throw another bear in the canoe

Somehow, truepenny and I have started writing a Lovecraftian pirate sizzling raygun space opera. Because of course that is the work we are supposed to be doing.

In other news, soliloquizing villains make great word count.

Pinion told Jacob Dust everything, including his name.

It was a good name, Dust judged, as Dust judged such things. He had never been able to name things himself--he was, after all, in chief a sort of archivist--but as with many archivists, a good irony and good pun delighted him.

Take the name of the world, for example, half of which was half of Dust's own name. Jacob's Ladder. One thing that was many things, and a name most carefully chosen. Because Jacob's ladder was the ladder angels ascended to reach heaven; and it was also the breaking of sun rays through cloud, planetside (not that Dust had ever seen such, but there were images in his memory); and it was a rope ladder, such as used to ascend into the rigging of a sailing ship; it was a fumbling primitive of body modification that humans had performed upon themselves, when the Exalt were only a dream; it was a toy, an amusement; and in the name of the world, it was a promise and a benediction and an allegory.

Because the Jacob's ladder in the name of the world was all of these things, and none. The ladder these angels must climb was the double helix.

And then they would be God. They, who were splinters of God.

God, who was dead.

And what should be done about it, none of his splinters could agree.

Also, gloating is good exposition.