"Thank you."

"You're welcome. I would be moving much more urgently if I thought otherwise, for what it's worth."

"Does you credit.  What are your opinions on the moral valence of lawbreaking, mercy killing, eugeminics, homosexuality, and genetic tampering."

"Depends on the laws, tentatively fine if it's the best option, I don't actually know that word but suspect based on etymology it's broadly okay, pro, tentatively pro."

"Interesting.  Discrimination based solely on birthday?"

"It wouldn't make any sense on my planet but it might here? If it has an ugly history of some kind I am not yet enlightened about that. I do think it would be reasonable for people to aim pretty aggressively at desired birthdates in their own children."

"I only mention it because it would appear at least plausible that I have not, personally, done anything which you would strongly disapprove of."

"Congratulations!"

"Thank you kindly."

"Anytime. Have we further business?"

"I don't have further coinage on my person so it would seem not."  Nicholas gestures to the stack of five pieces, one silver and four copper, which somehow previously made its way over onto the arm of the room's chair without Cam noticing.

"All right. Thank you very much, and let me know when further information about the fund thing becomes available." Scoop.

"That's not at all within my purview but I'll relay how to contact you to someone whose it is."

"Mm-hm!" And off Cam goes.

The person receiving the hand . . . job . . . is if anything even louder and more enthusiastic than the last time Cam was in the main area.  A woman sprawled across the laps of a solquinox of each gender double-takes in the corner of Cam's vision and smooshes her face into the nearest available torso.  The sign on the wall reminds him that his wristband charms MUST BE RETURNED.

Yup, here they are, plink plink.

Then the bartender will not accost him as he exits!

Most of Felicity is in the shuttle when he returns but lavender is lying out on the grass stargazing.

"Hi! Looking for somebody you know?"

"Trying to find the spots where I used to be."

"I wonder if astronomers are freaking out - do astronomers even exist here really -"

"We have something called that but I'd be surprised if the meaning was exactly the same."

"What do yours do?"

"They study the stars as physical phenomena, but since your world's stars are so awfully different I don't imagine the details of their work can be very similar.  And, sidenote, contrast with astrologers, who focus on stars' extranatural effects."

"Legit. Yeah, our astronomers study our stars qua giant balls of burning plasma, and other planets, and they determine the age of the universe via redshift and stuff."

"It's very strange that you call them planets when their surfaces aren't even cutouts of planes."