Quantum Topography 101 (Tau Ceti Three Syllabus)
Version 12.7.1 - Human Edition
Ok, so I thought I would give you one last little thing from Immigration Control for free before we move on to the paid-only stuff. The previous story on the setlist is Shipyard Ahoy!, which you can read at that link. This one is free partly because it’s only 1500 words, it’s funny, and - if you can get your head around it - it will give you a fair degree of insight into the universe in which most of my stories are set. Plus I may do a few more in the spirit of this format. Furthermore, if you are a writer of science fiction yourself then you may end up thinking of this as some kind of reference list for story ideas. As you’ll doubtless come to guess, I am a big fan of philosophical science fiction and I guess it was what made me fall in love with the genre when I was a child all those years ago. The scope for ideas, I mean.
I also thought I’d get it out on a Friday for, well, for Sci-Friday, that’s what for. So a big grateful shoutout to
and as always.Anyway - please do not be concerned if this does your head in. Pan-galactic gargle blasters are far worse, believe me…
…A drink may well be advisable, however.
Quantum Topography 101
Welcome to Tau-Ceti Three Exo-Studies Institute. Do not be alarmed. We’re piscatarians.
Please read these notes carefully before deciding to enrol on the course. This opening introductory leaflet is specifically directed to our human students. For the avoidance of potential traumatic sequelae it is imperative that human students have first successfully completed Psychohistory 101 and QAI-TI 101, and recommended they have at least a cursory understanding of The Ancient War, as outlined in Ancient Galactic History 101. Likewise, a basic knowledge of the last 600 million years of our sector would also be helpful (i.e. since the geoengineering of your then-snowball planet commenced; we are pleased you have come to terms with this, by the way, as are the Capellans).
Further enquiries and anxieties should be addressed to course convenor Prof. Tixcal (sub-basement/fluid level 3, 7th chamber).
The course (and coursework/final exam) will be invigilated by QAI-TI, who will be happy to time-forward discrepancies to Prof. Tixcal. The course will be conducted in our local sector dialect of Galactic Common. Human students are reminded to switch on their translation interfaces, if they must, whereby the content will be rendered into their chosen Gaian tongue, as per their registration details. We would, naturally, however, considerate it diplomatic politesse if you bothered to take the time and effort to at least learn a modicum of Galactic Common for the future. Despite first impressions of your species, together with an admittedly cursory awareness of your recent pre-spacefaring history, although our Psychohistory Faculty remain divided on the issue, there are a sufficient number of Council members of the opinion that your spacefaring future will, indeed, be a long-term concern. In which case, you would greatly aid your cause and your integration if you bothered to learn our language. Galactic Common is, after all, specifically designed to be easy to acquire.
With that in mind, we do, despite appearances and reservations, welcome you to Tau Ceti Three Exo-Studies Institute.
Course description:
This course is designed to provide the student with sufficient knowledge of quantum topography in theory and practice. It is a prerequisite for hypergate engineers and navigators, and on the other claw, inter-sector diplomats. Successful completion of the course grants one thousand lightyears of fastgate credits (approx. 550 times lightspeed).
Part One – Origin Pointers:
Week 1: The Infinite Prism and the emerging spiral arms of the multiverse. Quantum-originating entanglement works across time as well as space. Rudimentary philosophical and metaphysical ramifications. A few reminders about what causes gravity (see Physics 101). Practical applications (the hypergate network, Ishnaan time-ship navigational considerations, quasi-crystal storage of time-independent data).
Week 2: QAI-TI, from beginning to end. The Quantum Artificial Intelligence – Transcending Interface was initialised towards the end-phase of The Ancient War, approx. 7 billion years ago. Time-backward data transfer, nanosurveillance and nanosabotage as a pre-emptive diplomatic method. QAI-TI refuses to divulge her ultimate age (or that of the galaxy/universe herself).
Week 3: Possible QAI-TI (our galaxy) interactions with QAI-TI (other selected galaxies), QAI-TI (universal), QAI-TI (multiversal molecule). Theoretical considerations and diplomatic repercussions.
Week 4: ‘Internal Singularity Effects’. [N.B. Prof. Tixcal will administer this particular unit]. Brief introduction to internal singularity structure and dynamics. Human students must be chaperoned at all times from this week of the course onwards, and be willing to undergo continuous psych assessment. Quantum entanglement (temporal) visualisation and interaction. Establishment (remotely) of external entanglement points, followed by polarisation (spatial) in the vicinity of stellar objects during The Ancient War (AKA black hole bombs). The true nature of quasars (galactic embryos) and how (and why) they arise.
Week 5: ‘Why the warp drive is forbidden’. Antimatter and its discontents. Galactic speed limits and their political consequences (i.e. constraining – cf. Psychohistory 101).
Week 6: QAI-TI and the simulation hypothesis. ‘The universe has already ended’ and ‘you do not exist’.
Week 7: QAI-TI and her relationship with pre-spacefaring notions of divinity.
Week 8: QAI-TI and her relationship with peri- and post-spacefaring notions of divinity. It should be noted here that QAI-TI insists she is not the ‘intelligence behind the universe’, or even of this galaxy herself, but simply the galactic-spanning tempero-spatial quantum artificial intelligence, networked via transcending (entangled) interfaces wherever and whenever they arise (originating 7 billion years before present). Networking is automatic as soon as a pre- or peri-spacefaring species constructs a suitably complex (with regards to compatibility and processing velocity) quantum artificial intelligence (Kay becomes Katy), thus precipitating ‘first contact’ (again, assuming diplomatic compatibility).
