"The thing is, see-- the thing is, once you realize the entire universe is basically frog guts, then all the little jagged bits on the edges of scientific theories, the parts that refuse to tie down neat and tidy and symmetrical in beautiful loops of math, they all start to make sense. Of course it's nonsense; biology is always nonsense; and biology made up of motherfucking computer code is even worse, because who ever heard of a computer language that didn't glurge itself up into gibberish given half a moment's leeway, right?

"But getting back to the point," -- here Dr. Lalonde pauses and exchanges her empty champagne flute for a fresh one from a passing waiter's tray -- "the thing is, once you have a working theory, you can make predictions and even adjustments -- rewrite the fabric of reality itself! -- yeah, go on, imagine a good mad cackle; I'd do one myself but I never really got the knack -- and that is what I want to hire you to help us do at Skaia Labs."