"Pretty much. I mean, Sakura was my partner in crime for doing most of this, or we'd have tried to make contact again. She got repodded, though." There's a note of genuine sadness in Howard's voice. Sakura was, oddly enough, someone he actually connected with.

And as such, with that on his mind he makes no mention of Anwei's temporary overflow of emotion. He gets it. He doesn't like that he gets it, but he understands.

He clutches the hammer close. "Ready when you are."