"All people who died early, do," he said. "I hope we have the chance to give it to some of them."

He considered a moment how best to answer her question. He really ought to be truthful, and yet... he was not a danger here. There was no moon, no change. And he felt... comfortable. No one knew to hate or fear him, here.

"I was a desperate choice, to be honest," he said, choosing to tell only half the truth. "The position had trouble keeping a professor. In the long term it was best that I step down."