"You don't like any of the people?"

"I like some of them okay but I don't tend to cultivate close friendships, and we can correspond; the people I'd really like to see in person are my parents and they're in Limbo."

Maitimo finds them. His hair's braided differently. He has a screen reader. He's also slouching. The impression is of a different person but it's not a very convincing impression. "I feel ridiculous," he says, "let's get me out of here but preferably within osanwe range so planning can continue."

"I can make a new section altogether if you like."

"And people won't notice and wonder what a new section's for?"

"I'm not sure how much attention anyone's paying. We can also just leave if the answer is 'some'."

"I think the answer's probably 'some'. Nervous about the Enemy and all. Let's go." He turns to Findekano. "Thank you."

"I was expecting to regret it but don't make me regret it even more."

"Will do."

So Cam gives Maitimo a ride to the beach.

"Thank you. Please don't mention the Enemy's parley offer around anyone other than my father, most people will definitely tell."

"Yeah, lesson learned."

"And most of them I don't even have a way to shut up."

"...how do you shut him up?"

"With or without your help? With your help I was in fact going to osanwe-proof the room and then tell him that either he swore not to tell anyone or we put him in a different bunker and I got you to summon me a much more cooperative instance of Findekano who'd trust me about the situation and do what I said. And that'd be evil - like, moreso than it sounds, it'd be really awful and he does not like it when I do evil things so he'd swear not to tell anyone. But there aren't many people I know that well."

"You seem very confident you could have gotten me to do that."

"To osanwe-proof the room and not actively point out that I didn't have your cooperation while I threatened him? You would have, you were out of your depth and half a second from losing what may be our only way of saving this world. To do it - no."

"Your drama with your ex is really fucked up," Cam says.

"I am sorry you keep getting dragged into it. We've only interacted around you a handful of times but I suppose they've been memorable."

"Rather. ...He doesn't still think you seduced me, does he, I was assuming when you mentioned he thought that that you had since disabused him of the notion."

"Well. He doesn't trust me and would not have found this afternoon half as entertaining if he did. I apologize. It's partially my fault because 'no, no, there's nothing between us' seemed tonally the wrong approach so I just said that I was wholly focused on the war and he should be too which I think he took as not a denial."

"Ah. Lovely."

"I'm sorry. I'll tell him and swear to it. You have a very serious very legitimate grievance with me under local law, for not denouncing a rumor like that forcefully enough."

"I am not annoyed on a local law level do not go around swearing things it's not a big deal it just means he doesn't think very much of my time management skills."

"Or mine! I told him at the time I was insulted on those grounds. Which I guess also could come across as 'not a denial' to the right ears."

Snort. "Should I go tell your father the thing or are you going to osanwë him from here or what?"

"Told him, he doesn't believe me and has been quizzing me on childhood trivia, once he gets past that we can start planning."