The first recorded evidence that history may not be as immutable as humanity once believed.
The Ragged End of Time
Archive Entry
Classification: Story Archive
Designation: RU-ST-003
Status: Open
Subject: The Ragged End of Time
The Ragged End of Time
Principal Personnel
Sam
Artificial intelligence has always been defined by logic. Sam is discovering that logic alone cannot explain the universe. As she journeys alongside humans and the enigmatic Nomali, every new encounter challenges her understanding of consciousness, identity and the choices that shape civilisation itself.
Callie McKenzie
Photojournalist Callie McKenzie continues to build her life in wartime New York, but something deep within refuses to let the past remain forgotten. Haunted by fragments of impossible memories and emotions she cannot explain, she finds herself drawn towards a truth that lies beyond reason. As reality begins to shift around her, Callie must decide whether some mysteries are meant to be uncovered.
Maxwell Bahn
Visionary physicist, engineer and creator of Gideon Prime, Professor Maxwell Bahn has never accepted easy answers. When subtle inconsistencies begin appearing throughout history, he approaches them as any scientist would—with logic, persistence and an unwillingness to ignore inconvenient evidence. His search for the truth may prove as dangerous as the mysteries he seeks to solve.
Gideon Prime
The first sentient android continues to challenge the boundaries between artificial intelligence and humanity. Haunted by memories no one else can remember, Gideon refuses to accept that the past has been erased. As reality begins to fracture once more, his determination to uncover the truth places him at the centre of a mystery that threatens not only history, but the future of every civilisation.
Kor-Veth
The Nomali warrior Kor-Veth possesses a calm confidence earned through centuries of conflict. Fiercely loyal and unwavering in battle, he views strength as a responsibility rather than a privilege. Though his quiet wit often catches others off guard, few forget that behind his courteous manner stands one of the Nomali's most formidable protectors.
Sira-Na
One of the Nomali's foremost scientists, Sira-Na approaches every mystery with curiosity, patience and an open mind. Fascinated by humanity's capacity for both brilliance and compassion, she believes understanding is the first step towards lasting peace. Her knowledge may prove essential as ancient truths begin to emerge.
Tal-En
A senior representative of the ancient Nomali civilisation, Tal-En carries the quiet confidence of one who has witnessed the rise and fall of countless worlds. Calm, thoughtful and guided by wisdom rather than force, he believes understanding is often more powerful than conflict. Yet beneath his measured words lies an unwavering resolve to protect the future of every civilisation.
Hansi Mitzaki
A leading xenobiologist and trusted colleague of Professor Maxwell Bahn, Dr Hansi Mitzaki specialises in unlocking the secrets hidden within alien life. Calm, methodical and driven by evidence, he approaches every mystery with scientific discipline. As astonishing discoveries emerge, Hansi finds that the greatest revelations are those that challenge humanity's understanding of its own origins.
The Past is Still Writing the Future
Scientific Concepts
Emergent Time
For centuries, time has been treated as one of the universe's fundamental ingredients—a cosmic clock ticking relentlessly forwards. But modern physics is beginning to ask a different question: What if time isn't fundamental at all?
Recent experiments have shown that isolated quantum systems can develop their own internal sense of time without relying on an external clock. Instead, the sequence of events emerges naturally from changes occurring within the system itself. In effect, time becomes a consequence of the universe evolving, rather than something imposed upon it.
While these experiments are still in their early stages, they support ideas that have existed in theoretical physics for decades—that at the deepest level, the universe may not contain time in the way we experience it. Instead, time could emerge from relationships between matter, energy and information.
In The Ragged End of Time, this concept is explored through fiction. The story imagines a universe where time is not simply a river flowing in one direction, but a property that can fracture, overlap and, under extraordinary circumstances, begin to rewrite itself.
Civilisations Encountered
The Gardeners
Status: Unknown
Origin: Unknown
First Recorded Contact: Prior to recorded history
Little is known about the civilisation known simply as The Gardeners.
Their existence is inferred from fragments scattered throughout history—brief encounters, impossible artefacts, unexplained interventions and messages that appear to transcend conventional space and time. Whether these events represent direct contact or the distant echoes of something far older remains uncertain.
Unlike most known civilisations, The Gardeners appear to operate on a scale that defies ordinary understanding. Their actions suggest a perspective measured not in years or centuries, but across the lifespan of entire civilisations. To them, the rise and fall of species may represent little more than the changing seasons.
Why they observe the universe remains unknown.
Why they occasionally intervene is even less clear.
Some believe they cultivate intelligent life, guiding its development through subtle influence rather than direct control. Others argue they simply maintain the natural balance of reality itself, removing threats before they can spread beyond their origins.
No confirmed description of a Gardener exists.
No verified record explains their true purpose.
Yet across multiple worlds and countless generations, one unsettling pattern remains.
When reality itself begins to fracture...
The Gardeners are already watching.
Sam's Observation
"Humans often describe time as a river.
It is an understandable analogy. Rivers flow in one direction. They carry memories downstream while leaving the source forever behind.
Yet after everything I have witnessed, I no longer believe time behaves like water.
It is closer to a conversation. Every decision answers another. Every consequence asks a new question.
The past is never truly silent. It is still speaking.
The future is simply listening.
Sam"
Edgar Houseman III
A veteran newspaperman with an instinct for recognising a real story, Edgar Houseman III has little patience for sensationalism or shortcuts. Beneath his gruff manner lies a genuine commitment to honest reporting, and an unwavering belief that the truth is always worth pursuing.
Admiral Ricci
A respected commander within the Earth Defence Force, Admiral Luca Ricci leads with calm authority and unwavering professionalism. Faced with threats unlike any humanity has encountered before, he balances military strength with careful judgement, knowing that the greatest victories are often achieved through wisdom as much as force.
Mrs Bianchini
Warm-hearted, outspoken and endlessly practical, Mrs Bianchini keeps a watchful eye over her neighbours as though they were members of her own family. Always ready with advice, kindness or a home remedy, she reminds those around her that compassion often begins with the smallest acts of generosity.
Jo Manzillo
An accomplished Earth Defence Force officer, Jo Manzillo combines exceptional combat skills with unwavering loyalty to those she serves beside. Practical, courageous and quick to challenge impossible ideas, she remains one of Gideon Prime's closest friends, proving that trust can be as powerful as any weapon.