originallutece | (no subject)

I don't know about concurrently. Time and space are interlinked, and time might well be distorted between universes. But these women certainly might be remembering our current lives, and going through the same puzzling effects.

I see...

[What would these visions of her life be like to another Katherine? For a fleeting moment, she wonders if perhaps the other Kath is seeing Jack's flirting through her eyes, but after a moment's smile at the thought she's moving on.]

So what does all of this mean? If the barriers between worlds are thinning... is it possible that they'll collide?

What would even happen if all of these different universes collided all at once?

[There's a reason she's not a scientist. All of this sounds overwhelming!]

Nothing good, I imagine. At best, someone would be left with two divergent sets of memories. At best, you'll be left wildly unstable; at worst, I imagine insanity.

However. All that assuming these universes will collide. And that, I don't think will happen just yet.

Not yet? Why is that? If we're all remembering different universes, and the barriers between them are thinning...

That doesn't necessarily mean they'll collide. And besides which . . .

Please understand that all of this is highly theoretical. I can't prove it to you, because it hasn't been proven, and frankly I might be wrong either way. But nor am I simply making it up - this is a subject I've been interested in for years, and I've read every bit of research there is.

That being said. There are a few physicists who theorize what might happen if universes did collide. And what it comes down to, really, are . . .

[God, how to explain it.]

All right. You know that this universe, our universe, is constantly expanding, yes? It's a result of the big bang. So what we have is a bubble, really, constantly expanding and growing; it's inevitable it'll bounce up against other bubbles. Other universes, full of people like and unlike us. So what happens when they collide?

Some people imagine that whichever universe is stronger - and I'll explain what I mean by stronger in a moment - will be the one to survive. There are theorists that speculate we can even see the scars from previous "battles" in our universe, although personally I think that's a bit romantic and oughtn't be considered.

Others theorize that when two universes collide, they give birth to another universe, and that that's how we ourselves got our beginning.

The problem is, no one really knows, and no one can really check, not yet, which is what makes all of this such a headache.

[Did you know this is real? This is 100% real.]

I see what you mean about it all being a headache.

[This is way out of her league! Katherine's much more interested in what she can see and observe in this world, not thinking about the what-ifs and the universal... it's enough to make one's head spin.]

But the long and short of it is that you think our universe will be all right, even if we have to deal with these memories from other versions of ourselves.

If we are looking at parallel universes, that would mean that one of them could be an alternate Earth, right? In the memory Jack and Dave were talking about, they mentioned Santa Fe, and I remember that we were all in New York.

Oh, yes. Most parallel universes are thought to be ones that are like ours, similar and yet different, changed because of choices we make. So yes, that's more than possible.

Did Uncle ever take you to New York?

Yes, we've gone several times. Why?

I'm simply curious as to the connection. I don't suppose you remember any specific places in your hallucination? It might be worth it to go to the same spots and see what happens.

[Not that anyone can leave the city, but shhhh]

Not so far, no. The first couple of memories were just in the street, and this most recent one was in a square I didn't recognize. Maybe as I learn more I'll be able to see something more recognizable. If so, then a trip might prove useful.

At any rate, thank you for talking through all of this with me. I really appreciate it.

Of course. You're always welcome to contact me about such things, Katherine. Or any other, frankly-- I do hope I end up hearing more about this boy.

[YOU'RE GOING TO EMBARRASS HER, ROS, PLEASE.]

I'll certainly let you know if anything new develops!