Reticulum

Definition

• reticule (small network loop): Earlier senses name a small netlike bag or an optical grid; later usage describes two or more syntactic devices able to communicate with one another.
• reticulum (lower-case): A reticule formed by interconnecting two or more smaller reticules.
• Reticulum (capitalized): The largest such network, joining together the preponderance of all reticules in the world; sometimes abbreviated to "Ret."

Context and Usage

• Directive relay (as described in-math): Avout (monastic scholars) speak of instructions "going out over the Reticulum" and being conveyed locally by the Ita (practical service order).
• Live services and image-matching: An Ita demonstrates that a syntactic program available on the Reticulum can match a phototype to a place and surface a live feed; in one case this is used to locate and observe an ongoing excavation on Ecba associated with the Temple of Orithena.
• Devices and media: Handhelds such as a jeejah (handheld communicator) are used to query the Reticulum; imagery can originate from public or vehicle-mounted capture devices such as a Speelycaptor (video-capture device).
• Public live feed and local jamming: During a widely viewed incident, an Ita used a jeejah to stream a live feed; on-scene participants stated that "a billion people" were watching via the Reticulum. When the Sæcular Power (worldly authority) arrived, it "jammed the Ret" locally, while soldiers continued to communicate on a secure private reticule (small network loop). Observers note that this left responders unaware of information already public on the world Reticulum.
• Wireless jamming and wired fallback while in transit: Travelers report a wireless link to the Reticulum being jammed during movement; once stationary, Ita "make the Reticulum run on land lines and other things," allowing users to be patched back in. At one host site, access was available from an adjoining court while other cloisters remained offline, consistent with wired connectivity localized to specific areas.
• Terminology in speech: People also joke about having a "private reticule" (small network loop), invoking the small, ad hoc loops that contrast with the capitalized Reticulum.
• Filtering and access: In this account, an Ita describes long-standing filtering systems that return meta-information about sources (e.g., whether few high-repute or many low-repute posts exist on a topic). Access to some reticules is controlled and may require a repute process sometimes referred to as an "asamocra," with approvals taking days.
• Connectivity in remote areas: Connections can be patchy far from cities; travelers may find workable access only near certain offices or relays. Even limited access can suffice to fetch reticule data once per day for later review.
• Unexpectedly strong coverage: A traveler remarks on having "good Reticulum access" while camped on Ecba and later infers a local explanation tied to how the island is managed. This suggests that coverage and throughput may depend on provisioning by the controlling entity in a given place.
• Dispersal coordination among cells: During a Convox dispersal plan commonly called the "Antiswarm," organizers describe keeping all cells on the Reticulum so essential functions can continue while scattered. Participants receive a rucksack and a dormant badge or flasher that will activate with directions if dispersal is ordered; cells are described as including Ita to maintain connectivity and services.

Related Terms

• Reticule: general term for a small network of communicating devices.
• Ita: practical order frequently associated with relaying directives and maintaining or improving filter interfaces.
• jeejah: a common handheld used to access the Reticulum and to view stored items when out of coverage.
• Speelycaptor: capture devices whose recordings can later surface on reticules and be retrieved via the Reticulum.

Notes

• Technical mechanisms and governance of the Reticulum are not specified in detail in-text. Where access control, filtering, and usage are mentioned, they are presented as participants' descriptions within the story and may reflect their vantage and terminology.