"I understand." Gus is not entirely swayed by Rashad's overtly pragmatic manner. There's something going on there, beneath the surface, and he's not sure what to make of it yet. But it's only a dream. That knowledge helps him relax, once he's over the strangeness of it.

"Well, I have nothing to hide," he says, crouching down. He dips his hand into the water, which feels strange on his new, hard skin - colder, sharper. He must be cold blooded now. Natural for him to avoid water, then, stay where it's dry. His new form is fitting, in that way. He wonders whether it was his own subconscious that chose this body, or the rift.

"We can talk about this more thoroughly when we're awake and in our proper bodies," he says with good humor. There are, of course, things Rashad will not be privy to. Newcomers don't get to know everything simply because they ask the right questions. Gus has always known that. "I'll be keeping an eye out for you."