Science fiction has, for the most part, taken for granted the existence of instant communication. Words and faces are conveyed across the universe without delay, and people light years apart have whole conversations without the awkward ten-second silence between sentences as the words are transmitted and received. In modern times, communications delay is pervasive in our lives. Grainy reports from CNN correspondents continents away have already been infected. It took hours for commands to be received, executed, and confirmed by the Mars rover.