"He killed someone. That means he get his bands removed." She sighed. "Because apparently he's dangerous. He's not. But Moira was in his mind and knows, and she's writing a letter to the College to tell him what he did. She wouldn't not do it, because of her honor."

Marcello's brow creased. "Who did he kill?" he asked. "And why? His son was kidnapped, if it was related to that..." He shrugged. "I don't think it's the same thing."

"We were confronting a man who had set a sort of beast on people. And he had the machine that sent me here. I went to shoot him, he zapped me here. Matt was left and Matt killed him. He didn't know if I was dead or not. He says that didn't affect him but," She spread her hands. "The man was evil. If I had stayed an extra second, it would be my bullet in his head."

"Well, they wouldn't take his bands away for that, would they?" Marcello asked. "For doing a good deed?"

She looked down her nose. "Either we stay, and find out, or we leave and never come back, but Matt stays alive." She replied, annoyed. "So we're leaving for the ship before Moira's letter gets to the College."

"But then it looks like you've done something wrong," Marcello pointed out. "Why don't you contact his mother?"

She rolled her eyes. "That's like asking the Pope for a favor, Marcello. Moira was clear. She doesn't know what will happen if we stay. What if we go there? What if they decide to rip his bands off his body? I can't save him from a hundred men and women that can make me believe I'm a chair if I even think about reaching for my gun. I can't protect him like that."

"I don't know what to tell you, then," Marcello replied. "You've obviously made up your mind, so I'm not really sure there's anything else to say. Goodbye? Good luck?"

Her shoulders slumped. "Why don't you say you sympathize?" She offered. "Say, Shit, Lang, I'm sorry, I'll come find you if I ever come to the Mainland." She offered. "Or tell Niabheara to tell Moira not to send the letter." She added, seriously.

"Because I don't sympathize," Marcello replied. "If it were me, I would go to the College before Moira managed to say anything. You can't expect her to neglect her duty. It's not her fault. And of course I'll come see you, and you're always welcome here. I don't really have to say that, do I? I just...frankly, I think it's cowardly, and it's wrong to do that to O'Nualan's little boy."