(Teenagers from Neptune can put senior naval officers to shame in that area, when they make an effort, actually.)

"What did he just say?" Geoff asks, as Hannah and Henry leave.

"He's British or something," Em says, as if that explains it. And maybe it does.

Hannah shakes her head a little and tries not to giggle.

"Dance with me," she says, in the same way she says "walk with me" in Milliways, not a command but also with just barely enough of a rise at the end of the sentence to make it a request.