48. Bob – May 2166 – Delta Eridani

Bob receives revolutionary zero-latency communication technology from Bill and makes first contact across interstellar distances. He then announces to the Earth survivors that two habitable planets (Romulus and Vulcan) have been found as relocation destinations, sparking contentious debate about population distribution and emigration priorities.

Riker and Homer are astonished to receive Bill's completed design for a Subspace Communications Universal Transceiver (SCUT) that enables instantaneous communication across interstellar distances. After activating the device, Riker successfully connects with Bill at Epsilon Eridani and receives software updates and hardware improvements. Bill inquires about Earth's status, and Riker transmits his logs showing the survival of 15 million people. Bill reports that other Bobs have located twin planets suitable for colonization. Riker meets with Colonel Butterworth to discuss the discovery. The colonel initially tests whether Riker plans to give each population group an entire planet, but Riker clarifies that both planets can accommodate all 15 million survivors. Riker notes that this discovery eliminates the need for the desperate last-resort option of colonizing Ragnarök on Epsilon Eridani Two. When Riker announces the availability of Romulus and Vulcan to the broader community, the announcement triggers widespread complaints rather than celebration. Every faction demands exclusive planetary access rather than sharing. Despite Riker's attempts to enforce a practical allocation system based on emigration order with right of first refusal for future discoveries, the delegates continue arguing. Ambassador Gerrold of New Zealand particularly antagonizes Riker, who responds by offering to leave if voted out, ultimately silencing opposition momentarily before arguments resume.