chapter four: In Strange Pursuit of Alternative Truths

Simon is swimming, moving with the blood warm current, ebb and flow of the playful water, the colour rich lagoon - coral structures are a half buried alien world, the glitter and shine. The boy is drawn by the beckoning undulations of reeds, anemones, urchins – the shy dance of a thousand silver fish flickering in and out of his peripheral vision.

He is six today. And his family are celebrating with a holiday, a private resort. But these details are fast fading from his mind under the spell of the waters and the aquatic treasures spilling before him, the heady rush of freedom that comes from surrendering to the tide. Surrendering completely.

He is in heaven.

........

“So it IS rubber,” Jayne head-butts the wall. Bouncy – kinda fun even.

“Of a sort,” Noakes rubs the droop of his moustache. “Smart polymers most likely – but the principal is basic since avalanche protection… You ever been buried in the snow, Jayne?”

“Nope. Been buried under most everything else, though.”

“Well, you ever minded to go mountaineering – you might wanna carry a bubble with you. Thing’s pressure balanced, you get some angry snow come down and whoop! Damn thing’ll inflate right around you. Save your life at that.”

Jayne has a mercenary’s instinct for the useful where survival’s concerned. Nods appreciation, “Sounds handy.”

“So, you got the same show here – just buried in space, not snow. Plastic’s more advanced naturally, knows what it’s doing, when to stop growing – and maybe the inside gets done the same way.”

Jayne starts as the Shepherd says,

“Nano-technology you mean.”

“Could be…” Noakes agrees. “Course, that sorta tech – no call for it now, Alliance ain’t pushed it (at least officially) – Indies never had the use for something they figure the Alliance would like… a dumb circle, unfashionable science, huh.”

Noakes shakes his head – but he’s noticed Jayne buggin’ out.

“Unfashionable?” Cobb sounds strained. “I’m