Vax had not known the wires would carry his voice to Constance – was it always so random, she wondered, or could you send your voice to the right person when you wanted to? It wasn't much good if you couldn't, she decided, and scholars of the future were so very clever coming up with their machines.

But if talking to Constance had been more like unexpectedly running into a friend at the markets, he must have more to do than explain the device to her when it was so difficult without being able to at least see what the other was talking about. "Sank you, Vax'ildan, et bonne journée."