[ Bariyan stiffens at the demand, and for a second he threatens to shut himself down; and then he does, a little. His heart quickly closes itself off from his mind and his words come hard and flat. ]

I don't know. You would have to ask him.

[ But he can't just leave it at that. He blinks, turns, looks back at Koltira. ] I called him back. I asked him to return. I made a contract. I am his anchor here, I... [ and, with something like a sneer: ] I keep him here.

[ Whatever expression there was on his face fades as fast as it'd come. He resumes staring at the wall, dead-eyed as ever. Done. ]