Alessa laughed: it wasn't her usual, haughty laugh, but light, more gentle like she remembered Sharon's laugh. "I know exactly what you mean. I'm pretty bad with people too. Where I'm from was a pretty unfriendly place."

She swung herself a bit, looking at the others. "Most of them have trouble too, I can tell," she said, "But they're doing the best they can. I don't think any of our worlds have been too nice to us, do you?"