"How'd you erase that?" The shorter of two men who looked to Vikki like they ought to be related asked. Vikki - definitely not her real name - glanced at the pad again, now in use by the next people in line, and shrugged.

"I don't know," she said. "I just did it. Just something I can do, I guess. It's like..." she looked around, then put her hand flat on the table and concentrated. Waves of colour flowed from her touch, and within moments the surface of the table was a cheerful yellow. She looked back at the two men and frowned.

"Why do I get the feeling that this isn't something anybody else can do?"