Naturally.

The return of Xarrduu is serious business.

Long may he slumber, long may he reign.

34.

Both. Perhaps you ought to make the first move and take the advantage of surprise, no?

Let us see if we can find her. We must play another game. What do you know . . . of Pictionary?

Do you have tisane?

Indeed she is. She is full of envy and spite. She will cut down every tree in the world to have the only one.Yes, she is the next clue to unravelling the conspiracy. The Would-Be Queen of Diamonds. But you must be careful, my friend, for she has a way of bringing out our own worst impulses.

What a pity. I was going to give you a rare vintage as a . . .( He tries to think of the term. ) Baby shower gift. It's brewed in dark secret deep beneath the shadow mountains by somewhere between seventeen and fifty-two monks and princes for three hundred and fifty years. Very obscure. Covered up.

It would be rude for a guest to arrive unannounced and not bring gifts with him.

( He looks around the kitchen, suddenly frowning. ) You have . . Quit drinking?

There is no harm in learning.

You may call it that. Others believe that the card reads us. There is . . . an exchange, a communication beyond the realm of spoken word which occurs between the card and the player. Sign, and signifier. Now, the Queen. Can you not tell me about her? *Focus*.

The next step.

Observe the Queen. Her wealth, her clothes. She is elegant, refined, successful. The Queen is hard-working and determined. Yes, she has a strong will. Ah, she knows what she desires, and she shall have it. See the sneer she holds when reversed? What could I mean by 'reversal'?

Perhaps we should stick to Solitaire.

All this talk of queens - Perhaps your subconscious is trying to communicate with us. ( With relish, he tosses the card onto the table: A Queen of Diamonds, reversed. )

Unfortunately not. And she is not pleased. However, this gives us many answers. Another?

Perhaps. But it is not enough. There are many queens in the deck, and more royals still up my sleeves. We must be *specific*, Valerie!

( He says nothing, observing the ship from behind his sunglasses. Del somehow seems to find herself following him, as though he, the visitor, is giving her a tour of her own ship. Eventually, they find themselves in the kitchen. He turns suddenly. )

Ah, but of course. I have a gift for you, Del.

She would not. How often does Artemis speak of her past? But I know her of old.

( He's behind her before she can even finish her question. ) So this is the Delalo. I must admit, it is not at all as I imagined it.

I would not name it. It is . . . Poor sportsmanship, let us say.

Ah, I know a game that we can play.

( Shuffling a deck of cards, forming shapes in the air, yadda yadda, we know Hassam's whole thing by now . . . )

And now. ( Pulling a card from his sleeve. ) What card am I holding?

I, Hassam Rizvi, bad at a game?

As a matter of fact, I am.

Though this visit is a personal one. I came to visit my partner. I hear that she is expecting. My congratulations to you both.

I disagree. I think you very much are a gambler, Del. May I call you Del?

Ah, the choice is yours, my friend. You will find that I am proficient in a great many of the card games of this universe. And the ones to which I am not -- I adapt very quickly.

Me? But Valerie, I am always playing cards.

Bien sûr. Which game do you wish to play?

Gambling? Ahhh, but of course. It is an art . . .

Did someone say . . . Cards?

There's only room for one magic being with clear sunglasses in this universe.

He wishes he was me.

I don't know. Not yet. But something is coming - the cards have predicted it.

He is being careful, but our little friend is showing us his hand. Now we must call his bluff.

Nothing which could be proven as of yet.

Though it is a fact that you are one of a few who has crossed the void and found herself here, and someone has attempted to communicate with you. It is the cause of your head troubles, n’est-ce pas?

*Very good*. But we are far from finished. I am unsure if you will ever be able to return to the world from which you came.

I confess that it is strange to me that you should be chosen to come here. Perhaps it is so that our adversaire knows your personally?

-- require an audience. That is to say, if we ever find what is being shown to us too difficult, or overdone, then it is possible simply to stop it. 'I do not believe!' 'I resign!'

What good is a game without players? A parlour trick without an audience? Things are changing, but not for long.