While the nature of the universe itself remains wildly suspect amongst most of those within it, there are a number of things they can say about it. This article is written from the perspective of the average Thessian scientist; a more accurate overview of the higher order of the universe will be posted soon.
We know, first of all, that the cosmos observable from Earth is not representative of the entirety of space-time. We live in a (3+1)-dimensioned container—that is, three dimensions of space and one of time. There are containers of many different descriptions and sizes which rank as high as (10+1), for a maximum of eleven dimensions and no more than two or three time-like parameters. In accordance with M-theory, we shall refer to these containers variously as branes, cosmoses (which more properly refers to their contents) or membranes—however, elsewhere, the term "plane" is also used, in deference to linear algebra and traditional theological interpretations. The general deficiency of time-like dimensions is fortuitous, as deterministic, predictable chemical processes are exponentially more complicated in higher numbers of time dimensions, and biology is essentially impossible.
The origin of this non-uniformity of the universe is unclear; it is believed from small-scale attempts to visualise these branes that their dispersion and shape roughly resemble a pattern of bubbles suspended in liquid. Experiments with high-power microwaves which can permeate the outer layer suggest that we are ultimately encased in a spherical universe, and that the branes themselves are capable of growing, merging and blebbing like phospholipid and petroleum membranes. Indeed, large branes are frequently found to be surrounded by fractal-like shells of smaller cosmoses, which may merge and divide over the course of hundreds of millions of years.
Much like splitting nuclei, these smaller universes can also subdivide in a fashion that causes them to decrease in rank (i.e., number of dimensions), but conservatively, so that a (1+1) cosmos and a (3+2) cosmos of equal domain can be recombined without consequence. Less stable branes may engage in this exchange on a regular basis with only a small cumulative consequence for their contents.
The primary physical forces which are to be found within cosmoses still have bearing in higher dimensions, and across braneous barriers. What we know as gravitation represents the product of three interconvertible component forces, one for each space-like dimension in which our brane operates; in higher-dimensioned spaces, further analogous forces can be detected, meaning that the universal law of gravitation is simply adjusted to accommodate these additional considerations, and as a vector sum becomes more powerful. Although gravitation acts on us in these higher dimensions as well, it is undetectable unless we collide with something that affects one of our occupied dimensions; else it can be like an infinitely thin sheet of paper falling into an infinitely thin paper moon.
Thet is encased in a (3+1) space-time which appears to have originated as a (6+2) space-time, unlike the surrounding Expanse; its sister membrane appears to have fully degraded. Analysis of microwave interference patterns suggests that the original rank may have been much higher, and that Thet may have intermittently been part of a larger star formation such as a local cluster—or even a galaxy—prior to the degradation, in concert with many nearby branes.
All branes must start and end somewhere, as they cannot be unbounded along any of the eleven dimensions. It appears that Thet is significantly older than the lion's share of current pockets, and has most likely survived by undergoing a number of fissile events in response to anomalous events and incursions. As such, the amount of slack in the membrane which would normally be used to create further offspring in response to incursions is quite reduced, and the membrane is constantly at risk of a catastrophic breaching event.
Thet's geography is defined by its history with such phenomena. The incident in which Tetragnostica's Eye (the anomaly) was created was in fact one of these catastrophes, wherein the integrity of the cosmos's nuclear force was briefly compromised. See The Shattering for more details.
The Universe at Large
We know, first of all, that the cosmos observable from Earth is not representative of the entirety of space-time. We live in a (3+1)-dimensioned container—that is, three dimensions of space and one of time. There are containers of many different descriptions and sizes which rank as high as (10+1), for a maximum of eleven dimensions and no more than two or three time-like parameters. In accordance with M-theory, we shall refer to these containers variously as branes, cosmoses (which more properly refers to their contents) or membranes—however, elsewhere, the term "plane" is also used, in deference to linear algebra and traditional theological interpretations. The general deficiency of time-like dimensions is fortuitous, as deterministic, predictable chemical processes are exponentially more complicated in higher numbers of time dimensions, and biology is essentially impossible.
The origin of this non-uniformity of the universe is unclear; it is believed from small-scale attempts to visualise these branes that their dispersion and shape roughly resemble a pattern of bubbles suspended in liquid. Experiments with high-power microwaves which can permeate the outer layer suggest that we are ultimately encased in a spherical universe, and that the branes themselves are capable of growing, merging and blebbing like phospholipid and petroleum membranes. Indeed, large branes are frequently found to be surrounded by fractal-like shells of smaller cosmoses, which may merge and divide over the course of hundreds of millions of years.
Much like splitting nuclei, these smaller universes can also subdivide in a fashion that causes them to decrease in rank (i.e., number of dimensions), but conservatively, so that a (1+1) cosmos and a (3+2) cosmos of equal domain can be recombined without consequence. Less stable branes may engage in this exchange on a regular basis with only a small cumulative consequence for their contents.
The primary physical forces which are to be found within cosmoses still have bearing in higher dimensions, and across braneous barriers. What we know as gravitation represents the product of three interconvertible component forces, one for each space-like dimension in which our brane operates; in higher-dimensioned spaces, further analogous forces can be detected, meaning that the universal law of gravitation is simply adjusted to accommodate these additional considerations, and as a vector sum becomes more powerful. Although gravitation acts on us in these higher dimensions as well, it is undetectable unless we collide with something that affects one of our occupied dimensions; else it can be like an infinitely thin sheet of paper falling into an infinitely thin paper moon.
The Specific Case: The Thessian Space-Time Membrane
Thet is encased in a (3+1) space-time which appears to have originated as a (6+2) space-time, unlike the surrounding Expanse; its sister membrane appears to have fully degraded. Analysis of microwave interference patterns suggests that the original rank may have been much higher, and that Thet may have intermittently been part of a larger star formation such as a local cluster—or even a galaxy—prior to the degradation, in concert with many nearby branes.
All branes must start and end somewhere, as they cannot be unbounded along any of the eleven dimensions. It appears that Thet is significantly older than the lion's share of current pockets, and has most likely survived by undergoing a number of fissile events in response to anomalous events and incursions. As such, the amount of slack in the membrane which would normally be used to create further offspring in response to incursions is quite reduced, and the membrane is constantly at risk of a catastrophic breaching event.
Thet's geography is defined by its history with such phenomena. The incident in which Tetragnostica's Eye (the anomaly) was created was in fact one of these catastrophes, wherein the integrity of the cosmos's nuclear force was briefly compromised. See The Shattering for more details.
