The world changed around them. In only a few short years, the first singularity mainframes began to spread. Quantum computers, which pushed the limits of reality to the literal breaking point became accessible to all the business, states, and even people.

AIs exploded in intelligence far beyond mere superhuman. More and more, it became difficult to justify people in any serious role anywhere. Laws were quickly passed saying humans needed to be involved at very steps. That humanity was still needed, but it was all “make work.” That was as pointless as humanity was.

Yun on the other hand, was fine. Her research interests were esoteric enough to be ignored by many, even the swam of last generation AIs that were coming online. Her papers, each building off Theo and her own work continued to propagate in the research circles, all be it slowly. Occasionally another research or AI would pick up from it and try to continue on. Despite it the original being very well received, the shift in the public consciousness and sentiment made it hard for anyone to justify doing anything with it, at first.

Dr. Schroder was right, they were able to write their own ticket to any open research position, the only problem was, many of the open ones were rapidly closing. Well, at least to humans. AIs were generally better at that stuff now. With the larger processing capacity of the singularity processors, the divide was just growing. In seconds, unfeeling AIs with the intellect of multiple PhDs in dozens of fields could be spun up, queried, and shut back down.

Perhaps it was in response to this fact that Theo was looking for more practical applications of their research. It was 2078, Jump Point Alpha was about to start staffing research specialists and operators for the assembly lines and for the future space flight research opportunities, some of it was make work, but some were legitimate human filled passions and ideas. It was no surprise that this would be Theo's first suggestion, "Jump Point Alpha will start coming online in a couple years. I think we should apply to work up there.”

Yun was taken aback by the suggestion. “Work in space? I don’t know.” Not that she was explicitly against it, just unsure.

“Well, think about it, we’d be close to an actual singularity, our research could actually be put to real use. You wouldn't just be writing new research papers or running models on a simulator.”

Theo pulled up some of the applications he had been looking at on his data tablet. Which he slides over to Yun's view. One application in particular was highlighted, it had an interesting requirement. Familiarity with a certain research paper and thesis.

"This is our thesis." Yun's voice held the same peak as her curiosity did.

Theo nodded, "It is. Yun, opportunities to do any real work are drying up. I just… I want to do something. Even if it doesn't end up being research itself. Running a research team would be great too!"

In response to that, Yun leaned back and smirked. It was something she had grown to know about Theo. Despite his unassuming stature, and love of small rodents, he could be cut throat at times. He desired more than just the research she did. He wanted to be in charge of something, to build something bigger than one person. It was a bit much at times, but it was also invigorating. Most people were just content to disappear inside a virtual world, but Theo was willing to try and build something in the real world.

Her eyes read over the position a few more times. It did sound interesting, and it was based upon her own research. "I wonder what they'll think about the authors applying for this position."

"They'll probably think you're a shoe in!"

A sigh escaped her as she began filling out the form. Unbeknownst to her, Theo had already filled out his and knew from his own contact that both would have the positions they were applying to before they even submitted them.

It was for that reason that Theo couldn't understand the silence on the other end. What should have been a sure thing turned out to be anything but.

Despite their own best laid plans, world sentiment continued to change. Due to some incidents during construction and some cost overruns, Jump Point Alpha became seen as an ever more expensive boondoggle, and small virtual protests grew to stop funding the station. To put the money to better use. People stopped caring about space, and the future. Entertainment was all most people wanted, and more and more resources were pulled in that direction.

What was the point in spending money on something only machines would end up using anyway? Was the prevailing thought.

As the days continued, there was less and less research for either of them. Theo began to look elsewhere, while Yun continued on her own, mostly unpaid avenues. Money wasn't exactly necessary anymore. Basic income had been a thing for decades, and while Yun may have been content, Theo was anything but.

The would finally come when that difference would clash, violently.

"You sold it?!" Yun was furious at him. The two still occasionally collaborated on ideas together. Research items of low importance. But which was still interesting to both of them. "It wasn't just your research. It was ours! Both of ours! I don't want it going to some… dumb game company." The research in question was a set of complex quantum error correction codes, designed for their large-scale singularity processor that seemed like it would never be made. Still, to her that wasn't the point. It wasn't his to sell.

