Asynchronous energy

Invented by the incomparable Dr. Stafford, the theory of asynchronous energy extends insights from quantum mechanics into practical applications. These insights had not been made at the time, of course, but it's not like that was ever an obstacle for the High Illuminator. Quantum theory allows for small-scale violations of conservation principles, as long as those violations occur within a small enough timespan. Stafford's innovation was to develop a physics that could make these violations usable on human time scales by having the timespan extend piecemeal across a longer stretch of time; thus, while a violation might only occur for some number of picoseconds, some of those picoseconds might be a minute later than the rest. Managing to pull this off without catastrophe is a testament to Stafford's brilliance.

The application of asynchronous energy theory is limited in most cases and usually reduces to regular physics, just with more math. However, the indirection layer of asynchronous energy theory shines in a use case close to home for Flandrean northerners like the good doctor: physics in the Barcuvian edgelands. It is a well-known fact that Barcu is different from the rest of the world, in some very odd ways. Physics is no exception to this. Practical energy asynchronicity is most profitable in the edgelands where Barcuvian physics gives way to regular physics. By using normally energy-neutral processes, but straddling them across the gradient into Barcuvian physics, energy can be produced nearly limitlessly. Flandre has grown to accept this as sufficiently useful to be worth the decade of National Response Protocols (Supernatural Existential Threat) it engenders. This speaks volumes about the sheer advantage asynchronous energy gives Flandre to be worth such a risk.

Speaking of the risks, nobody is really quite sure what they are, since nobody really understands asynchronous energy theory in the first place. The leading theory is that a Barcuvian straddle-generator produces energy by borrowing it from the near future, then paying off the energy "debt" when the future arrives by borrowing even more future energy. If this is indeed how it works — and, again, nobody is actually sure — then there is a mounting energy debt on the Barcuvian border that, if it "defaults", would cause unimaginable damage. The projected effects range from the edgelands dropping to absolute zero to the entire continent being converted to mass-energy to be sucked into the past. The implications of this for the Disarrangement Act are unclear, but if Flandre is forced to comply with the Act, it is likely they will attempt to prevent the implosion of their asynchronous infrastructure by declaring swaths of Barcu to be their sovereign territory. This may provoke war between Flandre and the other Barcuvian nations, such as Kingsland or the Barrowlands, and if there's anything good for the international community, it's keeping Flandre off the warpath. The last thing we need is for the High Exarch Minor to be thinking seriously about how to conquer the world.