[ ah, that's telling enough. people have sometimes assumed unflattering things about clive, because he's most sure of himself on the battlefield, but joshua knows him to be well-educated, a deep thinker, clever and subtle.. and he has an excellent sense for people. if he thinks the natives living here aren't to be trusted, then joshua will follow his lead.

he squeezes the wrist beneath his fingers, then simply allows the conversation to flow on past his questions. ]

Oh please, [ he scoffs, amusement in his tone and the upward tilt of his mouth, ] I have decades of experience escaping well-meaning physickers, some of them quite a lot more intimidating than those I've seen here so far. [ tarja and jote in particular. not that jote would ever so much as raise her voice toward joshua, but she hadn't needed to, either. ]

I didn't know-- [ he hesitates, fingers twitching on his brother's forearm, then withdrawing to curl around his teacup again. ] I thought I was alone here. I was afraid that you were back there on Origin, that I'd failed you, and I-- I couldn't bear it, laying there any longer.