I don't know which I like better, really. I think the first one wins slightly, as this is just what I've been dying to read. Somehow, older and disfigured like this, Radu's starting to get real appealing. I can understand Helga very much there. Pretty as he's always been, this would actually give him charme beyond the "I want to blow everything up!" teenage rebel charme. Isaak really should have shown Dietrich his secret of conserving his looks. Dietrich with grow hair and crinkles is a weirdly creepy image. I somehow can't see him one day older than he is right now, emotionally speaking, but add old-ish looks to that, and it creeps me out for good. And now you have me wonder again whether or not a wound inflicted on a Methuselah with a silver weapon is really permanent and leaves scars.

On the Esther story, I really don't know what to say. It's dark and somewhat sick, and I love the way it deals with the AI. I wonder what sort of progress Esther meant, though?
And I love the last line, that seriously is just beautiful. I take every blame gladly, though I think you flatter me too much with that.