social-disruption

In this chapter, Margot Cleary, a mayor, publicly proposes a government-supported program to create safe spaces and training camps for girls to learn to control their newly emerged power, despite political opposition and societal fear. The chapter explores the societal upheaval caused by the power, the challenges faced by young women like Margot's daughter Jocelyn, and the political and cultural tensions surrounding the integration and management of this power. Margot's initiative quickly gains public support and funding, positioning her as a rising political figure advocating for adaptation rather than suppression.

The chapter introduces a future solar system society transformed by the discovery and development of 'jaunting,' a form of teleportation achieved through mental effort. It details the origins of jaunting with Charles Fort Jaunte, the scientific and social challenges of mastering the ability, and the profound societal upheavals caused by widespread teleportation, including economic disruption, crime waves, and geopolitical tensions between inner planets and outer satellites. The narrative situates jaunting as a revolutionary technology reshaping human civilization and its boundaries.

The chapter explores the aftermath of the traumatic event involving the League of Virgins in Palomo Grove, focusing on the social upheaval, personal tragedies, and the mysterious birth of children linked to a supernatural lake. Joyce McGuire's eventual revelation of the truth under community pressure and William Witt's voyeuristic observations reveal the town's struggle to reconcile with its hidden reality. Despite Palomo Grove's outward prosperity and transformation into a Los Angeles suburb, the families affected remain isolated, bound by their shared secret and the lingering shadow of the event.