Spacetime as a Projection of a Complex Delay State

We introduce a delay-based framework in which observable spacetime effects arise as projections of a more primitive physical state. The central assumption is that delay is inherently complex, reflecting a physical distinction between process and storage components, analogous to real and reactive power in classical electrodynamics [1]. We show that this minimal structure is not optional but enforced by Solar System constraints. Purely conformal spacetime rescalings fail to reproduce the full observed light deflection, whereas a complex delay state naturally yields distinct temporal and spatial projections. At leading post-Newtonian order, the model reproduces all established tests, including gravitational time dilation and Shapiro delay, without introducing free parameters. At second post-Newtonian order, the framework yields a definite, parameter-free prediction for light deflection that differs from the Schwarzschild solution while remaining compatible with existing measurements. We further demonstrate that the same delay structure consistently describes light propagation in material media, including refraction and dispersion, without violating energy conservation. The delay model does not seek to replace general relativity or quantum mechanics. Instead, it provides a physically motivated reinterpretation of familiar phenomena, clarifying the role of complex-valued structures and identifying higher-order light propagation effects as the primary experimental discriminant.