"You can talk if you want," he mentions. "I'm in a much better mood now that my friend's been looked after."

"And say what?" shrugs Kelvok.

"I think I can get this thing home on my own. It's not designed for a one-man crew but I was doing most of the work to begin with."

"Were you?"

"Yeah. It's my uncle's. Janor was along to translate and Brol was along because it was his idea in the first place."

"What was the idea?"

"...Find somebody off by themselves. Pick them up. Go from there."

Lalita chuckles.

Kelvok shifts uncomfortably and takes another bite of his meal.

"Didn't turn out so well for your friends. I guess it's up to you what you think of the tradeoffs in your case," says Lalita.

Kelvok declines to comment on this subject.

Lalita giggles.

Kelvok still doesn't have anything to say, although he does look more uncomfortable when Lalita laughs.

"I'm sure I can find something vital but not particularly expensive to rip out and take with me," he says cheerfully. "I'm good at that sort of thing."

"Yep."

Kelvok is not, apparently, feeling nervy enough to ask any followup questions.

"I thought my friend was safe," he says. "And I like you."

"She was going to be. I didn't have anything invested in hurting her. Brol badgered me into modifying the deal on the grounds that there aren't many of those flying around anymore," mutters Kelvok, and then he preemptively flinches, like he expects harm to result from admitting this.

"The deal was that if he got her to make a noise the excursion was over, we dumped you both and went home. She didn't."

"I noticed."