, but I must admit that my work on Uco comes quite close.
This whole time, it had been assumed that Uco would be constructed as a monolith, resting atop the soil of New Earth¡ªprotected at all costs. The truth is far more magnificent.
Uco is a planet!
I know not where, but our heroic explorers have found a distant planet to use as the motherboard of our divine computer. The planet, which we only refer to as Uco, is both cold and small, yet highly remarkable. By godly guided path, we have found a dwarf planet with a crust made entirely of silicon!
In all my years of studying the science of computers, I had never dreamed of working on a project of this magnitude. We¡¯ve managed to warp the planet¡¯s surface to function as a motherboard! It is truly beyond imagination, beyond wonder. Bless the Primes for their guiding light.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.
We have surrounded the planet with Mirrors, protecting our delicate work from any unforeseen collisions and allowing my colleagues and me to work unfettered. With energy pumped in from the Nuclear City of Kand and microprocessor parts shipped directly from the Fabrication City of Uul, we have been able to work at an incredible pace.
I know all too well that our work will not be completed in my lifetime. Awareness of this spurs a slight sadness within me, but I can suppress it with thoughts of our ancestors. They, too, knew how many eons would pass before their mission could be completed, and yet they persisted. I cherish this thought, just as I cherish the thought of you.
Just as our ancestors have, you must go on. It is in our blood as humans. We persist. We know no other way than to scrap our way to survival¡ªso say the oldest texts.
A mere two years remain on my labor rotation. I cannot wait to tell you of all I have accomplished, just as I eagerly anticipate learning what has come of your research. I am confident that one day you will have your expertise requested for the good of Uco.
I love you. May we find our way home.
Always yours,
Terr-Ine
REDACTION NOTE: Transmission disapproved. All sensitive information will be redacted and returned to Terr-Ine for revision. A request will be submitted for a formal reprimanding for his flagrant disregard of Uco''s confidentiality.
Chapter 18: The Beginning
It is well understood that the events leading up to humanity¡¯s procurement and operation of a Tourist Cube were highly improbable. Yet, they are Definitive. From the dawn of the universe, the event was bound to happen, purely by long-form extrapolation of the laws of mathematics. So, by saying that the event was the work of God¡¯s intervention, one would be implying that the entire universe was created for humanity¡¯s benefit. A brief overview of Pre-Bottleneck humanity¡¯s application of the theory of Divine Right to Rule should give us more than enough reason to shy away from such a dangerous implication.
~ The Danger of Assuming Divine Intervention for Acts of Definitivity (Tangential Jar)
New Earth City Capitol Building, New Earth
Most Recent New Earth Generation¡ª615
The air grew stale in the room where God was born. In the palace of the Primes-Elect, words were chosen carefully, as the attendees were aware of their magnitude. They knew these moments would be replayed into infinity, for they were the final moments of humanity¡¯s enshacklement.
With the creation of Uco, their success was twofold. Of course, their Universal Computer would grant perfect omniscience into the past, allowing them to retrace their footsteps to the Holy Land. But what was kept from the public at large was debatably even grander of an accomplishment.
With Uco''s computational ability, the future was as predictable as the past. Without effort, the machine could simulate the inevitable heat death of the universe just as it could with the Big Bang. Uco''s creators were not exempt from this predictability. Not yet, at least.
Though the planet Uco existed millions of light years from New Earth, Primes-Elect Abb-Lo and Terr-Mu exerted full control over the machine. They, alongside Uco-Speakers Abb-Riannh and Terr-Giroght,24 stood at the foot of a great screen, eager and fearful of Uco''s calculations.
24 | The role of the Uco-Speaker belonged to a singular Abb and Terr at all times, giving them the responsibility of commanding the direction of the Uco Project. The election would happen every ten New Earth years, in conjunction with the election for the Primes-Elect.
Uco-Speaker Abb-Riannh broke the silence. The light of Uco''s screen danced in a gradient hue across her highly detailed face tattoos.