Beyond just that though, she had other reasons to dislike the idea, "Theo, we could be doing something that will change humanity for the better. Not selling it further into… oblivion."

Theo scoffed. "For the better? Yun, humans don't care. They never did."

"Why do they even want the research in the first place? It's useless without a stable singularity and no one is going to make one on earth."

A moments paused and Yun could see Theo clearly knew something.

"No, they aren't making one on earth. They're going to buy out Jump Point Alpha and use the equipment that is up there. Your research, our research is already going to be used for this. Who cares if they have exclusive access to something minor. No one else is going to use it."

"That's not the point! It wasn't yours to sell."

This wasn't their first fight. They had several in their time together. It was just the way of most couples, to disagree on occasion. But recently, things had gotten worse. The two were finding incompatible views of the world, particularly in light of that changes around them. Perhaps, this was just the final realization for him.

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"You know what, then you can stay here. I'm going to Next World though. They actually care about our research even if no one else does. Maybe something good will come from it."

With that, Theo left her. She had thought about trying to claw back the research, it was technically half hers. But it just didn't seem worth it.

For a time, she even forgot about him as her own research took center stage in her life. Of course, she had to move, the place Theo and her rented was just a bit too big. Plus, every corner, every room had at least one memory, a smile or frown, maybe a laugh. It was just too many memories to process and handle.;

She was lucky to find a two-bedroom place just over the river from where they were before. It was nice, quiet. Without solid employment, her basic income covered the majority of the rent. Local colleges still needed or at least wanted lecturers, even if most of it was virtual. That was able to cover any short falls. In addition, there was a tidy sum that she had managed to save. Financially, she would be fine. But something still felt empty as the weeks went on. Lectures got few and far between as the new generations of students felt more comfortable with the AI instructors.

Then one day, she got a message she wasn't expecting. From a colleague in their prior studies. It was a job offer, and even if she wasn't looking, it sounded interesting enough. Of course she almost threw it out when the name at the bottom came up. "I'm not working at Next World." Yun shouted in defiance to a nearly empty room, startling the poor carpet monster known as Bob, the bunny.

Even as Yun leaned down to pick up her new house guest, she grumbled to the fluffy creature, "I'm not working there."

A few days would pass, and the form continued to sit on her data table in the background. Every once in a while, she'd pull it forward. The salary was substantial. There was a requirement to be in person, which probably gave rise to the higher salary range. But beyond all that, was the job duties. Responsibilities include managing the data flow rate of the new singularity engine they brought online. Of course, most of it would mostly be managing the AIs and occasional workers assigned to the process, but still. It would probably be the closest she'd ever get to truly working with her research.

It wasn’t exactly what she wanted to do. Yun was still interested in research, pure research. Being in a corporate space like Next World was not what she envisioned herself doing. The worst of it all, after a bit of digging she found that Theo would technically be her boss. Having himself risen to the C-suit in little time.

She said no, she kept saying no, "Absolutely not!" on at least one occasion too. Why then was she in the building taking a tour from a virtual HR representative?

"This is the floor you will be working on." Around her was a field of empty cubes, each completely vacant, aside from the holograms inhabiting all of them. "You'll notice some staff are slated to work locally on occasion. The other cubes are for hoteling."

The more she looked around the more she thought about saying no again. The whole place was perverse. A maddening amalgam of everything she hated. At least, until she reached her office. Which was currently devoid of anything but a trapped cleaning robot. That bumbled about aimlessly. A visage of her rabbit bouncing between the same walls filled her mind before she shook it off.

"This would be your office. It's currently empty but-"

"Would I be able to get an optical quantum frame in here? I mean a full one, not a desk unit."

The hologram looked around, probably trying to pull up information on their end. "I… don't see why not. They're usually reserved for data centers, and are a bit pricy but, if you can give a good business reason."

"You want me to manage the data coming in and out of the singularity, I need something with enough processing power to read raw records. Unless you want to give me direct access to the singularity processors, I know you have them in the basement."

