...huh.

Huh.

Yeah. Yeah, good point, actually. The weird minion is weird but at least he is okay with the way Knives will absolutely make him hurt before killing him if he mucks this up so... knowing this... yeah. Knives will stay out of it.

"Oh, hi, Tonis! How's the bravest worm-catcher in the world doing?"

”Your brother said to ask you for a new worm catchin’ net!”

...Nai did what.

[uh, Nai?]

[what]

[did you tell Tonis] mental image [to ask me for a worm-catching net?]

[yes. he said it was customary to tip messengers.]

[mes...sengers]

[he delivered me a message from Legato.]

HE DID WHAT

HEY UH YVETTE THEY MIGHT HAVE A SITUATION HERE

Wh…? HOLY SHIT THEY DO HAVE A SITUATION.

What did the message say though????

[he pointed out that if I'm here to help while this system is being stress-tested it won't be under as much stress as it would in reality]

[he means to stress-test it]

[so I am going to be away from this place for the stress test to be executed without external factors]

Oh, damn it. How very logical. They’ve been outplayed. What’s an argument that would sway him? The promise to Morgan, maybe? But then he could always kill Legato later…

[But what about the safety of the plants??]

[he has assured me that the plants will be safe. safer, in fact, than in a real situation, because he understands that if he hurts any plants I will hurt him very much and then kill him]

[I'll kill him anyway. I promised.]

[but I was not planning to hurt him beforehand.]

[Nai]

[little brother]

[just because he says it is not a real situation does not mean it is not a real situation]

[people could die]

[that is not my problem]

Yeah, unfortunately, human lives aren’t going to sway him to change his priorities. At the mercy of a religious zealot who has a vested interest in their safety is, in fact, safer for the plants. Logically speaking.

She feels there’s an argument to be made about how hostile and well connected Legato is, and how this compares to other potential threats, but. … that kind of feels like it’s an argument in favor of Legato’s ‘stress test,’ doesn’t it. Stress test with the worst possible result and see what happens.

No, no, he's making the argument, Legato is extremely unrealistic when it comes to anything that could ever happen with humans—

Legato is human.

He is a crazy superpowerful human!

Knives plucks the memory of the Nebraska family right out of Zash's mind to show it to him.

...they... weren't... as bad as Legato...

The downside of arguing at the speed of thought is that she can’t help but think arguments that are counterproductive. Like ‘the bomber might have been.’

And meanwhile in boring meatspace, there is still a child standing in front of Zash. Expectantly.

He pokes the distracted gunslinger.

Zash blinks and lowers his eyes to Tonis again. "Tonis, kiddo, I, uh, I'll get you the net later but right now it is very very very important that you do that thing we practised and you go to the fortified building, okay?"

[I'm gonna go find Morgan and mobilise the Jeneorans for... whatever may be coming]

[and Knives? fuck you. we will get rid of you, and you won't be missed.]