The inhabitants of a body known locally, inconveniently and almost unfortunately as E***h are the subject of ongoing dispute between professional dimensionologists, highly trained dimensionauts and even the amateur dimensionography community.
“Oh, not those guys…”
Yes, well, it is one of the few spaces in the known cosmos where the dominant sentient fauna remain unaware of their spatial inhabitance. The seven dimensional creatures seem utterly convinced of their existence on a substandard three dimensional plane.
“So it’s a sim…a game?”
Not quite. It’s just the only vague notion they have of their higher selves seems to come through sub or even unconscious thought processes and manifests as artistic expression. Fugue, canon, folding patterns. Linguistic and visual paradox. That sort of thing.
“Like the works of Dr Seuss?”
The school of Dimensionology doesn’t like us discussing that incident. They hate it when one of their own breaks protocol and goes native.
“What about that guy in the desert?”
Special dispensation.
“Oh”
Though I’m pleased you’ve been studying. The first recorded encounter was actually in fluidic quasispace 14 linear times ago. A group of ambitious dimensionauts out looking for pi, came across the beings using a tunnelling dodekeract. Describing them as “amorphous assemblages of quantum singularity, hyper massive hypercondria, fxna and a rather more unpleasant greenish brownish goo”, they extended greetings, but the sludgy fellas wouldn’t respond.
“Why? What happened?”
Well it appears that the planet which shall not be named, a spheroid in dimensions 3b through d, contains a number of curiosities not yet fully understood. I’d be happy to convey more if you opt for this trajectory.
“…”
I don’t remember being so indecisive. Did you know they think there’s a ‘beginning’ to the universe? It’s one of their most existential questions.
“Really…you mean?”
Yes, that’s right.
////////\ melded with a jumpsuit.
“Ok then, let’s do it!”
Very well. Just don’t do what the last one did.
“What was that?”
Just don’t touch one.
***
Spatial compartment established. I’ll be here if you need me.
“Thanks…wait what is that? Is that one?”
Oh…no. That’s. Nevermind. Hold position.
***
Sorry. That wasn’t supposed to happen.
“What wasn’t? Hey what are all these things?”
They call them ‘trees’. One of the curiosities I mentioned before. Only 5d, but dimensionologists now believe their latent telepathy is what’s blocking the spatial awareness of the other guys.
“Hmmm. So bristly and green…and, wow…rude. Hey buddy! You know, you guys should probably…Hey! Don’t do that!”
‘Trees’ have been known to hurl their progeny. They’re quite aggressive.
“Ok, I don’t like them”
Nor do the people.
“Can they hear them?”
No. But they are making solid progress exterminating them.
“Good for them”
Yes.
“Oh wait isn’t that one? A human? Hey guy!”
You’re still in 5d. That ‘guy’ experiences you as floating artefacts in his vision, passed off as dust, and a barely perceptible high pitched tone.
“But, there, he looked at me!”
Technically, he’s always looking at you. At least while compartmentalised within spacetime like this.
“So how do I say hello?”
You can’t. All contact is forbidden. Besides, it’s clearly fatigued. It appears to be oscillating at a lower frequency now. They call this “sleeping”.
“The universe is the vibrant and infinite manifestation of uncertainty”
Don’t do that.
“Do what?”
Quote foundational knowledge in front of it.
“You said it couldn’t perceive me!”
Still. Just don’t.
“Why?”
It confuses them. They’re used to a monologue.
“A wha…Professor Jesus H Christ! What in the cosmic infinipede is that?”
The dream or the erection?
“Which is which?”
That’s a complex question. Pretty amazing though right?
“What’s going on now?”
Ah. It appears you’ve affected the sub conscious. He’s all over the place.
“Is this how they think? What a mess!”
Well, they experience consciousness as a linear continuum. So lots of rambling incoherent stories, poor reflections, iterative realities and wild indulgences. It rarely makes sense. Another side effect of space-time compartmentalisation I’m afraid.
“You mean, they can never tell what’s real or not?”
Essentially, no.
“Can they talk to their past or future selves?”
No not like this.
Huh.. well.. there must be some advantages, right?”
I’m certain there are. It may be a defence mechanism.
“Oh wait look, something’s happening. He’s oscillating faster”
That’s called ‘waking up’. It’s a process.
“So a defence against what?”
Besides the trees? Something called a ‘narrative device’. We’re still not exactly sure what it does. They’ve been overheard describing a ‘3rd’ person. But we’re more concerned about a state called ‘solipsism’, wherein oneself is the only recognized reality.
“Where did they come up with these things?”
There are some who believe that given their confirmed existence in at least 7 physical dimensions they must actually span more. Further still, there are a few particularly fringe thinkers who believe that they are in fact a single 11 dimensional entity and that we are a sub dimensional construct they built, in order to free themselves from cognitive oppression.
“So I could just be this guy’s imagination, trying to wake itself up?”
No, no. It’s all highly speculative. Besides, we know it’s impossible because a lower reality can’t describe a higher reality.
“What would happen if it did?”
A paradox of sorts I imagine. Hard to see how it would be resolved.
“Consciousness is complicated”
*SAID THE CHARACTER*
“What!? Who said that?”
*HE CRIED DESPERATELY*
Oh no.
*SAID THE CHARACTER’S POSSIBLE FUTURE*
“It…it’s you isn’t it…”
*THE CHARACTER GESTURED TOWARDS THE STILL UNCONSCIOUS BEING*
“What are you?”
*HE BEGGED.
THE CHARACTER BEGAN TO CLAW AT HIS OWN FACE IN CONFUSION*
“Where did you go!?”
*HE SCREAMED FOR HIS COUNTERPART, BUT THERE WAS NO ANSWER. HIS FUTURE. ALL POSSIBLE FUTURES HAD BEEN ANNIHILATED.
REALITY WAS COLLAPSING*
“What!?”
IN A LAST DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO RECOVER, HE LUNGED TOWARD THE BEING, NOW OSCILLATING FASTER AND FASTER.
THE EYES BEGAN TO OPEN.
AND JUST AS THEY DID, CONSCIOUSNESS RETUR…*