'You're taking the first steps out. I'm sure you'll do much more in time,' she agrees, but then her expression turns slightly troubled.

'I don't really know how to answer that. It was the eighty-third year of the Tower when I went spacer, and that was-' four? five? '-some standard years ago, but standard years don't match Tower years, and it all depends on which planet you're calculating from, yes?' She shakes her head. 'Spacers never really manage to keep track.'