"They'll be willing to wait, for this. Thanks."

"I signed up to help. Even if I never thought I'd end up in a place like this..."

"I know I wouldn't want to help a bunch of people who chose this for themselves."

"Oh, I get their argument. Sucks all around almost as much as the Neuroi War. I'm gonna hold it over their heads. Make them start cooperating peacefully with the bandits."

"Do you want me to go? Or are you leaving."

...She takes the hint.

"Either way. Not like this is my room. Goodbye for now."

Let's find a doctor!

There are several, but one heads her way when he spots her.

"Just who I was looking to see. How did it go?"

"He's cured, and remembering things. And sad. But it was delicate for a while. I can't do that all day."

"That's wonderful. Take all the time you need to recover. Would you like a permanent room?"

"Yes. I also want the hospital to meet peacefully with the 'bandits' and work out some kind of peace pact and trade. They'll have sources of fresh food sooner or later, since I'm helping with that."

"I suppose I can set it up. You have high hopes?"

"Where would we be without hopes? And I have beem talking to them. I think they have the ability to be peaceful if they don't need to steal to eat."

"I trust your assessment. Alright, we'll make the necessary arrangements. Within a day or two we should be ready to meet at a neutral location."

"Have I told you about geases?"

"I heard a few details. A last-resort technique to ensure promises can be made credibly?"

"Not necessarily last resort. I just don't want them called for lightly, as they restrict free will. A spoken promise, when bound by me - and don't worry about me catching you in one, I have to be touching you and it's a very distinct feeling of weight - will hold you to it in a mental compulsion. The exact boundaries are a hybrid of how I, as binder, interpret the words and how the promiser does. I can dispel geases if it proves necessary. They're fairly commonly used to parole prisoners and resolve feuds back home. Not an everyday thing, but common enough that you hear about it happening."

"That sounds useful. If we use them for the early stages of diplomacy and gradually wean ourselves off, that should work nicely."

"Great! I'm no Unity Mother, but bringing peace to some bandits is okay too."

"I'd like to see a geas in action. Can you place one on me?"

"What phrasing? 'I will not say 'enigma' in the next five minutes' or something?"

"Harmless enough. How do we proceed?"

She grabs his hand and stares into his eyes. Or his sunglasses, at any rate. There is a sudden sense of intent. Something meaningful is about to happen. "Repeat after me. I, a name you feel is your own, swear that I will not say 'enigma' in the next five minutes. So mote it be."

"I, Moses, swear that I will not say 'enigma' for the next five minutes. So mote it be."

There is something settling on his soul. That's what it feels like, anyway.

"And now you try to say it."

He attempts to say enigma.