"Those you must have a better sense of how fast they grow?"

"Oh yeah, it's really slow, we never noticed it at all, but if you're worrying on a scale of millennia."

"Which we should be, can't count on finding useful magic to reverse it before then. That'll be really nice, once we have it."

"So nice!"

"Gatesnest sounds amazing."

"I'm - really going to miss it. It was fantastic. Maybe there'll be similar places one day. Gates at least have the virtue that they're right where we can see them, they won't go out of control..."

"I am sure there'll be similar places someday. Given the chance to connect and trade and meet each other, people just - do. We'll find a way to do it safely."

"It's not that it was a city, or even that it was a cosmopolitan city. It was always awake. It was all over the world. You could turn the right corner and night would be day, summer would be winter."

Nod. "And when it stretches worlds you'll turn corners and get seasons we haven't named. it does sound incredible, I really do think we can build it again."

"Can't wait."

"Anything else I can answer for you?"

"I didn't actually mean to turn this into an interview, just a, 'should we be sharing a boyfriend'."

"It would surprise me if that were a bad idea because we didn't get along."

"I'm getting that."

He stands up. "Pleasure to meet you."

"You too! I'll see you around."

He leaves. 

Cor goes back to work.

Maitimo stops by for dinner. "Hey! How's it going -"

"Going great! I assume I shouldn't slow down in anticipation of scrapping all my work to account for the availability of vacuum."

"We can't think how to achieve that but if we come up with something we'll let you know."

"Full speed ahead then."

"Findekáno thinks highly of you."

"I think he's great too! How self-aggrandizing would it be to compliment your taste?"

"I have excellent taste."