TOM CRITCHLOW
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The Quantum Forecast

Nothing about his job was rewarding for Jonah. He worked day and night at the quantum observatory research lab attached to the New Frontier science outpost orbiting Aries12.

Our understanding of time and space have changed in the last 100 years, what begun with relativity, was extended through quantum mechanics and then later entangled-thermodynamics upended our notions and our understanding but ultimately very little changed in our day to day. Yes we were able to master short wormhole transportation but only in isolated channels through our solar system, at short distances from the energy harvester orbiting the sun.

Using this we catapulted a short number of expeditions to some of the nearest stars and inhabitable planets around Earth.

It was on one of these space hops that Jonah and Franny fell in love. 30 years ago. Both quantum scientists they spent their entire education learning how to entangle molecules, only to end up entangling each other in the emotions of love.

But Jonah was destined for Aries12, and Franny for Aries13. And with a limited distance using the hops from our home solar system Jonah and Franny are separated for the rest of their lives. Without even any means to communicate other than radio waves with a 20-year lag. And, of course, the entangled beacons.

12 in total, designed to withstand the ravages of space, stabalised in 5 dimensions using a combination of magnetic and gravitonic fields. These entangled beacons are linked outside of space/time. Across space/time. Using space/time. Really, it’s impossible with our understanding still to determine HOW entanglement works. But work it does. Instantly. So Aries13, 20 light years from Aries12, itself 10 light years from Earth. Each with a series of entangled beacons capable of communicating 12 bits of information in total. 1 or 0. But able to communicate instantly.

The game theorists on earth had calculated a complicated matrix of scenarios, and an associated chart of communication patters guiding the use and interpretation of these quantum beacons. So far two beacons had been used. One signaling that Aries13 was indeed habitable, that all was safe and that resources were abundant and one signaling that resources had stabalised and colonization had begun.

But of course you can’t leave two amorous quantum scientists together for 10 years on a lonely voyage through space without expecting them to entangle themselves. Both literally and metaphorically. You see in addition to the 12 “official” quantum beacons Jonah and Franny had created 5 entangled particles, held in simple crude quartz chambers

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