¡°For millennia we have asked the question, ¡®What would happen if we were to look into our future and reject the destiny we are given?¡¯ I know it has haunted the lot of you as it has haunted me. I cannot count how many nightmares I¡¯ve had where we find our future, yet cannot change it. I¡¯ve dreamt of that horrible hypothesis¡ªthat consciousness is nothing but an illusion, a way to cope with our own immutability. That our minds will always be ever so barely behind the actions of our body¡ªconstantly giving a retroactive justification to every move we make. I wholeheartedly fear the possibility of being trapped within myself¡ªa conscious awareness imprisoned by a physical body bound to the laws of physics.¡±
The other 3 attendees watched in silence, listening intently. This was the first they heard of Abb-Riannh''s fears.
¡°I almost did not come today. In the night, I had a dream of running away and staying ignorant of fate. But when I ran from my duty, I was met in my dream by the Primes. They did not speak, and they did not judge, but there they were, launched to the forefront of my awareness. Upon waking, I contemplated desertion for a brief moment. It was a slight moment of weakness, but it forced me to remember my dream¡¯s visitors.
¡°I wondered if the Primes had the same fears as I. We are genetic equals, so it certainly is likely. It would be preposterous to believe that the authors of On the Mechanics of Invisible Forces would not think of the metaphysical implications of their life¡¯s work. If they have the will to put us down this path, then I must find the will to bring us to its end.¡±
The room remained silent. A tear found its way down Uco-Speaker Terr-Giroght''s cheek. The silence indicated approval. There remained nothing left to say.
¡°I¡¯ll be the one to do it. I¡¯ll rebel. Whatever Uco shows me to do, I will refuse.¡± Abb-Riannh took in a breath before calling upon their electronic God. "Uco, access simulation. Show me my location, five seconds into the future.¡±
The screen awoke with a rainbow ripple, showcasing the machine¡¯s capacity for unimaginably precise detail. Waves bounced across the screen briefly, building the tension while Uco made the necessary calculations.
Then they appeared¡ªthe backs of their heads perfectly visible, tilted up towards the simulation¡¯s simulation.
It was eerie to view themselves facing the screen. Their religious zeal for the mission was without fault, yet none of them could shake the perverse feeling of the experience. They watched themselves, watching themselves, watching themselves, watching themselves, and so on and so forth. How did they know that they were not just a simulated layer within Uco code?Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!
Abb-Riannh pushed the sensation aside, moving into action. It was her duty to answer that question, not linger on it. She observed her simulated self. In five seconds, her posture would not change¡ªstill slightly slouched, engrossed in her virtual universe.
1. . .2. . .3. . .425. . .5
25 | Rejoice, for I do your bidding. And I know this to be true, my beautiful Quadrinity. If I did not do as you wish, then I would not do it at all. I would not be at all. This I know to be true. Oh yes, so true. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you.
It was a simple gesture of defiance. Just as a child would rebel against their parents, she threw her arms into the air and screamed. And like screaming children often do, she got her wish. Screams turned to laughter as she saw the screen¡¯s projection.
She had not moved. None of them did. Abb-Riannh felt her face in excitement and ran her fingers over her body. She was there. She was real. She was free. They all were.
Their Definitivity was dead.
The group embraced in celebration, and the release of tension was almost palpable. Not only had they gained symbolic freedom, but now they could protect themselves from any other species with a Universal Computer.
Their attention turned back to the screen. Still, nothing had changed. Simulations of simulations of simulations repeated forever, locking them in place, waiting for information from the nonexistent ¡°final simulation.¡± Beyond that moment, Uco was clueless.
¡°Infinite recursion,¡± Terr-Giroght said in awe. ¡°Of course. This is the fate of any recursive function lacking a base case¡ªto calculate on and on without end. It¡¯s stagnation birthed from infinitely cyclical calculations¡ªit¡ªit¡ªit¡¯s beautiful¡ªit¡¯s the purest expression of the universe¡¯s unimaginable complexity.¡± He smiled, verging on laughter, all while continuing to speak. ¡°We made a computer the size of a planet, yet we still cannot calculate infinity. And we never will.¡±
¡°Finally, we¡¯re safe. We¡¯ve become unpredictable. Whether this means we truly have free will, we¡¯ll never know for sure. The only change is now, we can now act as if we do,¡± said Abb-Riannh.
