She sighed, watching the students in front of her take their time in the buffet style serving line. "Did I mention that I'm terribly hungry?" she asked plaintively.

Her friend just laughed. "I thought you weren't going to come to dinner at all," Reiya teased. "If you'd just gone home after the reception you could be eating already."

"I should have," she muttered half-heartedly. At the time, Delphinius' attention had been so flattering that she couldn't say no.

"But then you would have had to say 'no' to your pilot," Reiya observed, an impish look in her eyes. "That hopeful look was cute. I wonder how many times he's used that to get a 'yes' out of girls."

"I didn't come because of the look," she said sharply. She hesitated, though, knowing that after her earlier complaints about the evening there was no excuse Reiya would believe. "I just... didn't want to be rude."

Reiya laughed again, but before she could say anything else a new voice interrupted. "I'm sure I know the two of you from somewhere..."

She tried very hard not to jump, but she couldn't keep a smile off her face as she glanced over her shoulder. Delphinius was standing directly behind them, a mostly-empty plate in one hand and a mock-puzzled look on his face. As soon as he caught her eye his expression cleared, and he added, "I knew I did. How could I forget those eyes?"

He grinned charmingly at her, and she fought to hold his gaze instead of looking away in embarrassment. "I'm sure they're just like anyone else's eyes," she told him, uncomfortably aware of Reiya's amusement.

He looked offended. "Are you implying that I don't know what I'm talking about?"

"No," a dry voice put in from behind him. "She's implying that you're a deluded yet incurable flirt, which is true."

"Hi, Sanaro," Reiya said. Her tone was just shy enough that Cetaci looked at her in surprise.

"Hello," he replied calmly. "I apologize for inflicting my friend's presence on you again, but I couldn't talk him out of it. I thought it was better to come with him and do damage control than to simply watch."

"In case you hadn't noticed, this is the buffet line," Delphinius informed him. "You came for more food, the same as I did. It's your turn, by the way," he added, nodding toward Reiya.

She turned quickly and snatched a plate off the end of the table, moving forward to serve herself in the space that had opened up in front of them. Cetaci followed her, but she couldn't help glancing over her shoulder as their bickering continued.

"I came for more food," Sanaro agreed, switching his plate from one hand to the other while he watched Reiya. "You came because you have absolutely no ability to resist a pretty face. Knowing this, my secondary motivation was to keep you from getting into trouble."

Her gaze slid toward Delphinius at the "pretty face" remark, and she found him sneaking a sheepish glance in her direction. Their eyes met, and he shook his head. "I can resist a pretty face," he corrected, still looking at her. "It's the beautiful ones that I have trouble ignoring."

She felt Reiya poke her sharply, and she looked back at the table when she realized she was staring. "I suppose that's why you put up with me, then," Sanaro said, helping himself to a second round of appetizers.

"No," Delphinius retorted. He reached around her when she paused by the salad bowl, claiming the spoon from a dish on the other side of the table. "I put up with you in spite of that."

"I'll consider myself privileged," Sanaro said dryly, but Delphinius wasn't listening.

"You're not going to try these?" he chided, watching her put the salad forks down and step away. He waved the spoon enticingly in her direction. "The least healthy thing they're serving and you pass it up?"

"She's obviously planning to outlive you," Sanaro remarked, stepping around them. "No sane person eats those."

Cetaci paused, considering. "That sounded like a challenge," she said, catching Delphinius' eye again. "What are they?"

He grinned at her words. "Salafish. They're poisonous, but only if you eat an incredible amount of them. They're good."

She didn't like the sound of that, but as she watched he popped one of the tiny fish into his mouth. His amused look didn't waver as he chewed and swallowed it, and she wasn't about to let him outdo her. She reached for the spoon but he pulled it back, picking up another fish and holding it out to her.

His implication was clear, and she let him put it in her mouth with only a flicker of hesitation. Her eyes widened as the taste registered, and she stared at him in surprise. "It *is* good," she managed, around her mouthful of fish.

He laughed, and it was such an enjoyable sound that she almost didn't hear Sanaro groan. But his friend's words reached her ears clearly, and the other appeared beside them with a full plate. "Come on," he said firmly. "Before you start spreading any more of your bad habits."

"Why do you always assume I'm corrupting people?" Delphinius demanded, shooting her an apologetic smile as they drifted away. "If you weren't such a bad influence yourself, you wouldn't have to use me as cover."

