Vector Jones musing, from The Edge (c.2000)

Vector Jones, a shade less cynical that he was when he first appeared as a vocal accompaniment to "Is Everybody Happy?", but no less a voice of the night where wolves, and dragons, roam amongst those with more mortal concerns.

"Have you ever longed to touch the velvet skin of the night?

"In the long dark hours of the twisting soultime before ol' man Sol makes his appearance and the pigeons open their beady little eyes and take to the skies, just before the smog chokes 'em by the throat and they drop, just in time for the rats' breakfast -- haven't you ever once, just once, wanted to take the night in your arms like a lover, and together open the locks to reveal the mysteries?

"Or simply do something you are not expected to do. Not in a million, billion years. Not even by those you consider -- intimate friends.

"Kinda temptin', don't you think? Here's a whole spread o' the night, ready and waiting for you to take wing in and fly.

"'Course, if there are any dragons out there listening to this 'cast, I must stress that actually 'taking wing and flying' at night-time over Kerav City is a hazardous activity, and no known insurance company carries enough public liability cover for that sort of thing. Do something else, kids.

"You distract th' rest of us poor wingless sods. Flying dragons distract drivers. Vector got a bit tired last time jumping outta the way o' the gawkers.

"O'course, for all of you listening who are in town for the Bi-Annual Skeptics Convo -- well, dragons don't really exist, so there's no problem, eh, guys? Gotta word o' warnin' for our earnest visitors: this is Kerav City, and it doesn't pay to step into dark alleyways without checking the lights are on first.

"Just in case a mythical, legendary and non-existent creature has a really bad reflux problem, and you're in the wrong place at the extremely wrong time.

"Just a bit of friendly advice from Vector Jones. Listen to me a bit while you're here disproving stuff, guys. Just in case I don't exist either.

"A guy can always do with havin' his existence disproved, once in a while. Helps clear out the sinuses.

"Listen now, to the sounds of the velvet skin of the night. Slide into your waking dreams, be they mundane or cast deep from out of the light fantastique. That's what the night's there for, people.

"Oh, wait. You could sleep, I suppose.

But then, you could miss out on something really interesting, that way, don't you think ...?"