[ The silence is agony. It's like a hole he never knew he had is open again.

God, he's got a problem.

Trying to ignore it, he goes back to his plan; it boils down to an ambush during the ship porting, but there's intricate details, alternatives in case something goes awry, and a plan to see if his blessings still work.

But after a bit, even the distraction of work doesn't hush all of the quiet, and he thinks, to himself: come back. ]