"You wouldn't recognize it in me if you didn't do it yourself," Sanaro replied irrepressibly. Whatever response Delphinius made--and she was sure he made one--was lost in the crowd.

"Are you going to eat anything but salad?" Reiya inquired, joining her as she stood staring after them. "And after you were so hungry a few minutes ago."

"I'm still hungry," she protested. She turned back to the table to finish filling her plate. Feeling strangely furtive about it, she took a few more of the salafish while her friend wasn't looking.

***

"Watch where you're going!"

"Watch where you're sitting," he retorted automatically, trying to cover his chagrin.

"He's too busy staring at girls," Sanaro commented, setting his plate down at their table and sliding back into his place. "He doesn't bother with mundane things like friends, or furniture, anymore."

"Some of my friends would be more appealing as furniture," Delphinius muttered. He sat down too, unable to resist glancing over his shoulder again.

"Who *are* you looking at?" Leis wanted to know. He leaned back in his chair, trying to peer around Delphinius. "Are those the girls you were talking to at the reception?"

"He's obsessed with the blonde one," Sanaro said, before he could answer. "He's convinced she likes him."

Maricut glanced up from his plate, pausing long enough to squint in their general direction. "Is she from sciences?"

"You know her?" Sanaro asked, following his gaze.

Maricut frowned, considering. "I don't think so," he said at last. Delphinius watched as the girls made their way across the room, uncomfortably aware that everyone at the table was now staring at them. "She does look familiar, though."

"She looks young, if you ask me," Leis remarked. As the girls paused to set their plates down at a table by the windows, he asked, "Is that Cen over there with them?"

"Cen and his telepath girlfriend," Maricut said disgustedly, returning his attention to his food. "If that's the kind of person she's friends with, you should stay away from her, Delphinius."

Delphinius froze, salafish halfway to his mouth and a deliberately blank expression on his face. "Why do you say that?" He was well aware of the other's prejudices on the subject, but he hadn't expected to have it thrown in his face tonight, of all nights.

"They congregate," Maricut answered, as though it should have been obvious. "She and her friend are probably telepaths too."

"Just because they're sitting with one?" Leis shot a quick look in Delphinius' direction. "Don't be ridiculous. They're not healers. I'm sure they're perfectly normal."

Maricut just shrugged, but his expression said that he wasn't convinced.

Delphinius set his spoon down carefully. "Is there something wrong with telepaths?" he inquired.

Maricut didn't even look up. "Don't start with me, Delphinius. You know I don't have anything against your family."

"It's different for Rangers," Leis put in quickly. "Maricut's just saying that it's disconcerting when any regular person could be reading your mind."

Maricut glared at him. "Don't tell me what I'm saying!"

"They don't do that," Delphinius objected. "Telepaths have morals too."

"Not everyone's as honorable as you are, Delphinius," Maricut told him. "If you ask me they should all wear pins, like Cen's. At least then we could avoid them."

He tried very hard not to grit his teeth. This was not the time or place to get into a fight, and he really wasn't in the mood. He supposed if there were a telepath at the table it might be different, but there was no one here to be hurt if he let the issue slide this time.

Taking a deep breath, he got to his feet and managed to smile at Maricut. "I sincerely hope that one day you learn what it's like to be in the minority. In the meantime, if you will all forgive me, I'm going to find some more pleasant conversation."

"Delphinius..." He heard Sanaro sigh as he turned away. "Don't go."

He felt a flash of guilt for abandoning his friend, but it was graduation. He wasn't going to listen to this tonight. If Sanaro didn't like it then he could get up and walk away just as easily.

***

"How did you do that?" Cen demanded.

"You were distracted," Aura teased. "You're supposed to concentrate. Reiya, want to play?"

Reiya pushed her plate out of the way. "You bet I do. And I'm going to win, too."

"No you're not," Aura said cheerfully. "But at least you're positive about it."

"That's what I was just thinking about you!" Reiya exclaimed, feigning surprise. She placed her right hand on one side of the transparent sphere and cocked her head. "Ready?"

Aura imitated her, and a tiny point of green light appeared in the middle of the sphere. "Go!"

The little light flickered, first in one direction, then another, dancing back and forth through the sphere. Reiya would push it in one direction only to have Aura shove it back, or deflect it just in time. Reiya was the stronger of them, but Aura was fast, and they were probably the two most evenly matched Globe players at the table.

