SEEKERS OF THE ONE EARTH ASCENDANCY
Eminence Aldrani Bin-Shathi, Chief Seeker, [REDACTED]
Classified, Redacted Copy of Report #33
Aether, Outer Space, and Quintessence
TO FOLLOW PSYCHOLOGICAL AFFIRMANT 3
ONE EARTH ASCENDANCY
PRINTING AUTHORITY
ANTARCTICA : [REDACTED]
This document to be read only on a need-to-know basis. If you are reading this, or know of someone reading this, outside of the guideline(s), please proceed to your nearest Ascendancy Authority for further instructions. Failure to follow the guideline(s) may result in legal proceedings or summary execution.
INTRODUCTION, NATURE OF THE AETHER
[REDACTED]
Continuing on, aether has been discovered to be a sort of hybrid between what was believed, [REDACTED] to be absolute nothing, and that of Earth’s water. The aether is thinner than water, completely clear, ultimately a near-perfect fluid, becoming perfect only when an object submerged within it surpasses a certain Threshold — called the Aether Resistance Threshold. Yet, it has a similar pressure to that found at the bottom of the deepest Earth oceanas[sic]! It is a thin, nearly weightless liquid, mysteriously effecting an equally high pressure upon anything submerged within it. Movement and momentum is almost completely retained at higher speeds in the aether, the extent, of which, is [REDACTED].
I. AETHERNAUTICS
As I’ve stated, the aether is [REDACTED] akin to a liquid. [REDACTED] rather than a “vacuumus[sic] space,” the aether functions somewhat like water and air. As such, many of the same principals of aquanautics and aeronautics apply to aethernautics.
Vessels do not necessarily need to be made with aetherdynamics in mind, due to supercavitation being necessary for any speeds exceeding 23,000km/s. Up to that point, Drive Cores are fully capable of propelling any mass, within reason. Beyond this, vessels risk incurring damage due to aether resistance, without the aid of a supercavitating device.
Orientation in the aether is a matter of practice and comprehension. Various devices and apparatus are provided to pilots and aethernauts in order to assist in maintaining sense of their surroundings but the specifics of that are outside the scope of this work — see Report: “Modern Aethernautics,” for more information.
Unlike air and water, where an object will sink or rise when buoyancy, or forward momentum ends. In the aether-liquid environment, on a drift, a vessel will continue upon the same vector for a time directly related to their velocity at propulsion’s end. For example, a vessel coasting at a slow 1km/s, would continue so for twice as long as another vessel at 500m/s. Each would eventually come to a complete stop, evincing no movement, whatsoever — barring a chance encounter with a rare meandering aether current. These laws persist at all levels below the ART.
II. PRESSURIZATION
Pressurization of air is necessary to maintain an air-level environment. However, as the pressure of aether is equal in all places, de-pressurization is often explosive comparatively to the ruptured environ, thus caution is advised. To offset this, all vessels exposed to aether must be, at minimum, double hulled to withstand aether-pressure.
In the event of an aether-bound vessel undergoing catastrophic de-pressurization, the effect would be quite deadly. The aether will explosively eject itself into the pressurized environment — much as water on earth would to a submarining vessel — filling any cavities of liquid air with liquid aether. Further, the immediate violent rush of aether would kill anyone in the vicinity, crushing or shredding them. The same applies to all pressurized spaces in aether; be it ship, station, or environ-suit.
III. TEMPERATURE
Aether temperature is [REDACTED] cooler than the coldest places on Earth. Most fortuitously, the aether does not allow for the buildup of ice in externally exposed locations. The organic body, however, will still crystallize internally in places which are not in direct contact with aether — the same for a vessel without a heating system.
The strange occurrence of coincidental percentages cannot be ignored. It is a fact that [REDACTED] man is made of water, and so too is the Earth [REDACTED]. If I may be so bold, I would hypothesis that the aether itself is [REDACTED] of the same component — that being liquid aether. It is reasonable to assume that just as [REDACTED] Earth is landmass, so too is [REDACTED] of the expanse of aether made up of various worlds, or other such heavenly bodies. [REDACTED]
IV. EFFECTS ON LEVITY
The aether has the effect of eliminating levity. [REDACTED] My digression aside, Levity is a Universal constant upon our world, and every planet encountered thus far (see my full analysis in my report: “Worlds, Planets, and Stars,” for more information). Ultimately, the aether serves to provide a level-less, vector-less region to all that is submerged within it.
