"If you're not planning to go anywhere, why do you want to get a ride from us? And for that matter how did you get here?"

"Because I walked, and let me tell you, it is not my favorite thing in the world, walking places. So. Fancy car sounds great, actually."

"Makes sense to me. I mean, who would willingly walk somewhere when they had a car available to transport them right there."

"Someone who was actively trying to get away from the owner of the car," he replies mullishly.

"... Am I missing context here? I feel like I'm missing context here."

"I don't wanna talk about it. But if you aren't trying to stay away from a car owner for her own good and are instead fine with hitching a ride with her then hop on."

"Oh so you're just volunteering my car to strangers now? That's how this is??"

".... Do you not want me in your car?"

She sounds a bit amused with their spat.

"It's fine, get in, it's just the principle of the matter."

Zash sits on the passenger side but folds his arms and looks away, pouting.

"There, there." Since he's up here, she leans over to muss up his hair.

Meanwhile, their new passenger has to load in her gigantic cross into the backseat, and then squeeze in after. The car noticeably sinks towards the back, now.

"Is the cross a gigantic heavy laser gun."

"What?? Actually a laser gun?? My religious symbol? What a silly thing to think. It's heavy because it's full of mercy!"

"You're feeding and watering yourself and I expect some sort of payment towards the upkeep and maintenance of this thing," sniffs Yvette, and then yes, they can resume driving.

...heeeee is in a lot of trouble, is what he thinks, even as he softens and leans towards Yvette when she musses up his hair. So so so much trouble.

"Where did you even get a huge laser gun?" he asks Morgan.

"My old boss hands the fuckers out. All obnoxiously cross based. No, I don't get it either, but I kept the gun I mean my religious symbol that I am personally attached to. Yes."

Her old boss, is it. That's definitely not Nai, because Nai is not ever going to be anyone's boss, especially not a human's, but Nai has in fact acquired cadres of crazies at various times over the decade; Zash wouldn't be surprised if one of them were very religious.

Or it could just be entirely unrelated. There's other bullshit than Nai and him on this planet. A little bit of it. Not a lot, and it often gets attracted to them like metal dust to a pair of high-powered magnets, but still.

Anyway.

"What ratio of interrogation to inane small talk are you most comfortable with?"

"Iunno, let's play it by ear! It's been fine so far."

"Who's your old boss."

"Gigantic psychotic asshole. Next question!"

That narrows it down not at all.

"What's your old job?"

"I would think the laser gun gave it away but okay, sure, it was killing people."

"Um."

"I really did not have as much agency and choice in the matter as you are expecting me to have had, here. I got out as soon as I could. And now I'm a free woman who may or may not be being hunted down by an assassin cult!"