Imagine The Dandelions

Where are we? asks Gaius.

They have landed, at the North Tenerife Airport, in San Cristóbal de La Laguna.

San Cristóbal de La Laguna, says Arthur, reading a very large sign.

How fortuitous, says Gaius. We can go straight to the University. Who are we meeting, Kong?

I don't know, says Kong. Is it a riddle?

Take me straight to the science lab! says Daniel O'Connell. I want proper treatment.

Science lab? says Arthur. Don't you like your new crutches?

NO! says Daniel O'Connell. They make me lopsided. I want state of the art ones.

What's this about? says Gaius.

He wants state of the art crutches, says Arthur. These ones make him lopsided.

He IS lopsided says Gaius.

Be fair, says Kong. He wouldn't be lopsided, if he had stronger crutches. Metal ones for example.

You know nothing about metals, says Gaius. His crutches must have a degree of elasticity.

Like my old legs, says Daniel O'Connell. That's what they had. Have you still got them?

I have, says Gaius. And I have some Roman Bull Glue. But I hardly think....

Daniel O'Connell cracks his toothpicks, and lies on his back on the floor, five good legs waving.

A security guard comes over.

He is about to step on Daniel O'Connell, when he sees the toothpicks.

What's this here? he asks.

Our specimen spider, says Gaius. I'll thank you not to step on it. Perhaps you could direct us to the University de La Laguna.

Sure, says the guard. Your specimen looks to be on its last legs. Is it an emergency?

Yes, says Arthur.

The security guard calls up a taxi.

The taxi stops at the University de La Laguna, the oldest University in the Canaries.

Gaius pays. They walk into the grounds.

The rector is taking a stroll on this beautiful morning.

Buenos díos, caballeros, beams the Rector.

Buenos díos, says Gaius. Could you direct us to the ....

SCIENCE LAB! hollers Daniel O'Connell, from his box.

Qué? Oh you want the Technology and Engineering department, says the Rector. It's that way.

He bows to Gaius. He bows to Kong. He bows to Arthur. He bows to Daniel O'Connell.

And goes on his way.

Nice chap, says Gaius. I wonder who he was?

The Rector, says Kong. Martinón Antonio Cejas.

Idiot, why didn't you say so? says Gaius. He turns and runs after the Rector,

Kong and Arthur proceed to the department of Technology and Engineering, with Daniel O'Connell.

They enter a lab.

A student is sitting at a bench, in front of a computer.

Buenós dias, says Kong. Tell me, what is that on the screen there?

Microlattice, says the student. The lightest metal in the world. See. It balances on the head of a dandelion, without crushing it. It represents the future. Imagine.

Kong imagines a future of uncrushed dandelions, holding up tiny blocks of mesh-structured metal.......

Like in what? says Arthur.

Aviation, says the student. This was invented by Boeing.

Boing! says Daniel O'Connell. I like that.

Not Boing, Boeing! says the student.

What the diddley! says Daniel O'Connell It'll be just the thing.

I know, says the student.

I mean for my new legs, says Daniel O'Connell.

Stronger than toothpicks, says Arthur.

The student looks blank.

I'm Arthur, says Arthur.

Diego, says the student. Is it your spider?

He's nobody's spider, says Arthur. We're here to look for his relatives. If it turns out he has any.

What happened to him? asks Diego.

A battle, says Arthur. He lost.

Diego likes spiders. He doesn't have any microlattice. But he knows how it's made.

You just need a foam lattice mould, you pour nickel over it, the foam melts way. You are left with a light metal, the lightest metal ever invented, ninety nine point nine percent air.

Perfect for reconstructing new legs for a spider.

There could be a PhD project in this.