Their nephew was troubled, imagining again and again what he would say to his mother, how he would explain. He guessed at how his sister, Thalla, would react too. Would they understand? Would they be disappointed in him? Would they really leave with Kes? Did he even want that? To live in a city of people who could read their minds whenever they wanted to and whose ways language they wouldn’t know? Could he stay? Could he turn things around? He’d known Lingen could have been lying to him, or exaggerating matters, when he’d told him his assessment of his and his family’s situation. At the time, he just hadn’t cared, because they had both been acting out of selfishness. Now things were different. He didn’t hate Tresit anymore… He didn’t even know quite what he felt towards Tresit anymore, actually. It felt like they might be friends one day, like… He wasn’t sure. He felt muddled with not knowing about so many things. He liked when things made sense. He liked when he had a clear path before him. As they got closer to the city though, that’s what he decided to focus on. Right here, right now, this very moment, he did have that. A clear path, a clear goal. Get to his house, find his family. Once he got there? Then he’d have to face what came next and make a decision. He wasn’t the only one who would have to make a decision, true, but decisions would be made, and then they’d act. He’d act.

Kes and Anara found themselves feeling fondness towards their nephew. Anara understood his feelings more in some ways, Kes in others… not that Kes fancied she truly understood some things. Even Anara didn’t, not really. Kes had always had a harder time understanding males than other females, but the divide was even more pronounced among the Kazon it seemed. She seemed to be doing good enough as a mother to Tresit and as an aunt to Artem though, Anara fully agreed, and amended that she was much better than simply good, that she was perfect. Kes smiled to herself, mentally caressing her wife’s thoughts a little and returning the complement before they both refocused on keeping their harmony as strong as possible so their power would be as strong as possible.