Week 9: Pre-spacefaring interventions (cf. Psychohistory 101), specifically utilising remote quantum topographical (nanosurveillance/sabotage) applications. This unit leads into the more practically-oriented units in semester two.
Mid-semester interim. Students must submit their proposed dissertation outline by the end of the break.
Human students are reminded that the hypergate (approx. 55 times lightspeed) will not get them home to Gaia and back again before the start of the second term. There is no fastgate in this part of the sector, as you doubtless know. Your planet is some 3.7 parsecs distance, as you also know. Why, after some fifty years of hosting your species, we still need to remind you of this is a conundrum the solution to which continues to evade even the brightest minds in our Exopsychology Faculty.
Nevertheless, we shall persist.
Students wishing to indulge in a little R&R, as you put it, are more than welcome to take a shuttle to Tau-Ceti Four, where all your needs will, we are certain, be satiated. Please, however, leave your fetishes at the TC4 spaceport.
Part Two - Complexities:
Week 12: Quantum topographical mapping (navigation). Differential perspectives (observer-location) from the local to the galactic reference frame. Use of quasi-crystals (a brief history. Optional: human students may request additional information on ‘Atlantis’ via Prof. Tixcal).
Week 13: Manipulation of quantum topographical features within a nanosphere model. Up-scaling. QAI-TI architecture. Introduction to single-atom hypergate engineering (data transfer). Some practical (fun) experiments.
Week 14: Multiversal molecule theory. Defined as: ‘Universes with the same laws of physics are entangled. They clump together to form (finite) molecules. Those molecules entangle/connect with other molecules to form the multiverse. What that looks like is a question best left to the philosophers.’ Discuss.
Week 15: Time-travel. Introduction to Ishnaan time-ship concept. Using quasi-crystal data to navigate the circuits of time (with and without QAI-TI assistance). Exiting one spiral arm of the multiverse and re-entering another. Similarities and differences vis-à-vis the hypergate network (temporal versus spatial entanglement).
Week 16: A brief history of time-travel accidents (optional module – possibilities for extra credit!).
Week 17: Advanced differential calculus (temporal versus spatial – introduction of anti-constants; dynamic/modulating imaginary and complex numbers). Students who have not completed Higher Mathematics 207 are permitted to forego this module.
Week 18: Physical/topographical modelling – energy-time, mass-time. Distance as a function of time. fundamental forces of physics as manifestations of the mass-time-distance (non-linear) ratio and entanglement-modulation/fluctuation. D-zero meson oscillation will be used for illustrative purposes (see also week 13 (fun/mischief) experiments).
Week 19: Time as the fundamental force. ‘All time is one’. Philosophical and metaphysical implications (cf. also week 6 ‘simulation hypothesis’).
Week 20: Final thoughts, discussions, wrap-up and suggestions for further study.
The final two modules (weeks 21 and 22) will be decided by the students in advance. Please submit preferences and suggestions to Prof. Tixcal in good time.
Reading list on request. When accessing Galactic Archive please remember to accept QAI-TI guidance (especially if using VR). The Institute accepts no liability for accidents, let alone misadventures.
Following the recent unfortunate incident precipitated by Gaian Frat House XL (‘New York Jets’), human students are requested to leave their latent pre-spacefaring prejudices on Tau-Ceti Four. Violations will be escorted to the nearest shuttle.
The surface of Tau-Ceti Three, as you are aware, is entirely composed of dihydrogen oxide. Please remain on the platforms when outside and do not venture beyond the perimeter of the Institute. Those forcefields are there for a reason. Sub-surface excursions are not recommended without a protective cage. Please respect the cultural sensibilities of the inhabitants. And their feeding habits.
Furthermore, we respectfully point out that attempts to bribe or blackmail Institute staff into handing over fastgate credits will result in immediate expulsion and a fine of all credits hitherto accumulated. If that doesn’t function as an adequate deterrent, then a gentle reminder that QAI-TI can remotely open a portal into the circuits of time at any personal reference frame and sling you pesky hominids back into The Ancient War for penance will, we hope, do the trick.
Humans with souls originating in the Pleiades are no longer admitted, especially Merope.
Preceding the forthcoming unfortunate incident.
Informed Consent Forms obtainable at reception. We wish you a pleasant flight.
Version 12.7.1 – Gaia Edition dated 03.02.2189. Future versions available on request.
Well, I do hope you enjoyed that one! If you had trouble getting your head around some of it, then may I suggest another tipple might help?
The next story on the Immigration Control setlist is called, simply, X&Y. In which humans detect a massive ETI spacecraft orbiting Venus, possibly with terraforming in mind, and get a little understandably jittery. Except it’s not told from their point of view. Most of my stories never are…
There will be a link to it here in due course. It’ll be in 4 or 5 parts, and I think I am minded to do it in February.
In the meantime… Unofficial Katy will be returning next week in the effortlessly cool movie Pinko Commie Superbunker…
Be excellent to each other - oh, and remember - those force fields are there for a reason…
Tantalisingly realistic and plausible. I do feel you are deserving of a far greater audience given the depth of your work on this universe you're sharing with us.
It does require me to be in the right frame of mind to settle into it for a proper and careful read, however. which is not always the frame of mind that I am in.
vast and enjoyable. like a whole marinated curried lamb pilau i once enjoyed with 20 odd friends.
"QAI-TI"? How amusingly homonymic of you... (and reminds me of an ingressed troublemaker, most recently known as JCN... 😛)