Old friend or new, Geddoe would not have relished flying one bit, no. Fortunately, he wasn't even aware it was an option and contentedly strolled along. He kept Blue on his good side, mostly because it was still, after seventy-odd years, disconcerting to be talking to someone hiding in his blind spot. "You mentioned the growing tension," he said off-handedly. "It was no mere speculation. Can you sense that it actually is growing worse?"