I've been hearing it for a long time.

A tone of some sort, a phrase of a few pitches far, far off in the distance of the multiverse. Despite many attempts to pinpoint where its source may be, all efforts have thus far been in vain.

I'm not sure if it's a signal of some sort, perhaps an alarm of distress or a call for help. Maybe it's more of a simple communication, a ping in the darkness. From whom? And for whom? It's a mystery.

But lately I've been hearing it more. Where before years would pass between its distinct frequencies ringing out into space, it had become months. And then weeks. Days. Now.

And there's an…echo? Or a response? Somehow there are multiple, making me wonder if I should join this chorus. Would I know what it means? Could it attract trouble?

So many questions, and no real answers. But with more and more of them being broadcast, there are more chances to narrow the possible sources down. It simply will take time.

What does it have to say?

In this strange world I walk tonight. Stars be my sky and stars be my path of light.

In this lake of matter, liquid existence, the particles dance in the ripples springing from my gentle step. There is no sound, no lapping or rushing cadence to accompany the smooth motion. The glow envelops me, radiating out as a mist from the dark waves. It's a cool breeze, not of wind but of luminescence, as if starlight gathered by day was now breathed out by night.

Oceans ahead. Forever. Or just until last light.

Love really can transcend the multitudinous space between worlds.

Years ago the paths I trod took me near a pair of planets whose denizens were inseparable together. Each population on its own lived out lives that could be described as peaceful and placid, perhaps mundane to some. Life happened, but it was nothing special in each their own eyes.

But when these two peoples met, something changed. What had been boring was now vibrant and lively. Words and care flowed like rivers together into an ocean of affection. Fondness became devotion, and bonds formed that were stronger than any gravity. Any meeting together was a celebration, even when the goings-on were ordinary or tedious. To them, just being in the presence of each other was love itself; a life without each other was not life at all.

But then they started drifting apart. Not in connection but in distance; their worlds were being pulled away from each other by dueling stars. It was as though the cosmos had a different path for each to take.

The thought of being separated someday was heartbreaking to imagine. They would not go on alone, would rather pass from this existence than to continue it without their closest companions. And so each side made it their entire existence to prevent this from happening.

And they managed it. With gargantuan effort they broke their worlds free from the two stars, flinging themselves together into the void of space where they began to orbit each other.

Without starlight their worlds grew cold, but that was just another logistical problem to solve. What was important was that they were figuring it out together.

It's been quite a long time since I've been there, but I have no doubt that they are facing each day, each struggle that comes along, with smiles on their faces.

Because they're doing it together.

It's amazing what one can hear simply by being in the right place at the right time!

This small cluster of planets nestled in the midst of a thick, stormy nebula have adapted to their surroundings in communicating with each other. With the advantage of the matter swirling about them, they're able to beam pure audio to each other, bridging the gaps in space without visibility of each other. But there's a little twist.

These frequencies, unlike those used by most lifeforms that are inaudible, are actually quite easy to catch without any special equipment! Their worlds are constantly inundated with the screeches of their tumultuous environments and cosmic surroundings, and so their hearing developed in the bass regions of frequencies. Physically unable to hear anything above 200Hz, they're blissfully unaware of the ability of others to hear what they have to say in their transmissions.

Not that it's all that big of a deal anyway. Their languages are very local, only being spoken amongst their worlds. Much of it doesn't even make sense unless your hearing can pick up vibrations with periods in the seconds range.

But what I can hear is music itself, as these communications interweave and harmonize with each other on their individual routes. In this sweet spot amidst them all I hear the full chorus sing, a discordant but somehow inescapably compelling texture that roots me to the spot.

For all that we build in this multiverse, all the great and wondrous machinery of incomprehensible complexity, sometimes it is humbled by the craft of the cosmos itself.

In this small region of space is a cluster of planets so delicate, so fragile, that even the passing of my ship would crease their shapes. They're suspended in the finest celestial dust constantly misted upon them after passing through what is known as the Great Filter, an incredibly dense asteroid belt that grabs up anything more than a few microns thick. As the rest passes through it is daintily gathered by these planets, sustaining their masses enough to keep them in shape and even grow slightly over time. Even the beating of my heart, quickened as it is by their sight, instills in me a fear of disrupting their rest.

Much as I would like to dive in and ever so gently explore this place, I will leave these worlds to their quiet respite. Perhaps someday I will be fortunate enough to be graced by their soft touch.

I needed a bit of a break. And where should a dimension-hopping explorer such as myself find comfort? Perhaps in the fascinating little world that is the mall.

I'm not much of a materialistic being, but I will admit every once in a while that a little retail therapy can satisfy an itch like nothing else. And these places really are worlds of their own! Whole ecosystems living in relative harmony—if sometimes strained. If one looks deep, cultures can be found to have sprung up amidst the multitude of shops and experiences.

Now granted, this isn't your typical example. This mall covers the entire planet—small as though it may be—and has as close to literally everything as I think is possible for such a place.

So today I'll let myself drift amongst the ocean of passers-by, letting the tides take me where they will, all to a soundtrack of the listless yet peaceful easy-listening crackling through the choir of speakers carefully placed throughout. Perhaps it really has a will of its own, guiding me towards the proper location. Perhaps I'm easy to please!

Nothing that a little knickknack for the ship won't be able handle…

I don't like the sound of this.

The more we explore this strange world composed of sound, the more questions that arise. It is a presence all its own, very much tangible with a sort of solidity to it. Despite distinct shapes forming on the monitor we can't see anything of the environment around us, only empty space set on a background of stars. We can make out so much detail with my friend's mapping techniques though, and some conclusions are being formed.

For one, this is not a world uninhabited.

Far from it, in fact. Though there are no traces of life currently, it seems as though there has been recent—and frequent—activity. Something makes its home here, and it is active in this place.

As we continue to make our way throughout this invisible world we are amazed to find full structures of some sort, clearly constructed buildings made up of nothing more than vibrations of some sort of matter. Recurring patterns keep showing up, suggesting perhaps some language or other method of communication.

The soundscape outside the bounds of the shape is unlike any that I've heard before. It's a cacophony to be certain, not unlike static. But it's not just random noise either. There is a rhythm to it, a form that structures itself into the geography of the planet. Though I do not know what it means even as the thought forms, I cannot help but feel: this world was…composed. Somehow.

It is not long before I must be on my way again, but my friend will be here quite a long while. He wants to unlock the mysteries of this planet. I will be very interested in hearing of his findings.

It was an enigma for some time, but we may finally be on the precipice of discovering it.

There has been a world in this region of space evading detection for some time. We knew roughly where it was but could not give it shape; it seemed to have no visible form, though other means of detection could reveal a blurry form.

But I think my friend has cracked it. The method is beyond my understanding, but it essentially is a form of echolocation, sending out pulses of sound and listening for the responses to make shapes out of nothing.

We have been combing this zone for a little while, and now our excitement grows as we approach where this mysterious planet seems to be, as there is a form appearing on the monitor our eyes have been glued to. As we get closer and closer, more details emerge. That's when we make a grand realization.

The world isn't reflecting sound.

It is made of sound.