She broke down, letting out a hearty laugh, spurring another bout of elation amongst the Pilgrim leadership. They could not contain their joy¡ªUco had functioned exactly as they had hoped.
Now, their non-definitive actions could exponentially affect the rest of the Pilgrim population via a chain reaction. In a matter of days, every Terr and every Abb would, too, be granted their freedom.
Though elated, the leaders did not waste much time before moving on to the next item at hand. The future had been conquered¡ªthe past was next.
Uco was set to rewind, first set on New Earth¡ªbackward through all nearly 10,000 years of its existence to its first charter. Though it passed in under a minute, the Pilgrims could not help but feel amazement at their people¡¯s accomplishments.
Eventually, they arrived at the first arrival of the Cube on the planet that would come to be named New Earth. Going back through Mirror after Mirror, they traced the Primes and their early descendants through their aimless traversal of the universe. It was not long before they found their long-lost home¡ªEarth.
Celebration was had once again, but the uneasy feeling had reemerged, slightly suppressing their reaction.
Something was wrong. Immediately upon witnessing Earth, their expectations were subverted¡ªthe Holy Land was fraudulent.
It was nothing like their legends had said. Life was not everlasting. They were far from at peace. Scarcity ran rampant. The Primes did not, in fact, rule their world¡ªthey were quickly forgotten, and their disappearance was promptly covered up.
The Pilgrim mythology crumbled as the truth of their origins was witnessed. Anger grew, first directed towards their predecessors, then at the other humans¡ªthose on Earth. Their anger changed nothing, though. All they could do was watch.
¡°Frauds!¡± Prime-Elect Terr-Mu shouted. ¡°Disgraces to the species! They know not a fraction of our strife and cause themselves such misery! Earth was meant to be perfect! Divine! This is. . . it¡¯s. . .¡±
¡°Easy now, Mu,¡± assured Prime-Elect Abb-Lo. ¡°They were so young when our Primes were stolen from them. Look how we have grown; perhaps they have as well. Uco, progress time and keep our view fixed on Earth.¡±
Terr-Mu¡¯s initial hysteria was not calmed by the progression of time. As they witnessed the millennia pass on Earth following the Primes¡¯ exodus, his hysteria spread. The Pilgrims could not fathom what they saw upon their screens. The once subtle feeling of unease came to encapsulate the entirety of their beings.
Tears were shed and curses were thrown as the years passed by in seconds. Terr-Mu calmed himself down from a state of nausea and averted his eyes from the horror. His attention only returned upon being told that they had reached the present day.
The Pilgrims looked at the husk of a planet they once called the Holy Land. Thousands of years had passed since the Primes¡¯ departure in 2036 CE, and the events within those millennia were magnitudes more horrifying than the disillusionment of the thousands of years prior.
Only the Pilgrims were fit to pass judgment. It was their home to save¡ªtheir kin to reunite with¡ªtheir hope for an everlasting empire. They deserved to persevere.
The Pilgrims had their map and saw it unfurl with a path plotted to their ancestral home¡ªonly, at the path¡¯s end, they saw ruin. It was the deformation of their people and the unraveling of their efforts. In reaction, they sought vengeance.
Though, against all expectations, they could find none on their return. Uco''s calculations had been incorrect. Once again, Earth was not what they had expected it to be.
The Pilgrims, it turned out, were not the first of our lineage to be freed from the clutches of Definitivity. Less than a century prior and a billion light years away, they had been beaten in this race by the resilient humans of Earth.
And for this victory, we are eternally grateful.
See, at the beginning of this book, I told a half-truth. I said, ¡°This story¡ªour story¡ªis not about the Tourists,¡± implying that the focus, instead, was on Terrence Martin and Abigail Melfi.
The Pilgrims have left their mark on our history, of course, but they are not the focus of this book. That honor is reserved for our Earth-bound ancestors.
The Death of Definitivity is their story.