"That one's the exception that proves the rule," he answered promptly. "Most of the others are just gross, without any fun to help you get over it."

At that he had to look at her oddly. "Stars generate their own light, y'know. It just takes a few million years to get there. You can't tell me whatever messed up your world screwed things up that badly that it shut off all the lights."

The stone really was cold, cold enough now to urge him to move. With a shiver he shuffled forward and pulled the blanket around him, then leaned back again with a sigh. Sure, stars were pretty and all, but they could occupy his attention for only so long. The sheer vastness of the space upstairs was making him start to feel a little homesick. Obviously the best response to that was to stop looking and ignore it.