Patchwork Universe

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 120 Location: The Museum

[OOC: continued from "Bad News for Zookeepers"]

"This way please, sir." Dr. Eddison led Liason toward the hallway through which he had led Larkin less than half an hour earlier. Liason easily kept up with his long strides.

"So, you an archaeologist too, sir?" Dr. Eddison asked conversationally, opening the door to the quilt exhibit again. "We do seem to have a plague of the damned things passing through here, don't we?"

liason · Posted: 14 Apr 2004 02:35 pm Post subject:

"Sadly, I have never had the opportunity to study archaeology, nor any such worthwhile pursuit," Liason's tone suggested that the idea of a few years of academic study very much appealed to him.

"I am the Ambassador to the Imperial Foundry, sir. You might say that I am a Diplomat by trade, though in reality I am currently engaged in a business of procurement."

"Your earlier words cause me to infer that you are a person of some importance here. I trust I have not displayed some unforgivable discourtesy toward you through ignorance of your station ? I regret that we were not properly introduced."

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 120 Location: The Museum

"Importance? Oh, yes. I tend a couple of boilers in the basement. Without me parts of the Museum could become a bit chilly." Stopping to give a formal bow, he said, "I am Dr. Thomas Anson Eddison."

liason · Posted: 14 Apr 2004 03:23 pm Post subject:

"This is a most unusual institution. I have encountered no fewer than three Doctors of Philosophy in the last hour alone."

A thought suddenly occurred to Liason, "Might I ask, Dr. Eddison, is the history of the Illuminated Empire studied here ? I ask this because there are some points of personal curiosity I have long sought to resolve."

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 120 Location: The Museum

"Not so unusual," Dr. Eddison answered, leading the way through the display of paint-splashed surfaces. "There are various universities and libraries with educational value, useful as centers to coordinate field work, but this is the only institution of real value. We possess all of their combined knowledge and more.

"I dare say the history of the Illuminated Empire is here somewhere.

"The real danger, I suppose I should warn you, is that you might find more than one history of the Illuminated Empire, each equally valid. While it should be easy enough to discern the one you desire to study from the others, the ones that are "false" within the bounds of your personal mindset, the experience can be pretty fucking disconcerting. I read my own obituary in a trade journal from the periodical archives when I was thirty-four."

Dr. Eddison led them out of the maze of paint.

"And everyone knows there's a scale model of the universe on the top floor," he said with the air of one delivering an old and well-known punchline for which the setup was unnecessary.

liason · Posted: 14 Apr 2004 04:52 pm Post subject:

Liason pondered Eddison's words for a while before responding.

"How is it possible, Doctor, for my mindset to enter into the question of the veracity of a particular historical account ? Excuse me if by saying this I display my ignorance of the field, but I had always assumed that history was the study of that which had taken place. Is it not a fixed an immutable matter as to whether a particular event has occurred or not ?"

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 120 Location: The Museum

"Fixed and immutable, yes, but also variable. It's possible that, in researching your Illuminated Empire, you might find yourself reading diverging accounts -- one in which your . . . ah, Imperial Foundry? . . . was successfully established as you doubtless remember, accompanied by artifacts and documentary evidence, and also one in which said Imperial Foundry failed, accompanied by equally valid evidence.

"So yes, history is the study of that which has taken place, as you put it, and that is invariable within the limits of veracity and accuracy, but it is what has taken place and whether a particular event has occurred or not that is variable.

"That's where your mindset comes in. Would you believe in a world in which the Imperial Foundry had ceased to exist long ago? Even if there was actually more evidence that it had?

"In my youth I read . . . well, skimmed, to be honest . . . two complete sets of encyclopediae that made no mention of the Museum! They're filed in the Fiction, of course, although I did protest to the Board of Directors, trying to move them to a new exhibit. You see, their mindset would not allow them to accept that a world in which the Museum didn't exist could be real."

liason · Posted: 15 Apr 2004 10:19 am Post subject:

"Your calm manner of speech hides the extraordinary nature of what you say, Doctor. It seems to me that this is the most extraordinary revelation of which I have ever learned."

Now Liason began to doubt whether he really ought to be departing this place at all. Possibly there was more to be gained here to further the recovery of the Foundry even than the patronage of the gods would bestow. But then... this Museum would still be here on his return.

"You speak not of the world but of many worlds. So saying, a question springs at once to my mind: Could anyone ever travel between such worlds ? Might I depart this place, to one day come to an Imperial Foundry like the one I knew in time to prevent its unfortunate fate ?"

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 120 Location: The Museum

Dr. Eddison chewed the stem of his pipe without attempting to relight it as he led Liason into the gallery that was being painted. He hadn't spoken for a minute or two while they walked and he thought.

"Since my resignation as Curator General, I have had much more time to devote to fiction, and I am constantly surprised by the philosophical and physical problems some popular writers raise. Some of them explore the possibility of travelling to the moon by airship or colonizing the ocean floor with giant bells of glass and metal and submersible water craft, but more relevant to our current conversation, I think, are the ones who write about time travel or congress between simultaneously existing realities that diverged from a common history at some crucial moment.

"The common theme, with a few exceptions, seems to be that such interaction is a really, really bad idea. Those attempting to change the past usually end up causing what they were trying to prevent, being stopped because the event is past and therefore unchangeable, or causing horrible paradoxes that make the situation worse.

"To the best of my knowledge, though, there is no experimental data -- at least not below the 250,000th floor. So if you ever find a way to travel between worlds, please allow me to accompany you. I'm eager to test the hopes and fears of these fiction writers."

Dr. Eddison once again pushed open a wall panel to usher his charge into the back hallways.

liason · Posted: 15 Apr 2004 02:33 pm Post subject:

To this, Liason simply responded, "I shall".

His thoughts then seemed to leave his mind busy enough that he found no need to converse further and simply paced along in silence, his normally smooth brow slightly tensed in concentration.

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 120 Location: The Museum

"Your exit, sir," Dr. Eddison announced, stopping at a door identical to the one through which Liason had entered. He held the door for Liason while he dug for his matches.

liason · Posted: 15 Apr 2004 04:11 pm Post subject:

"Thankyou," Liason bowed before stepping through the door, "I have no doubt I shall return to the Museum. I shall hope to see you again."

Trying to cast the maelstrom of new ideas from his mind, Liason turned his attention to the mists.