Sometimes the volume of chatter overwhelmed her ability to see things clearly. It was Bisesa, sitting alone in her flat and just thinking, who was one of her touchstones, her viewpoints of the bigger picture. It was Bisesa, thinking out of the box, who had come up with the essential notion of community support for smartskin manufacture. And, after all, it was Bisesa who had given Siobhan an insight into the deepest mystery of all.
Ever since that crucial videoconference, and Eugene Mangless proof that there was indeed an element of intention about the disturbance of the sun, Bisesas claims about the Firstborn and Mir had been taken seriously, and were being investigated in a slow-burning kind of way. Nobody believed the full storynot even Siobhan, she admitted to herself. But most of her ad hoc brains trust accepted that, yes, the disturbance of the sun so clearly reconstructed by Eugene could have been caused only by the intervention of some intelligent agency. That alone, even if you didnt speculate about the intent of that intelligence, was a staggering conclusion to draw.
Bisesas insights had helped guide Eugene and others to a fuller understanding of the physical mechanism behind the sunstorm, and had, conceivably, helped humankind to survive it. But the trouble was, as Siobhan had immediately understood, the meddling of the Firstborn just didnt matter for now. Whatever the cause, it was the sunstorm itself that had to be dealt with. The news couldnt even be made public: releasing rumors about alien intention would surely only cause panic, and to no effect. So the whole thing remained a secret, known only at the highest levels of government, and to a select few others. The Firstborn, Siobhan promised herself, if they existed, could be dealt with later.
But that meant there was nothing Bisesa could do about the greatest issue in her life. She couldnt even talk about it. She was still on compassionate leave from the Army, and would have been discharged altogether if not for some string pulling by Siobhan. But she had no meaningful work to do. In a fragile state, she was thrown back on her own resources. She had become reclusive, Siobhan thought, spending too much time alone in her flat, or wandering around London, coming to places like the Ark; she seemed to want no company save Myra.
Come on, Siobhan said, and they linked arms. Lets go see the elephants. Then Ill give you a lift home. Id like to see Myra again
Bisesas flat, just off the Kings Road in Chelsea, was actually lucky to find itself under the Tin Lid. Half a kilometer farther west and it would have been outside the Dome altogether. As it was it nestled under the looming shadow of the wall, and when you drove along you could look up between the rooftops and see the Dome soar into the air, like the hull of some vast spaceship.
It was a while since Siobhan had visited, and things had changed. There were heavy new security locks on the doors to the apartment building. And when she opened the door a rust-red blur ran out of the building, shooting between Bisesas legs, to vanish around the corner. Bisesa flinched, but laughed.
Siobhans heart was hammering. What was that? A dog?
No, just a fox. Not really a pest if you take care of your garbagealthough Id like to know who let that one in the building. People havent the heart to get rid of them, not at a time like this. There are more of them around, Im sure. Maybe theyre coming into the Dome.
Perhaps they sense something is coming.
Bisesa led her upstairs to the flat itself. In the corridors and the stairwell Siobhan saw many strange faces. Lodgers, Bisesa said, pulling a face. Government regulations. Every domicile within the Dome has to shelter at least so many adults per such-and-such square meters of floor space. Theyre packing us in. She opened her door to reveal a hallway piled high with bottled water and canned food, a typical family emergency store. One reason why I keep Linda here. Better a cousin than a stranger
In the flat Siobhan made for the window. South facing, it caught a lot of light. The great shadows of the Domes skeleton striped across the sky, but there was still a good view of the city to the east. And Siobhan could see that from every south-facing window and balcony, and on every rooftop, silvery blankets were draped. The blankets were smartskin, bits of the space shield being grown all across the city by ordinary Londoners.
Bisesa joined her with a glass of fruit juice, and smiled. Quite a sight, isnt it?
Its magnificent, Siobhan said sincerely.
Bisesas inspiration had worked out remarkably well. To grow a bit of the shield that would save the world, all you needed was patience, sunlight, a kit no more complicated than a home darkroom, and basic nutrients: household waste would do nicely, appropriately pulped up. Raw material for the smart components had been a problem for a while, before turn-of-the-century landfill sites packed high with obsolete mobile phones, computers, games, and other wasteful toys had been turned into mines of silicon, germanium, silver, copper, and even gold. In London there had been only one possible slogan for the program, even if it was terminologically inexact: Dig for Victory.
Siobhan said, Its so damn inspirationaclass="underline" people all over the world, working to save themselves and each other.
Yeah. But try telling that to Myra.
How is she?
Scared, Bisesa said. No, deeper than that. Traumatized, maybe. Her face was composed, but she looked tired again, laden with guilt. I try to see things from her point of view. Shes only twelve. When she was little her mother disappeared for months on endand then turned up from nowhere, swivel-eyed. And now you have the threat of the sunstorm. Shes a bright kid, Siobhan. She understands the news. She knows that on April 20 all of this, the whole fabric of her life, all her stuff, the softwall, the synth-stars, her screens and books and toys, is just going to dissolve. It was bad enough I kept going away. I dont think shell ever forgive me for letting the world end.
Siobhan thought of Perdita, who seemed not to grasp what was to come at allor anyhow chose not to. Its better than denying it, maybe. But there is no source of comfort.
No. Not even religion, for me. I never was much of a God botherer. Though I did catch Myra watching the election of the new Pope. After the destruction of Rome, the latest pontiff had taken up residence in Boston; the big American dioceses had long been far richer than the Vatican anyhow. All the religiosity around worries medoesnt it you? These sun-cultists coming out of the closet.
Siobhan shrugged. I accept it. You know, even up on the shield itself, a lot of praying goes on. Religions can serve a social purpose, in uniting us around a common goal. Maybe thats why they evolved in the first place. I dont think theres any harm in people thinking of the shield as, umm, like building a cathedral in the sky, if it helps them get through the day. She smiled. Whether God is watching or not.
But Bisesas face was dark. I dont know about God. But others are watching us, Im sure of that.
Siobhan said carefully, Youre still thinking about the Firstborn.
How can I not? Bisesa said, drawn.
With fresh coffee, they huddled together on Bisesas overstuffed furniture. It was an incongruously domestic setting, Siobhan thought, to be discussing one of the most philosophically profound discoveries ever made. I suppose it is the dream of ages, she said. Weve been speculating on intelligence beyond the Earth since the Greeks.
Bisesa looked distant. Even now I cant get used to the idea.
Its tough for any scientist, Siobhan said. Arguments by designthat is, to build your theories about the universe on the assumption that it was designed for some conscious purposewent out of fashion three hundred years ago. Darwin hammered the last nail in that particular coffin. Of course it was God who was the fashionable designer back then, not ET. For a scientist it goes against all training to think in such terms. Which is why it was my instinct to put you in touch with Eugene, Bisesa. I wondered what would happen if you jolted him into thinking differently. I guess that instinct was right. But it still feels unnatural. She sighed. A guilty pleasure.