"You're a landsman at heart, but that can change."

Sir John requires Goodsir's assistance in the creation of a heartfelt memento for Lady Jane. Goodsir tries to avoid thinking about it too hard.

Violet starts to see India the way India sees, and everything else falls out of focus.

Susan and the man in black make a palaver.

Unpleasant things happen to Jim Halsey, several times in a row but not in any particular order.

Ding Rong, in his narrowed dagger-keen focus on his task, is unsure of the time when he is first made aware of Wang Zhi’s approach. He knows only by the dark of his workroom, dim-lit by his low-burned candle, that it is well into the evening. He knows only that it is no other visitor but Wang Zhi, circling into his periphery, portended by a flutter of draping fabric, because no other but Wang Zhi would dare to come unannounced.

Oh! my dear fellow beings, why should we longer cherish any social acerbities, or know the slightest ill-humor or envy! Come; let us squeeze hands all round; nay, let us all squeeze ourselves into each other; let us squeeze ourselves universally into the very milk and sperm of kindness.

Irving gets pissed on and has the time of his life.

Nathan is there in the kitchen, waiting for him, unwrapping his hands.

Wherever you go, there you are.

(Written for cygnes and the prompt: "driving for many hours through mountains.")

"Assume success," says Bruce unencouragingly. "Describe how it's achieved."