"You've got a very fine point, my boy," he admitted, pausing for a moment to enjoy a bite of his dinner. As soon as he'd swallowed, he continued: "Maybe I should look into converting it to a backpack, or one of those messenger bags... Something a little more portable."

He cast his gaze out the window toward the slopes, where the lights were beginning to come on for the night skiiers: energy globes flaring to life. "In some circumstances, it's best to have my hands free."