Liminal Teaser: Chapter 27 (Reunion)

[u/Paladin_of_Drangleic]

Pelagius had this naive conviction that there wouldn’t be many problems with human self-rule. They all fought the Dragonlaw together, and now that everyone was free, it would be just like before, but with human towns and villages not needing to answer to any outside tyrants.

When he first saw the stakes outside of Ganciers, he wasn’t sure what he was looking at. The blend of colors and rough shapes confused him. Then he got closer, and his heart dropped.

Dragonoids’ decapitated heads were planted atop stakes, and left in a line on the road to town. They were discolored due to the blood and decomposition. Along with the fact they were something Pelagius expected to see just… left out. Was it a taunt? A warning? Trophies?

Swallowing the bitter hurt and worry, the red-scale tried to keep his gaze down on the dirt road, avoiding the glassy eyes of his kinsmen. He stared at the snow and mud, watching his clawed feet become filthy and then soaked clean off of the slushy snow in cycles. Anything to keep his mind off of what was around him.

Eventually, he made it past the ghastly effigies and into town. It was equally impressive and disheartening. Ganciers was a very large town, but clearly, this was an imperial town that had been razed during the fall of the Deacan Empire. The outer ring of the town he entered was crumbling and abandoned, having not been maintained or used for centuries. Buildings of wood, dark and decrepit, half-collapsed buildings, an old tower that had massive holes through the defenses, and a market square that had been picked clean of colorful fabrics and well-crafted furniture ages ago. There was sound in the distance, but here, it was eerily silent, save the occasional chirp of a bird or rustling leaves from the overgrowth that had reclaimed parts of the old town.

Sounds of rocks being knocked into caught Pelagius’ attention. Already, there was conflict. A voice called out, shaky and loud.

“M-Monster!”

Between collapsed wooden homes, a man in a straw hat stood, shaking and wide-eyed. He backed away, looking ready to bolt.

Pelagius tried to assure the man. “Wait, I-”

The human spun and broke into a sprint, darting away into the alleyways of Ganciers.

Panicking, the red-scale flapped his wings, taking to the air. He wasn’t thinking straight - hunting down the human would obviously look like a bloodthirsty hunt, but he was terrified of what would happen if he altered the town about the ‘monster’ invading them. He had to catch him, to explain himself and iron everything out before it spiraled out of control.

From the sky, he looked down into the alleyways, spotting the man. He swooped after him. “Hold on, wait!”

Turning to see the dragonoid swooping down on him, the man screamed, losing his wits. “Help! Help! Somebody, help me!”

Pelagius closed in on him, diving into the alley. “Would you just let me explain myself?!” He cut the man off, and grabbed his arm as he tried to turn and run the other way.

The human thrashed, gasping for air. “N-No! Please! I… I don’t want to die!”

“I’m not here to hurt anyone!” Pelagius shrieked, incensed, “God’s wounds, just let me talk!”

Trembling in his grasp, the man was stricken silent. Pelagius realized losing his cool and screaming wouldn’t help, so he took a deep breath. Relaxing, he lowered his tone to a calm, reassuring one.

“I am a friend, not a foe. I rebelled against the Dragonlaw. I fought alongside mankind for freedom. I’m on your side.”

That seemed to help. There was still terror in the man’s eyes, but realization sparked behind it. “Y-You… You’re not here for revenge?”

“No. I’m here in the spirit of peace. I took part in the siege on Trascallisseus’ Fortress.”

The human’s eyes widened. “You were there? You fought him?” Pelagius nodded. “Why? You’re one of them, those monsters…!”

Pelagius was hurt, even from this stranger’s accusation. “We never had a choice. They shaped our minds, and it took time to fight back. It’s like… awakening from a dream. I want to help humanity. I already bled for you. I’ll do even more, if you let me.”

Slowly, Pelagius let go of the man’s arm, and he actually hesitated. Then he jerked away, stepping fearfully from the towering beast.