As a practical example: During one experiment, a sphere of aether was siphoned and released into in an oxygenated environment. With the aid of thermal imaging, and other visual spectrometry, that aether was seen floating level-less in the oxygenated air-level environment. In all tests, the aether, regardless of the contents of the sealed environment, behaved as a level-less liquid (that is, floating about the room).
The phenomenon is explained: Upon contact with any environ outside of an aether-dominated one, the aether binds to itself, much as water in an oxygenated air environment does. Inexplicably, the binding of aether is strong of itself. Meaning, once bonded, it will remain so until an object separates it — and this separation is easily achieved. Thus, the bond is simultaneously weaker and stronger than water. If two separate spheres of aether were allowed to freely float in any environment, the two spheres would generally free float until eventually coming to a stand still, only moving again when a force was applied (such as wind, a convection current, a thrown physical object, or even a hand pressed against it). When two spheres of aether in an air environment contacted with the other, the two spheres conjoined, returning to a meandering pattern until their momentum finally came to a halt, so long as the environment was perfectly still.
All that said, it is unknown as to why aether behaves in a level-less manner within a level environment. Research is ongoing.
V. ART AND CONTINUUM
What is the Aether Resistance Threshold (ART)? Simple. The ART is a barrier, much like the sound barrier, that a vessel or object must travel at sufficient velocity to overcome. Overcoming that Threshold causes a shockwave, and allows one to enter into the Continuum. The Continuum is a state of perfect fluid, that is, having absolutely zero resistance. It is a space between our carnal, rational, mundane plane, and [REDACTED].
The ART is surpassed at a minimum of [REDACTED]. It is possible to accelerate beyond that velocity and not enter the ART but one shall never surpass the light speed barrier without it. Vessels exceeding safe speeds are not able to do so for long without catastrophic hull failure (some supercavitation apparati permit extended time beyond safe aether speeds). Special technology is also required to act as Catalyst to opening that Great Continuum — briefly covered, further on.
Again, as an object in the aether increases in velocity, upon surpassing the Aether Resistance Threshold, the resistance upon it does not increase, as it does in aether or atmosphere, but immediately cease. Thus, one’s acceleration continues at rate, past the ART, ad infinitum. In simpler terms: An object passed ART, with no further influence, shall continue at a fixed rate perpetually; if that object’s source of propulsion continues to produce force, their velocity shall also increase at the same rate of the engine’s normal output, unhindered. This means that even meager engines, normally only capable of producing top speeds of 1km/s, shall be able to potentially reach infinite speeds. Yes, in effect, given enough time passed ART, this has allowed us to surpass the troublesome light-speed barrier. Quite handy for traveling vast distances very quickly, no?
Reaching the Art is another matter, and depends upon the accelerative capacities of the mass in question. As such, due to the drag of aether, or, rather its resistance, while beneath the ART, it has been found that smaller, more nimble vessels surpass ART quicker and more easily than larger, more powerful vessels. This applies equally to all matter of any size, even that of the microscopic — light and magnetic waves do not surpass ART, which I will explain, in detail, in my next report. However, once reaching the ART, the vessel with the more powerful engine wins at distance.
Not only is a powerful Drive Core required but, as mentioned above, also specialized technology. Pressure-Tech, to be exact, called the Catalyst. Of which, the specifics are outside the scope of this report, and, as much as it pains me to admit it, outside the scope of my knowledge. Currently, for any further information, I can only direct to the Aligners of Machinations, among the Pursuers.
But how to bring an object back below the ART? You must brake in some fashion before second activation of the Catalyst — the method of which is dependent upon the object’s mass. Failing to slow to safe velocity would render the vessel or object destroyed or damaged upon re-entry to the aether.
