"The first part was stranger," Xas says, "to me. Is that what it's like where you're from?"

He hopes not, for her sake, even though she said she couldn't invent things. Maybe it was pieced together out of several less alarming scenarios. Maybe she saw it in a film. Maybe she hasn't actually been pursued through a devastated New York City by enormous robotic monsters.

Anyway, at least his bit had flowers.