"I'll bet," Nita said, even with only that much info to go on. Fewer people to search, fewer people to help support... who knew what the ultimate problem was, as long as there were problems?

Finally, another tea worshipper. So many people here were addicted to coffee...

"So, you got yourself free out of a desire to survive, and Taiju did it for love?"

Neither of those reasons seemed very surprising that they'd get somewhere eventually.