"It does," Adia agrees. "But that's how it usually works with electronics. Computers used to be the size of entire rooms, and they still weren't as powerful as one of these."

There's a mental image: Paladin telling a sphinx to "hold on a minute" while she types out a text to Adia. It'd be more amusing to Adia if Paladin's life weren't likely on the line while she was doing it. "I would look up the answer for you and reply right away," she says, more seriously than Paladin's light-hearted tone.

Speaking of looking stuff up, Adia takes a moment to glance at the time on the computer screen. She's reluctant to leave, having what has been a wonderful afternoon, extraordinary even considering her ride on Shadow, but she doesn't want anyone on her world questioning her whereabouts. "I should be getting back soon... do you want to take a quick walk to the vending machines so I can help you pick out a PINpoint?"