Misters Beck and Oda looked at each other significantly. Mr. Oda went into 
some peculiar routine of tooth-sucking and throat-clearing that would probably 
convey a torrent of information to another Nipponese person but meant nothing 
to Miranda, other than giving her a general hint that the situation was rather 
complicated. Mr. Beck produced an antique silver snuffbox, or a replica of one, 
took out a pinch of nanosite dust, and hoovered it up into one of his great 
circular nostrils, then nervously scratched the underside of
his nose. He slid his glasses way down, exposing his big brown eyes, and stared 
distractedly over Miranda's shoulder into the thick of the party, watching the 
band and the dancers' reaction to it. He was wearing a dragonfly pin, which had 
begun to glow and to flash gorgeous colored lights, like a fleet of police cars 
and firetrucks gathered round a burning house.