"I don't think of it that way at all but if the metaphor works for you roll with it, I guess?"

"Okay."

"It's - everybody who dies is music I will never get to hear. And music my loved ones will never get to hear. And music their loved ones will never get to hear. And even if it's not to my taste, which plenty of music isn't, I can still be happy that my family and friends have richer experiences, and they can be happy that their family and friends have richer experiences."

"Ah."

"So I have to go as fast as I can. And it's still possible I won't make it in time to save anyone alive today, depending on how many setbacks I hit."

"Do... you need me to help in a different way than I have been?"

"I don't think so. I mean, you could if you wanted to, but you're not literally the only person I could ever tell."

"Well, if you decide to go look for Wan Shi Tong's library, I'd like to see it too."

"I will likely do that at some point! But after I've got all the code written down."

"You can use my typewriter if you want."

"Thanks!"

"Need anything else?"

"Place to crash'd be nice."

"I'll go talk to the innkeeper."

"Thanks."

"I'm going to take care of some other things while I'm out, too. Uh, make yourself at home." She grabs a piece of fruit before leaving.

"Thanks." Tarinda finds the typewriter and gets a few pages in while Eliko's gone.

She gets back a few hours later, slightly dirty and a basket of food under one arm.

Tarinda's got a lot of typing done in that time. "Hey. You're almost out of paper."

"So I see. I... probably should have seen that coming."

"I didn't use it all in case you need some."

"Thanks. I talked with the innkeeper, they'll hold a bed for you, and meals if you want them."

"I appreciate that! And I'll be able to pay everyone back sooner or later."

"I'm not sure they'd believe that part."

"Yeah, fair enough. I got my startup capital before doing manual labor, I can do that again if I need to."