You Know Scorpius

This is Kambel, says Gloria.

A crocodile! Crikkee! Ageless was expecting a Scotsman.

He closes his eyes and feigns faintness.

Is this him? asks Kambel

Of course it is, says Gloria. Could you perhaps try and lift him?

Kambel tries to lift Ageless, but his front toes hurt. He drops him.

Ageless falls back onto his own broken claw.

Arrrrkk! cries Ageless.

What's that you've fallen onto? asks Kambel.

Ageless does not know.

It's a claw, says Gloria. When he lost his claw the clay remained stuck to it.

Keep an eye on it, will you, says Ageless.

Kambel picks up the claw with the clay lump attached to it.

So this is the Mark of the Claw!

No, says Ageless weakly. The Mark of the Claw must be deliberate.

He makes an effort to continue.

Do you know Scorpius?

I do! says Kambel. They make very bad eating.

Scorpius the constellation, explains Ageless. In the Milky Way

A star pattern, says Gloria.

Scorpius looks like its name, says Ageless. An arthropod with claws.

Does it? says Kambel.

And I am an arthropod with claws, says Ageless.

I have claws, says Kambel, flexing his toes, which do have them.

OUCH! (But he shouldn't have flexed them).

Ageless ignores him.

And Scorpius is immortal, says Ageless. As I am immortal.

Kambel is outdone. He is not immortal.

Gloria is doubtful that Scorpius is immortal. Over time stars do change their relative positions, or even explode. She wonders if Ageless knows that.