"I'll do my best to keep my mind open to the tethering theory being the truth. Little as I like it."

He laughed softly. "That would take a lot of time, visiting every world the train collected a person from, and severing their tethers in those places. I wish we had more sources than just the train, Anan, and the Ministry."

He added, "I, too, like a good debate. That's always an opportunity to learn something new."

He nodded. "I wonder if there's a Ministry branch anywhere near your world? But you could always ask some Ministry official here on Neran. I hear there is at least one here."