“Slow down, slow down”, protested the Vice-Chancellor, raising her hand to stem the torrent of information coming from the man standing across her desk. “What do you mean, ‘not our world’? I thought we had confirmed that the Quantum Window shows an accurate picture of reality. It’s all happening, in real time, exactly as we observe it. Unless…” Her voice trailed off, seeing the scientist nod vigorously.

“They’re identical, or at least they used to; we’re now beginning to observe differences in the weather. The two sides must have branched off recently, probably at the very moment we opened the Window.”

“You said that was two weeks ago! Can it diverge so fast?”

“It’s a chaotic system, madam. Predictions are impossible, foolish even, in the long term. All we can do is focus on the immediate future.”

“Really! We know nothing about—” She stopped abruptly, casting a glance at the office’s closed door before continuing in calmer tones. “…This. This whole thing. You’re just throwing darts on a board, the lot of you.”

“We’re testing a few ideas…” offered the physicist, finally sitting in a chair. “We may be capable of establishing contact with the other side, perhaps even creating a passage between the two universes.”

“Proceed with extreme care, Dr Waltham… Any misstep could prove catastrophic. Keep a close watch on your team, and I suggest you immediately start drafting a protocol for contact with the other side, in case you are right.”

“I’ll instruct my team”, he replied, and smiled faintly. “I suppose that’s what our counterparts on the other side are saying right now…”

“I’ve already agreed with the Secretary that a committee of government officials will be formed to oversee our activities, and you are to be the liaison. You will report to them. We may have taken over the Institute’s funding now that it’s closed down, but it comes with strings attached. And for God’s sake, don’t breathe a word of this to anyone outside your team!”

Repeal all Dynastic Rules. Replace “Individual” with “Scientist” and “Director” with “Liaison”. Set the Special Case rules “Tags” and “Atomic Actions” to inactive.