"Norn promised he'd come," Felix answers Jim. "Compared with him Stratos is a show-stealing exhibitionist, though." Stratos mingles out of social obligation, if nothing else: a tribune can't hide in the shadows. "You'd like him, Adia, I'm sure. I'll look for him near the food in a little while; I'm sure Katsuya has something there to lure him in."

"It sounds to me," he comments, listening to them, "like the two of you are talking about something more akin to moon sugar than anything based on respectable-" or legal- "alchemy." He sniffs. "Anyway, I've never seen coffee have the same effect- physical or mental - as a proper restorative. And without the side-effects. I wasn't kidding about needing steady hands."