Six Sentence Sunday, Project Fast Track 4

Previous excerpts: First, second, third.

Setup: Darlene is sales and customer service for TimeBubble, Inc, and is doing a demonstration for two customers – Jasmine and Michael, as part of the sales pitch.

When the tiny bell rang inside the field, it sounded like a gong, but immensely far away. “Our standard slow-time bubble rooms aren’t exposed like this one – the room is sealed until bubble is collapsed, which can be at a set time, as requested by your loved ones outside, or when you hit the panic button from inside,” Darlene explained. “They’re rated safe for human use up to a dilation factor of two thousand, which means that one year, outside, is experienced subjectively as four hours, twenty-three minutes. Or, as I like to think of it, a pleasant afternoon with a good book.”

“I’m not interested in a standard room, Darlene,” Michael said. “What I have in mind will take more effort, and I’ll be happy to fund the necessary construction, but the project will need the experience of TimeBubble engineering staff – not to mention the use of your patents.”