Sam exhaled slowly through a smile, and ran a hand over her hair. "No, no, no. I wouldn't dare you into anything that had anything to do with Dirge, whoever you have as anti-murder insurance. Dirge is to be dealt with only for practical reasons, and with all due precautions. Seeing the dude off a screen still gives me a moment of sacrer son camp, man, and I don't want you to get stepped on or anything." 'Or anything' covered a lot of awful ends.

"The counters...? Although..." Sam gestured to the spot where they'd both been sitting, as two roughly butt-shaped spots had been wiped clear by sliding pantseats. "No-one can say we only half-assed it."