FOREMAN: (continuing after commercial) Right now we can manufacture aerogel with a half-life as short as a week or as long as three years. We can spray a wall of this stuff around a city, or we can set traps in the thickest parts of a worm infestation. It's nontoxic and biodegradable, so you can use it anywhere. The Japanese love the stuff. They've been using it to create a whole new industry: worm farming. Chtorran oil. Chtorran sushi. Chtorran hides. It's a growth industry on the Asian mainland. See, that's the kind of solution that human beings are good at.
ROBISON: (unconvinced) Foamed smoke? You're telling me that foamed smoke is going to save us?
FOREMAN: Save you? No. It's going to take a lot more than foam to save you, John. I think it would take at least an industrial-strength miracle. But as for the rest of us? Yes. The United Nations Control Agency has already authorized the division of the planet into ecological zones, with aerogel barriers installed everywhere. What we ultimately intend to do is put down aerogel barriers around every major infestation as fast as we can identify them. This, we expect, will stop or at least slow down, the growth of the infested areas. If we can isolate the reservoirs of infection, we will have won a major victory…
Once it is airborne, the manna spore begins to unravel into long gossamer strands, slightly sticky, and very fragile-even more delicate than spider silk. The threads of an unraveled spore may be several centimeters long.
As the threads move through the air, they will brush against the threads of other unraveled spores, and they will stick together. Eventually, clusters of manna threads will become large enough to be visible to the naked eye as pale pink smudges drifting before the wind.
If the release of spores has been great enough, the clusters of manna threads will continue to accumulate in size and mass. They may become quite large and will even take on the appearance and color of fluffs of cotton candy; hence the popular designation, the "cotton candy" plant.
—The Red Book,
(Release 22.19A)
Chapter 40
A Kiss Before Flying
"If God really is watching us, the least we can do is be entertaining."
-SOLOMON SHORT
Lizard and I looked at each other for a long silent moment. She was flushed with embarrassment, relief, confusion, joy, and worry. "Got any more surprises?" I asked.
"Jim, I'm sorry. I know I should have told you before this. But I only got the message from Uncle Ira last night. I tried to tell you this morning, but-" She shook her head in resignation. "I didn't know how. I was afraid of hurting you again," she admitted.
"It doesn't matter," I said, chuckling. I actually laughed out loud. "I don't care enough anymore to be hurt by all that political nonsense, all that bullshit and infighting. It isn't worth it. The only thing that's important anymore is you. And the babies. Let somebody else fight those other battles. I'm through fighting. It only uses up energy. It doesn't accomplish anything."
Even as I spoke, I was amazed at the feeling of lightheadedness and relief it gave me to say such things. A great burden was dropping away from me. I felt giddy; I felt as if I could fly up into the sky all by myself; I didn't need the Hieronymus Bosch. All the exhaustion, all the anger, all the frustration and fear had fallen away like the ground beneath us. I leaned back against the stanchion behind me and let it support me. I felt deliciously empty. I felt high. I was limp and silly and complete. "It really is all right," I reassured her. "My heroing days are over. I have a more important job now."
Lizard came over to me and slid her arms softly around my waist. She leaned against me and we just held each other warmly for the longest time. "I think that's the most heroic thing you've ever said," she whispered. "Have I told you today how much I love you?"
I checked my watch. "Not for a couple of hours anyway. It's time to remind me."
After a while, we broke apart and looked at each other again, both of us bubbling with renewed amazement and delight. We giggled like children. "How come kissing you just gets better and better?" she asked giddily.
It was an interesting question. I had to give it my full attention. After we broke apart the second time, I said, "I think it's the constant practicing-which reminds me, that was some pretty enthusiastic practicing you did with Danny Anderson."
"What can I say? He's a general." She laughed and ran her fingers through my hair. "Don't be jealous."
"I'm not. Well… not a lot. He kissed you, but he only shook my hand. I think I should be insulted. He's a pretty good kisser, huh?"
"You'll have to find that out for yourself."
"I just might do that," I said with mock petulance.
"Hey, sweetheart-if you ever get the opportunity to find out how Danny Anderson kisses, go ahead. I won't mind. Just don't make a habit of it."
"You don't have a thing to worry about, not as long as girls are softer than boys."
"Mmm," she said. "What I like is the fact that boys get harder than girls-"
"Is that information theoretical or based on actual experience?"
"Yes," she said, without explaining. Her fingers were expertly undoing my zipper.
Something underfoot went bump, and I felt a momentary sensation of weightlessness. The Hieronymus Bosch was airborne again. "Whoops, here we go again. Wanna go back to the cabin?"
Lizard looked disappointed. "I wish. Unfortunately, both you and I have work to do." Sadly, she pulled my zipper back up.
"Me? I thought I'd been retired without prejudice." I pulled my zipper back down again.
"Don't get your hopes up-" She slapped my fingers aside and pulled my zipper up again, this time to stay. "-About the retiring, I mean. There's been a little restructuring, but you're still very important-not only to me, but to this job. You're the only person in the world who knows how to think like a worm."
"I'm not sure if I've just been complimented or insulted."
"Complimented." She leaned in very close and whispered, "I'd rather have you eat me any day." And then she slid her tongue delicately into my ear, causing me to shriek, giggle, and leap back as far as I could-which wasn't very, I was still backed up against the stanchion-wiping my ear and shuddering in delight, all at the same time.
"Don't do that! You know how ticklish I am."
"That's why I do it." Lizard straightened her jacket and shifted into her General Tireili mode. "I have a meeting with Captain Harbaugh. You have a briefing too."
"I do?"
"It's another surprise," she admitted. "You're attached to a special operations team. You'll be the senior advisor."
"Huh-?"
"Close your mouth, dear. They snuck aboard in Amapa too."