:I'm not going to like where you're going with this, am I: 

:I do not like it either: 

Taver gathers himself. The blue place makes the choice an unambiguous one. Only one path ahead is clear. 

:It is not Cam's fault. And perhaps we can find another way. But - the gods, at least Vkandis, oppose his presence. Karis was directly possessed by Him. I doubt He will be minded to give up, and He has other powers. Other servants to call on, human and otherwise: 

:Cam's indestructible: Rohan points out. 

:Your Chosen is not. Haven is not. It is the collateral damage here that I fear: 

He's still calm, but darkness lurks behind the overtones. The brush of something infinitely cold and empty... 

Even as preoccupied as he is by the content of their conversation, Rohan notices.

:- Taver, are you all right? I felt... Gods. What just happened down there? Did people get hurt?: 

:You could say that, yes: He keeps the pain and bitterness at bay. Mostly. :I will explain later. Right now I need you to convince your Chosen to return Cam to his world: 

:Kernos' balls. You've got to be joking. Please tell me you're joking: 

:I wish that I were: 

It's so hard to think about. Rohan's shock and dismay are understandable, when Cam has done so much for Valdemar; Taver can see that, and at the same time he's unshakeably certain that they have no choice. 

:...Perhaps it need not be permanent. There - may be a way to resolve the conflict with the gods, here. Learn what in particular They fear from Cam. But my Foresight is very clear on what must be done now: 

:If we send him away right now... Damn it, Taver, people are still starving! If not in Valdemar or Karse then elsewhere, he can't have gotten to the whole world yet: 

:I know. I mislike the cost as well. But please trust me in this:

Desperation, that Taver tries to keep tamped down, but...this has to work, there has to be some way out of this disaster that's crept up on them - he's already lost so much to it - but surely Valdemar's future has to be salvageable. If it's not, if it's too late no matter what, then– 

No. He isn't going to follow that thread right now. 

:Rohan, please: 

Wow. Rohan has no idea what could possibly have just happened down in Haven, and he's suddenly not sure he wants to know. 

He's also less sure than he would like that Taver wouldn't lie directly, if he was worried that the truth would...compromise Rohan and Kilchas' ability to work right now. Maybe Vanyel is dead. 

He's confused, and frustrated, and quietly terrified. But the Groveborn just pleaded with him. He can't ignore that. 

:All right. I'll talk to Kilchas: 

He drops the connection. 

:Kilchas, love. Sorry to interrupt. You're not going to like this...: 

He already doesn't. 

He likes it even less the more he hears. 

:...No: he says finally. :I can't just dismiss him without an explanation! He's our ally. It'd be like stabbing him in the back. I have to talk to him: 

:Chosen, are you su–: 

Kilchas is already on his feet. "Cam? Where are you? Sorry, do you have a minute - we need to talk, it's urgent!" 

:Maybe he can send down a drone and tell us what in all hells just happened in Haven. ...Wow, I am NOT impressed with bloody Vkandis right now. That's even worse than I'd thought. Poor girl. I hope she forgives herself someday - I hope all of us can forgive her...: 

:What if he tries to stop you from dismissing him? If he's forewarned?: 

:Gods! He's a good person, Rohan. Even Taver agrees with that! He'd want to know, right, if him being here is putting innocent people in danger: A frown. :Though, honestly, right now it feels a lot more like Vkandis is the one doing that. Unfortunately it's a lot more inconvenient to give a god a piece of my mind: 

Rohan's response is wordless unease and discomfort. 

Kilchas is not in the mood to deal with that right now, so he doesn't. 

"Cam!" 

Cam zips into the room on a scooter and trips dismounting from it. "Are you okay? What's wrong?"

Kilchas instinctively jumps forward and offers Cam a hand to steady himself.

"...I don't know, but - we just got word, sounds like something pretty bad went down in Haven. And Taver wasn't pleased with the results from interrogating Karis. He's -" Kilchas swallows, gulps, "- I'm sorry, I know you're only trying to help, but...he's worried that having you nearby before we've, er, sorted out what Vkandis' problem is, means putting Valdemar in the line of fire? And he wants, um. For me to - dismiss you - until we can figure out why Vkandis is doing this. Before anything worse happens." 

"- dammit, the Star-Eyed seemed to think this would work fine, getting up in space - what's the plan for figuring out what Vkandis's damage before he tries to kill another hostage -"

"Taver might have more luck getting His attention to talk to Him? He's not human, he's...well, a long way from being a god, but I think a bit in that direction? I don't know, he didn't actually tell my Companion, I think he's still really shaken by whatever just happened down there." 

"And what's going to happen if She and He have a difference of opinion on this one? Does she let hostage-taking work?"

Kilchas opens his mouth to answer, then stops. Frowns. 

"...Apparently. There's a Heartstone in Haven, right - it's tied right into the Web. Van told me once that the Hawkbrothers believe all Heartstones are made out of pieces of Her. Sounded fanciful at the time, but knowing what I do now...." Shrug. "You'd think that if She wanted, She could've stopped it easily. All She'd have had to do was give Van a Web-alarm two seconds before Karis did it. It's not exactly reassuring, right, that She didn't?" 

"I'm not really familiar with the capability set of gods besides pyromania and possession! If She could have done that it certainly seems weird, but I was expressly told - I transcribed the conversation, do you want to see it -" He puts up his transcript of the exchange with the Star-Eyed on the nearest wallscreen.