Darklight

Darklight is a spherical region of space 5,973 km across located 9.558 AU from the Sun, near the orbit of Saturn, in which c (the speed of light) asymptotically approaches 0 as one nears its center. It is motionless relative to the Sun, and has not exhibited any growth or shrinkage since its discovery in the year 011-01-101-10000-1. At its center is what appears to be an unknown form of Cystarian polyp, the brightness of which has undergone a 5% decrease in apparent magnitude since it was first observed. This effect is likely the product of the photons comprising the image making their way out of slower and slower zones over time, resulting in a lower concentrations of photons as time goes on and thus a dimmer image. The image is expected to decrease in brightness beyond the range of human vision within 500 years. It is theorized that the polyp itself exists within a space where c is actually equal to zero, and that the photons we are seeing are simply those trapped within Darklight at its formation. The superintelligence 3-oxo has not commented on the status of a Cystarian polyp as the apparent source of the phenomenon, but it is speculated that Darklight was the product of preliminary experiments in the development of the Cystarian FTL drive.

Various structures exist within the outer regions of Darklight, where the reduction in the speed of light remains at levels above which would interfere with the function of electronics and synapses. These include research stations as well as tourist destinations and even residential structures. Given that the diameter of Darklight is that of a small planet, there is ample space for such constructions to exist; indeed, the reduction in lightspeed does not present serious problems until one travels around 75% of the way towards the center of the region. Travel past this point is, in fact, forbidden by the High Kings of Saturn, within whose jurisdiction Darklight falls. The remains of foolhardy thrillseekers can still be seen farther in, floating past the point at which the universal speed limit is low enough to interfere with brain function. Some still appear to be alive due to the extreme time dilation effects of travelling near the speed of light.

The odd characteristics of spacetime within Darklight also have various practical applications, including the creation of optarian metal, which derives its name from the optical effects of the space in which it is created. The time dilation effects nearer to the center of the region can also be used for preservative purposes, wherein a package is fired through Darklight at a trajectory calculated to take however long is desired. Due to the aforementioned time dilation, the time experienced by the package is much shorter than that experienced by outside observers. Some wealthy customers opt to have their brains frozen and sent to the distant future in this manner.

-Excerpt from Exceptions by Ánthos Daskydox