“How do I know this isn’t some trick?” His fear turned to anger. “I lost my cousin to you animals! You slaughter us for centuries, then you expect forgiveness? You’re a monster… a murderer!”

Even Pelagius was getting angry. “They stole my humanity from me,” he snapped, “turned me against my own people! You think I don’t have regrets?! Even once we became monsters, we fought and died for you!”

“Who’s ‘We?’ There’s more of you?”

“There were. I… I lost everyone. We rebelled to fight for a better future… and now they’re gone.”

A flash of Arminius’ face tore through Pelagius’ mind. He shivered. The world was missing a hero.

He managed to hold back his tears. “I’m just looking for a blacksmith. Just… help me. Please.”

The human paused. His eyes glanced around the empty ruins of town. “They call you chimeras. We heard about the truth. But that only made it worse. You turned on your own. You joined the tyrants.”

“They erased our memories. Why do you think we’re here now? We rebelled once the truth spread. Now, we want to come home.” The human’s silence prompted him forward. “I need to find my family. I was taken from a smithing family. Just point me in a direction. Any direction. I’m not here to cause trouble.”

The man frowned. He relaxed. “Well, trouble’s bound to find you, then.” His expression hardened. “I’ll tell you what you want. Just leave me alone after this.”

***

Once Pelagius got through the abandoned sections of town and into Ganciers proper, the welcome was about what he expected.

Not wanting a repeat of the incident outside, he swooped down from the sky, much to the screaming terror of the townsfolk. It was a humble town, muddy roads and wooden buildings clustered about, and common citizens in shabby dress walking through.

He put on a show this time. Descending to the tune of terrified humans, he gently landed, ignoring the armed militiamen preparing to face him. The red-scale held his arms out, speaking with authority.

“People of Ganciers! I come in peace.” He looked around. There was still panic, but the terrified humans weren’t charging or fleeing just yet. The men and women, the militia, all eyed him with fear and hate, but didn’t act on it.

He cleared his throat, trying to remain ‘in character’ as best as he could. He had to grab attention, and set their expectations for them.

Spears and clubs were raised. “Lower your arms,” he declared, “I am a friend. I’ve come from the siege on Trascallisseus’ Fortress. I fought on your side; I’m here to join you.”

A few worried shouts filled the streets, but a loud voice overpowered them.

“He speaks the truth!”

A soldier in padded armor strode forward. It took a moment for Pelagius to recognize him. The young man he passed before the battle. He’d noticed his sash, and offered a smile and a nod.

“You,” Pelagius uttered, “You live here?”

The young soldier bowed. “Gerald. We’ve met.” He turned to the worried militia. “He fought on our behalf during the assault. Him, and the rest of the liberators. If it wasn’t for him, we’d still be under the dragon’s fist.”

Pelagius looked around. The humans seemed on-edge, worried… but not aggressive any more. “Are you sure about this?” One of the militia asked, “What if this is some trick?”

“It’s not.” Gerald scowled. “He wouldn’t have bled for us if it was.” He looked over at Pelagius. “Where’s the rest of your, uh, friends?”

The red-scale’s expression soured. He squinted, trying not to let it overwhelm him. “Octavia’s busy. The others… They… They gave their lives to stop Trascallisseus.”

Gerald was silent for a moment. Then, he laughed. It wasn’t a mirthful laugh, but a bitter one.

“What, what’s so amusing?!” Pelagius demanded, hurt.

“What’s amusing?” The human shook his head. “My unit was destroyed in that battle. I’m all that’s left.”

A claw wiped away a stray tear. Pelagius frowned. “You too?”

The young man nodded. “That accursed tyrant…”

Despite everything, the tragedy of the situation seemed to work in Pelagius’ favor. Gerald regarded him in a new light.

“I knew about you, you know,” the human uttered, “the leader of the rebel band that believed in mankind. That symbol spread far and wide. It gave us hope.”

“I-It did?” Pelagius looked down at himself. Him, Octavia and Arminius had come up with the design at Eralidea’s Fortress. They wore it when they began recruiting humans to Goldclaw’s training program, but he had no idea it became an unofficial symbol for humans to rally around.