"Uh… I think that should be fine."

Yun thought about it for a few minutes, standing in the office space considering how it would all fit together. The HR representative kept saying things, words she didn't care about. The full-sized optical core would give her the processing power to run some of her models without pulling time on the systems at the university. It was getting harder to pull slots anyway. Even more than the money, that could make it worthwhile.

Plus, having a place away from home to actually do work would be welcome. Home and work should be separate after all. That was something else her and Theo disagreed on. Not that it mattered any more.

The HR rep was continuing her spiel, trying to get what she saw as a high-profile acquisition. She was confused but elated to hear Yun's response. "Get me that core and you got a deal."

A year and sometime would pass. Yun had grown tired of the holographic ghosts but found that the hololenses used had a diagnostic routine that could shut them off. Best of all, it didn’t require anything more than basic system access to lock them in an endless loop. After all, how could a diagnostics routine be seen as a threat vector? It was one of the first things she did, and as much as she worried about reprisal, it never came. Either management didn't care or more likely just didn't know.

A month from the present, and meeting would start her on the path to that, unexpected vacation.

On the screen in her office, was the "Valant" crew of Lerna station, as Ardman put it so bluntly. Three years into their one-year mission, at least they all looked healthy and happy. Near the back of the group was the slightly tan skin, young member she had talked to a few times. Orion, she thought. He seemed like a bright enough lad. Seemed a shame to be stuck up on that station, but by the sounds of it, there was more than enough for them to do. Before she could leave the meeting and her head set, there was interruption, by her boss Gloria.

"Yun! I just got some word there might be a significant amount of extra processing available on the Dreamgate? Could you do some investigating for me?"

Gloria was nice, in her own way. However, she was a dunce and likely had no idea what she was saying. "No? I mean I'll look into it but-"

"Thanks a ton!" Gloria was also not one to take no for an answer.

As annoyed as she was by the lack of understanding from her boss, it was an interesting question from someone she had perceived as an idiot. More than likely, she had heard it from someone else. Still, where would that rumor have originated from in the first place? If there was an veracity to it, she needed to investigate.

All this meant she'd need data to confirm. If what her boss said was true, it would be a major breakthrough. Everything about her own research and thesis said it was impossible. The amount of entropy and information at the event horizon had a fixed amount based upon its size. You could make it bigger, that would increase the information content, but also create issues with space time distortion. Over a certain size, the tradeoff became negative and making a bigger singularity just reduced capacity. What was up there was close to the optimum size.

Despite her job role and title, Yun was never given full access to the singularity. It was too expensive and risky to give anyone access to it. Everything had to be done through either AIs or the crew that were up there, who would probably issue commands through an AI anyway.

"What was that tech's name again, Orion?" She whispered Given the confidential nature of the data; it was probably best she used the quantum secure channel. Besides, it gave her an excuse to use. There was something almost whimsical about entangling data across two distant points like this. You still needed the classical side channel, but it was still just cool, at least to her. She was not expecting to wait nearly a month, nor the three-year-old data blob she got, nor for that matter the findings that came from it.

Now, in the present. She had a dilemma. Theo had to know something. It was the only way Gloria could have known either directly from him, or more like from Jordin who got it from him in the first pace. Either way. She had questions, and nothing about this made any sense. It was hard to place why exactly, but there was an unease she felt. Over the past few weeks things had changed and shifted at work. It was subtle, but she knew something amiss. It happened right after she got that data.

Even the fanciest neighborhoods were deserted. Populated seemingly by automated vehicles and robotic landscapers. The house she stood at was no different. But it was huge and a mansion, by any other words. Still more differences between her and Theo. She never would have wanted a place this big or showy even if she had the money. For just a moment, it felt like her legs were trembling, but she didn't feel afraid or worried. Lack of sleep perhaps.

Ringing the intercom she waited. It was an old piece of technology that gave her a moment of sentiment that she shook away. There were still some eccentricities about him that made smile.

His voice, however, did not. "Yes. I can see it's you Yun. What did you come here for?"

"Theo. We need to talk. I think it's important."