He nods in understanding. "That makes things difficult. How long have you been living with them?"

Carl is already pulling a nail out as Taylor identifies the missing screw. He offers it to her, not failing to catch the word she chooses to stress. "I don't call it pessimism." He corrects. "More like realism. But not everyone who is knows they do." He replies instead. "Twenty-five years ago, it was people working to build an automated missile defense system. They had no idea what they were really creating, or what it would become." It's probably the same for whoever is busy back home building the code that becomes Legion.

"That's why I was taking steps to be ready. Unless you know the future, I don't believe it's possible to stop collapse. It may be different for other worlds." He concedes. "That's not a possibility I ever gave thought to."