[Diamond18]

Diamond gazed lovingly at the latest soda-and-alcohol-concoction in her hand. But after a moment or two, she sighed with the realization that dirt, dust, dog and cat hair wait for no women, no matter how criminal her attractiveness might be deemed by the pure of heart.

She nodded to the various Downers at the bar with her, and begged them to excuse her for a little while. “I must find a quiet corner somewhere,” she explained, “and use telekinesis to vacuum my house. I will rejoin the festivities, anon, and then I (if I may be so bold) will be expecting a dance from Mattius and Squatter, and even Mith, if you can find the time from running this smashing party.”

She paused and assessed the unstable appearances of Squatter and Mattius as they drowned in whatever poisonous liquid they were gargling now. “Well…” she thought… “this will be interesting…”

Diamond waved nonchalantly to the rich and beautiful, the pure and the wanton the teetotalers and the drunks, and walked over to a couch in a dark corner. HereIstarion was sleeping peacefully on said couch, smiling as he dreamed of fireworks and sailboats, no doubt. Diamond carefully (so as not to wake him) moved his feet and sat down. Then, concentrating all her mental abilities on a little ranch-style house many miles and ages away, she began to hum like a vacuum cleaner.