"Sure." Bar gets her chess set back and Ivan comes back with a set of dice. "This I might win."

"We'll see."

Mark is so entertained.

"You're having a lot of fun for a guy who in other circumstances would now owe me money."

"Yes."

They play again. Ivan loses.

Mark is still entertained.

"You feeling better?" wonders Ivan, distributing the dice for a third go.

"Yeah."

"Good."

"...Thanks."

It's fun when that happens!

"You are a twisty little man."

"I know."

Mark seems to be calming down, Linya writes to Miles.

That's fortunate, Miles writes back. What's he up to?

Dice with Ivan. Before that it was chess, during which he played uncannily like you until I noticed. I swapped seats with Ivan, and then he got almost good enough to beat me. I haven't played a second game so I don't know if he exceeded 'almost'.

He ponders this question for a thoughtful moment, then answers, "Peaceful."

He says, 'Peaceful'. Does that make sense to you?

Earlier he was trying to pick a fight with him. Stalas wanted to know if he was still inclined that way. Our question is answered.

Are you on your way back now, then?