Chapter Fifty-Eight: Special Delivery

Bill and Garfield successfully test their wormhole transit system, sending drones through a stable wormhole connecting opposite sides of the Epsilon Eridani system. The drones arrive functional but show stress fractures from the transit process. Bill reports the findings to the other Bobs, revealing that the first wormhole endpoint will arrive at its destination within a year, and Howard has already arranged commercial wormhole delivery systems under the acronym 'EAT ME' with all Bobs as automatic shareholders.

Bill and Garfield conduct a successful wormhole test in virtual reality, observing two wormhole endpoints positioned opposite each other in the Epsilon Eridani system. The wormholes appear as flat, disc-shaped apertures regardless of viewing angle, with microwave emissions from virtual particle pairs around their edges. They send a test drone through the wormhole with zero transit time; it emerges operational but with new stress fractures in its hull, indicating the passage exerts inward pressure on objects without net deceleration. Bill meets with the other Bobs in their virtual moot pub to report findings. While the drones successfully traverse the wormhole, Bill plans to test progressively larger subjects to determine if the stress damage becomes catastrophic. He informs them that the first wormhole endpoint will arrive at its destination system within a year, creating a deadline for solving the stress problem. Bob reveals that Howard has independently arranged wormhole deliveries to most populated UFS planets and established a commercial transit business called the Enniscorthy Astronomical Transit Matter Exchange (EAT ME), with all Bobiverse members automatically holding shares. Will expresses concern about keeping the discovery secret, but Bob assures him Howard respects the timeline while preparing marketing materials. The Bobs discuss their unexpected wealth from the venture and joke about needing lawyers for legal matters.