[ Clues doesn't sound right to Ford, but Mako changes course before he gets a chance to correct him. Which is fine but Ford, of course - that makes it easier to jump right to the point he was going to make. ]

I think 'other realities' is close, but not quite precise. We know the Pthumerians refer to this place as the Waking World, we know there are countless dimensions besides this one and the Dream, and we know that this particular planet used to be very different when Julia was alive.

[ This... is not even slightly why they're here, but Ford is on a roll now. ]

I think those slivers we saw were glimpses at already existing yet still potential realities, possible future courses this world could take depending on Julia's influence. Just because we ended up here doesn't mean that the others didn't also come into being.

It's not as though everyone in the Dream eventually awakened in Trench.