Why should they have a care? They had done their job well - exceptionally well, even, so that it might be more likely they would be assigned to work together, in future. He had met someone like him, someone who understood instinctively what it was like to be him and think the way he had been made to think. He was no longer alone - in fact, it seemed ridiculous, even borderline inconceivable, that he had only met this man this night.

But he had, hadn't he? He certainly couldn't remember ever meeting him before.

"So do I. But...even if it's unexplainable," And he accepted the fact that it was without question. "It's...good. I enjoy it. And it seems to help us both. Maybe we will serve together on a mission again."

He barely felt the exertion of picking their way through the trees and towards the sloping valley. He moved a little like a man in a dream, in fact, although he hadn't dreamed for a very long time, didn't even remember that it was something normal or something people did.