Empty space isn’t empty. Random fluctuations at the quantum level cause particles to pop into existence.

But, average energy = 0

Implication: For all the positive energy comes out of the void, it must also produce the same amount of negative energy. That’s right, the stuff you need to hold a wormhole open was right under our noses.

Of course these subatomic tunnels were too small for matter — but photons, ah, now we’re talking.

And so we built our FTL transmitter. Incredibly complex and heavy and expensive; NASA wouldn’t touch it. Maybe in 50 years.

Likewise the Russians. Maybe if they go interstellar.

Guy in a slick suit showed up in our lab. High-end banker type. Wanted to buy the device for his firm. Who’s he trading with, Martians?

Turns out they blast through mountains to rout cables. C is too slow. The global stock market belongs to he who is a millisecond ahead.

He wrote a dollar figure on a piece of paper. My legs nearly gave out when I read it.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen that many zeroes.