Showing promise slowing larger vessels, are Tether-bound mass accelerators in/on some portion of the ship, which are then released in the opposite direction of travel. Because Tethers, being technology based on Pressure-Tech, defy known physics, they are self-contained energies and masses (rather, having no mass), able to move without effecting the thing they are connected with, until desired. This is used to repeatedly, and quickly, hurl, or whip, mass in the opposite direction of travel, only effecting the ship when becoming taught at the end of the formulated length — a sight and sound which is something to behold, and can only be described as the anguine hair of cursed Medusa flailing in a rage. For smaller ships, reverse thrusters, or merely turning about to thrust in the opposite direction have worked sufficiently.
Lower velocities, below 100,000km/s, are possible in Continuum. This results in vessels and objects experiencing rapid and turbulent phase changes. The effects of which cause rapid deterioration of the superstructure, and all connected parts. Zero-velocity is also possible, however, those vessels which attempted this disappeared moments after. The whereabouts of which are [REDACTED].
But we have reached the portion where only the ignorant becomes frightened. I now explain just how safe surpassing the ART truly is. When passed the Threshold, a type of Slipstream forms around the object. The strength of the Slipstream is directly proportional to the mass of the object — greater mass grants a stronger Slipstream. Within this Slipstream, minor objects often present in aether, such as the minutia of debris, and radiating frequency, are, with the former, destroyed upon contact, or pushed aside, as with the latter. Larger objects, such as worlds, moons, stars, planets, etc. (generally any object of greater mass, or, to a degree, lesser) will overcome this Barrier and impact with whichever object moves within it. The end result is always catastrophic for one or both parties. A ship beyond ART colliding with a planet, for example, would be obliterated. The portion of the planet struck, rendered as one would expect.*
Presently, however, it seems that once the ART is reached, without a Catalyst, one shall stay above it forever, even if one is able to slow themselves. For such slowing methods, mass acceleration, as mentioned, has proven very effective. But, this still presents a rather frightening [REDACTED] possibility, which I shall cover in the next section.
VI. DANGERS POSED BY THE AETHER
With the Continuum having zero resistance, why would one want to avoid perpetual acceleration to reach their destination faster? For starters, there is the issue of colliding with objects after surpassing ART. Once a vessel reaches a certain velocity, computers can no longer accurately calculate safe routes of passage. Further, reaching great speeds extends the time required for the vessel to reach safe velocity for aether re-entry. Therefore, allowing a vessel to accelerate beyond a certain point becomes akin to a roll of the dice, or, more aptly, a round of [REDACTED] Roulette. To overcome these limitations, Figment Intelligence (FI) was formulated [REDACTED].
When asked how he was able to safely navigate Continuum, famed FI, Faust, replied: “The expenditure of figment grants the machine future sight beyond man’s comprehension. This [explanation] is sufficient.”
As mentioned before, once a vessel surpasses the ART, the object in question shall travel at velocity until intentionally leaving, or colliding with a mass capable of breaking the Continuum’s Slipstream. If an object were to be jettisoned from the primary mass upon entering Continuum, that jettisoned object would also continue at the same velocity upon whichever vector it was jettisoned. If a vessel were to drop out of Continuum with an EVA, at certain velocities, they could be injured or torn apart. For these reasons, EVA in Continuum is not advised.
Another issue uniquely faced for aether-bound vessels, is the aether particulate itself. Within an air environment it is extremely dangerous. In early-stage testing of aether, several incidents of Aether-induced Spontaneous Drowning (ASD) occurred before a reliable way to track, contain, seal, and drain aether particulate was developed. As stated in the section on pressurization, given enough time, the aether will fill any cavities, effectively drowning those who breath it in. The same applies to all pressurized spaces in the aether, be it ship, station, or aethersuit. All who breath in the weightless, invisible, near-perfect liquid, will drown. Attempts to resuscitate aether-drowned victims proved impossible by conventional means. However, there was some success with [REDACTED]. Of which, the [REDACTED] Pursuers [REDACTED] understand and harness.
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VII. AETHER AS A SOURCE OF ENERGY
Much like water, aether has vast potential for energy applications. It, too, can neither be created or destroyed. However, unlike water (barring properties of the ART), aether does not change state but remains the same. Of course, the Drive Core is a [REDACTED] source of energy derived of aether and [REDACTED], of which the [REDACTED]
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CONCLUSION
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Yours faithfully,
Eminence Aldrani Bin-Shathi, BCA, I-AM, SPA7, CS-OEA, A-RIAM