[The pause between them grows long, maybe a little ponderous.]

Pardon my language, young lady, [this he's trying to be very clear about] but I you're shitting me.

Or... if you're not... you know more about this place then you're letting on. What are these things?

[He's not been completely blind to the bubbles floating at head height and higher. In fact, he pokes one now, with enough force that the only thing that keeps it from popping is the fact that it can bounce buoyantly away, settling about five meters higher than where it started.]