Richard pressed his face close to the other window and leaned against the glass, gazing down at the Planet Soon.

"That's a huge mistake," Mr. Juda said, startling him.

—Nothing urgent.

"You know, I'm not as bad a guy as you think I am," Mr. Juda said, pausing to laugh from a deep bellyful of air, theatrical, almost like Santa Claus.

—Nothing urgent.

"And I'm not as naïve as you take me to be," Richard said.

—Nothing urgent.

"Just a simple thought, as asinine as it may be," Mr. Juda drawled in a singsong voice. "We all need friends. We're pretty far from home."

—Nothing urgent.

"You see, I was the black sheep of my family, too," he went on.

—Nothing urgent.

"I thought you were the only one," Richard said, startled at himself.

"You thought wrong," Mr. Juda said.

—Nothing urgent.

"Who keeps saying, 'Nothing urgent?'" Mr. Juda snarled, looking around. "It's like in the air or something."

—Remember that.

"Oh, it's all my fault!" Mr. Juda offhandedly tossed out, suddenly turning, opening a vent, sticking his head in. "I'm just asking! I'm not wrong about this, am I?"

—Nothing urgent.

"No, you're not wrong, Mr. Juda," Richard said, stepping back. "We all need friends."

—Nothing urgent.

"I hope I'm not going overboard," he said, pressing his face against the glass again.

—Remember that.