"Generations and generations," Stone agrees, content to move off the subject of his eye and of Watson's leg. He knows about people who have trouble moving around-- his latest partner, Rorra, had her foot-fins damaged, and special boots made to allow her to walk on land when the sea was lost of her. There's no shame in that.

Besides, he's old enough now that he's not self-conscious about it anymore.

"The colony tree was old even when I was born, and I'm several hundred turns old," he adds. He's long since lost count of the original number. "And there are other mountain trees even older."