Coffee Break [IC]

[Supercape]

"Well, you know... these aren't strictly speaking tweed" he replied, and with a flash of sparkling brilliance, his tweed jacket and trousers had transformed to the spandex blue and white costume of Supercape.

He laughed. An honest laugh, one he needed. "Quantum lattice of unstable molecules. Took me a few weeks to make. Now react's to my mind almost instinctively... like it knows what I'm thinking!"

He looked at the damp boots. "Here, let me show you!" and with another sprinkling of light, it had transformed into a classic nineteenth century bathing suit with black and white striped running horizontally from his knees to his chest. He laughed again.

"Pretty ridiculous, but then, so are most of the costumes we run around in. I always feel a bit of a lunatic in one. Why do you think the cape is so outrageous?"

[Electra]

Stesha laughed. "That's great," she cheered him on, "I love the bathing suit. You must have a really easy time of packing for trips. I would love to be able to master a trick like that. My costume has some morphic molecules, but I can't do a thing with them." She sat down cross-legged in the sand and began gathering up a few nearby shells while she watched him wade around. "See any forms of complex life in there?" she asked. "Anything biting your toes?"

[Supercape]

Quentin peered into the horizon "its very pretty" he commented "but no signs of life. Doubt I would see much on earth, either. Other than a ship, a surfer and maybe a beer can. "

He gazed down at his feet. "Nothing biting my toes either, thank goodness. And on that note, I think I shall return to terra firma!"

With that pronouncement, he shuffled back onto the beach, and again bathed himself in a shimmer of sparkling light to return to his tweed jacket and trousers.

"I guess you will have to ask a marine biologist to have a proper look. I guess we know one who owes us a favour!" he winked.

[Electra]

"That's true, but I think I'd run into some secret ID problems, since Fleur de Joie didn't officially help out with that incident," Stesha pointed out with a smile. By now, the sun was setting and the ocean and sky were growing dark. "I think we're running out of daylight," she mused aloud, and moved them back into the cozy little plant house. "I should probably let you get back to your evening. But it was really nice to get a chance to talk with you again."

[Supercape]

"It was a pleasure, Stesha!" he replied, genuinely. "Any excuse for a new planet!"

With a characteristic sparkle of light, his bathing suit transformed once again to the tweed jacket, trousers and bow tie of Professor Quill of Freedom University.

"It really is fantastic here. If there is anything I can do to help, please let me know. I'm not a master botanist but I do know a little, and if nothing else..."

He furrowed his brow, and far above them there was an explosion of natural and ultravoilet light like a burst of brilliant sunshine.

"I can help with a spot of photosynthesis!" he smiled and gave a little wink.

[Electra]

"There's always room for a little more sunshine," Stesha told him with a smile. "Once I get a little more done with the place, I'll make sure to have you over again. Winter's rolling in, so I might have to shift my operations south for a little while. It's a big planet, and there's plenty to do! I'll see you next week in class, unless some citywide emergency crops up before then." Humorously, she knocked lightly on the woody part of one of her shelter's walls.

[Supercape]

"Well that would be lovely" replied Quentin. "If there is anything I can do..."

He though for a moment. "Actually, I have been experimenting with nth dimensional matter folding. I'm not entirely sure how long it lasts, but..." he held out is hand and stared intently, after a moment of sparkling light and twinkling, a coffee mug made of obscure glittering crystal lay in his hands. "Tougher than steel and much prettier... not sure what to call it. I'm not really sure you can say it exists, in many senses. But it does the job. Maybe for windows, or something... I don't know!"

"Anyway, I'll keep it here for next time!"

And with that he gave her a jaunty wave and stepped through the floral door back to good old regular earth. He felt a bit like Mr. Ben.