"Wish I'd thought of that." The voice that spoke from behind Cetaci as she watched was rapidly becoming familiar, and she fought to suppress a smile. "Next time I have to attend a graduation, remind me to bring a Globe."

"Even if it's your own?" she suggested, glancing back at him.

"Especially if it's my own," Delphinius said emphatically. He cocked his head at her. "Do you mind if I join you?"

"Not at all." She looked around the table while he pulled up a chair, seeing Cen give Delphinius a polite nod as he sat down. "Cen, do you and Delphinius know each other?"

"Vaguely," Cen said with a polite smile.

"Only in passing," Delphinius added.

Aura gave the table an exasperated slap as Reiya laughed, signaling the end of their game. The interruption effectively rescued her just as she realized that much of whatever Cen did know about Delphinius had probably been filtered through Aura.

"I win!" Reiya crowed, in case anyone hadn't noticed. "Hi, Delphinius," she added, almost as an afterthought. "Want to play for the honor of going up against Cetaci?"

He raised an eyebrow at her, looking amused. "Are you that good, or is that just the way the turns worked out?"

Before she could answer, Aura pushed the playing sphere in their direction and suggested, "See for yourself." She didn't even try to hide the smirk on her face.

Cetaci leaned back in her seat, not sure she wanted to be Aura's method of revenge, no matter how subtle. Delphinius had already reached out and put his hand on the Globe, giving her a questioning smile as he did so. He obviously had no idea what they meant.

"Go on, Cetaci," Reiya said with a grin. "Show him how to play the game."

Cetaci shifted uncomfortably. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not?" Cen asked, putting an arm around Aura's shoulders as she leaned back to watch. His look was almost as smug as hers was. "He wants to play against you."

"And I'm sure Delphinius is very good," Aura put in. "Aren't you, Delphinius?"

Cetaci gave her an irritated look, but Delphinius just shrugged. "Better than average, I suppose. Come on, Cetaci, it's just a game," he added, seeing her reluctance. He flashed another smile in her direction. "Win or lose, I won't hold it against you."

She frowned. He wouldn't back down in front of Aura and Cen, she realized. He didn't care whether he won, but if he didn't play at all they'd be smirking for the rest of the evening.

With a sigh, she moved her chair a little closer to the table and put out her hand. The little green light sprang to life in the center of the Globe, and she felt its gossamer touch behind her eyes. "Ready?" she heard Delphinius ask.

Lifting her gaze to his, she nodded once. "Go." She didn't even have to look into the sphere. She gave the green flame a nudge, down and a little to the right, and she felt it slip past his resistance and into the opposite side of the sphere.

He blinked, looking down. "Wait, I wasn't paying attention. Again?"

"Too busy looking into her eyes?" Reiya teased.

"I haven't played in a long time," he said, a little defensively.

"It isn't you," Cetaci began, but her friend cut her off.

"Be quiet and play, Cetaci," Reiya told her, suppressed laughter in her voice.

She pulled her hand away just long enough to give the game time to reset, and then she settled her fingers across from Delphinius' again. "Ready?" she asked, knowing that letting him start the game would give him a psychological advantage.

Looking down at the sphere this time, he nodded. "Go."

Again, the little light slid right past him to dissipate against his side of the Globe.

He stared at it. "How do you *do* that?" He caught her eye again, sounding the slightest bit uncertain. "Am I that out of practice?"

"Yes," Aura said unrepentantly. She looked quite pleased with herself for someone who hadn't actually done anything, Cetaci thought.

"No," Cetaci said, letting her hand fall to the table. "It's just--how I play."

"There are a few people who are unbelievably good at it," Reiya put in, taking pity on her. "Cetaci's one of them. She says she doesn't do anything, but none of us can beat her. We wouldn't let her play at all, but she likes to show us up every now and then."

"I've heard of that," Delphinius agreed, studying her. "I'd never met anyone who could do it until now."

She squirmed a little, and his intense look faded. "I concede," he said with a grin. "Does that make you the table champion? Or do you still have to play Reiya?"

"I'll pass," Reiya said quickly. "As far as I'm concerned, Cetaci won."

"And it's time for dessert, anyway," Cen declared, coming to her rescue. "Who's still hungry?"

"Me!" Aura was on her feet immediately, holding out a hand to help him up, and Reiya wasn't far behind.

Delphinius stood too, but he waited for her to step away from the table before following. A moment later, though, she heard him murmur, "Good game" in her ear, and she smiled to herself as they followed her friends back toward the buffet table.