Why We Do What

Ridiculous! says Gaius. The only way to get to Roque Nublo by bus from Las Palmas is via Maspalomas.

What's wrong with that? asks Ying.

It's on the far side of the island, says Gaius. And Roque Nublo is in the middle.

Why don't you take a taxi, says Ying. We've still got crowdfunding money.

But Gaius refuses to spend that much on a taxi.

Grumble grumble.

Hire a bike, suggests Sweezus.

Of course, says Gaius. Kill two birds with one stone!

What's this? says the Pesquet.

An expression for efficiency, says Gaius. Ying, will you look into hiring a bicycle?

Okay says Ying. Der.. der.. der... yes! Pop On Bike. Here's the address in Las Palmas.

Off goes Gaius, to find Pop On Bike.

I like that! says the Pesquet.

What? asks Terence.

The expression for efficiency, says the Pesquet.

I like it too, says Daniel O'Connell. That's the way we spiders operate.

I have observed how you operate, says Kong. Ruthless, I call it.

I only need one little relative, says Daniel O'Connell.

The tiny relative is prancing around the outside of the shoe box, learning how to do it with just seven legs.

Inside the shoe box, tragically, are the rest of the family, dead or dying amongst the broken white egg sacs.

It's not exactly survival of the fittest, sniffs the Pesquet.

This little tacker is fit, don't you worry, says Daniel O'Connell. Aren't you, Dedalus?

Yeee! squeaks his newly named baby.

Cute, says Ying. Dedalus. Hello Dedalus.

Dedalus smiles up at her cutely. Aww! Has he got teeth already?

How'd the photo turn out? asks Arthur, dabbing his knees with the ends of his tee shirt.

Yeah, let's see it, says Sweezus.

Indeed, says Kong. If Daniel O'Connell acknowledges Dedalus as a relative, and the photograph is a good one, there is nothing to keep us here any longer.

Wicked. We can head back to Adelaide, says Sweezus. I hear Sagan's there already.

And Richie, says Arthur.

No kidding? Richie, says Sweezus.

Ying sees the faraway looks in their eyes. Yes, it's time to be going.

But there is her reputation to consider. As an unemployed Master of Environmental Management and Sustainability, she feels there are ends to tie up, crowd funding to be justified...

We'll just take the ferry back to Tenerife first. Run young Dedalus past Diego, says Ying.

Besides which, she did like Diego.