"Hah. Man, I so would not care what Ed Norton was saying if he was hanging around shirtless." She pauses to think about this, smiling dreamily, then the smile starts to fade abruptly. "-Well. Unless he goes all American History X. Then, nope, get out."

"I haven't seen that one."

"I mean. It's a good movie. And he does do the whole 'I am a changed man' thing eventually. But he starts as a crazed neo Nazi, and swastika tattoos make even Ed Norton's otherwise flawless chest horrible."

"Ew."

"Yup. This is why Fight Club exists. To be rewatched a lot."

"I don't think I've actually seen that one. I've read the book."

"I am beginning to think you read a lot."

"What, who, me, no, Fight Club is the only book I have ever read, I otherwise absorb media via cosmic ray."

"And now you're in a plane eleven kilometers high. Are there extra rays now? You're closer to space and everything! Double the cosmic rays!"

"Yes. I am getting a wave of miscellaneous eighties pop bounced back off the asteroid belt."

"Ugh, you poor thing. Eighties pop. I'll take my non-cosmic music."

"The quality variance is a major problem when you have my media consumption habits."

"Please tell me there are cosmic ear plugs."

"Nnnnope."

"You are doomed to terrible pop for all time. A moment of silence for your sanity."

"I'm holding up pretty well, I think."

"For noooooow. Dun dun dun."

"Any minute now the cosmic rays will marathon Teletubbies. I'll be doomed."

Alli regards the pile of cards in her hand. Pile is a strong word; there aren't very many of them. "Hey, at least then I'd have a shot at winning."

"I feel like I might be able to kick your ass at Egyptian Ratscrew regardless."

"Our one game says you're probably right. Meh. Not like it's a game of skill, I'll live."

"We can play something else if you rather."

"I'm good for a few more rounds of this and then I'll require variety."