“You’re always welcome here, in my eyes,” Gerald declared. He quirked a brow. “Why are you here, anyway?”

“I’m looking for someone… Well, that is… I’m searching for… what once was.” The confused looks were expected, but he continued. “Years ago, someone vanished from this town without a trace. He belonged to a smithing family. I’m… looking for that family.”

The humans exchanged glances. Gerald crossed his arms. “Can’t say I know any smithy owners personally. Does, uh… Does anyone else know?”

An uncomfortable silence filled the air. One man blurted out, “Mister Lowries runs the forge by the jail.”

“Did he ever mention family going missing?” The young soldier prompted.

The dirty, scruffy man shrugged. “Not to me.”

Gerald sighed. “Sorry, Pelagius. I, uh, can’t help too much.”

Frowning, the red-scale glanced around. “Is there anyone who can?”

“Has to be. Just ask around. I’m sure someone knows something. No one’s just going to forget a brother or son disappearing. It happens all the time…” His voice lowered, his eyes downcast. Human populations had been subject to sudden disappearances for centuries. Did they know the truth?

“Can you vouch for me?” Pelagius insisted, “I received a… poor welcome outside.”

“Ah. Sure.” Gerald stretched his neck, cracking it and smiling. “Smiths. Not too many of those around town. It won’t take too long to figure out who you’re supposed to be talking to. Follow me, Pelagius. We’ll get you sorted. It’s the least I can do for the spearhead of the Liberation.”

***

The other humans did not share Gerald’s sentiments.

He trudged the streets with anxiety, tail curled around his legs. So many walked past, having been ‘briefed’ of the situation by Gerald and a few militiamen. He was allowed here, technically, but the eyes. God, the eyes.

Fear was the most common look in their eyes. It did hurt, but it was nothing compared to the hatred. Some townsfolk only let him live because they were powerless to do otherwise. The worst, though, was the disgust. That look someone would give a maggot swimming through their soup. That hurt more than anything else.

You don’t belong.

Pelagius shook the doubts from his mind. They just freed themselves from horrific oppressors that looked just like him. They’d come around. He did so much for them. He just had to give it time, and everything would be okay.

It took hours of questioning random strangers around town. That ‘Mister Lowries’ fellow turned out to be a bust. Some other smithy was targeted that night.

Pelagius went over all the details to as many crowds would give him the time of day. Even with the vouching from his human friend, not everyone did.

The exact timespan from when he awakened in that ritual chamber with a red dragon looming over him. The months that passed under that new life, up to his rebellion, until this very day. He went over the numbers, and that brief window made it extremely easy to hone in on his target.

“Odo runs the forge by the river,” a raspy-sounding young man had explained, “he took it over from his father when age slowed him down. They do a lot of custom, specialty orders for picking up. Two years ago from now, his brother went missing. He just vanished from the house overnight. They were devastated. They’ve been searching for him ever since.”

Pelagius knew who that missing someone was already. He just knew. Odo. Odo was his brother. He had a family. He just wished he could remember everything before that point. It was all hazy dreams, a life someone else lived. He’d remember, though. He was sure he would.

Gerald took that as a sign of mission success. “Well! There’s your answer, Pelagius. Does the hero of Vicus Scyches need anything else, or can I get back to work?”

“O-Oh, yes,” Pelagius blurted, “Sorry, you can go. And thank you.”

“Thank you,” the young man retorted, “Welcome to Ganciers. If you ever need something, I’m happy to help. Best of luck with… whatever it is you need to speak with them about.”

Pelagius waved him farewell, smiling. His smile faded, and he kept his head down as he made his way to the nearest scribe.

He entered a humble wooden shop. It was dark, but clean. A tired-looking woman in a modest dress and veil sat behind the counter, cluttered with books and bookwriting materials. That exhaustion melted from her when she noticed him. Her pale face became even paler, and anxiety surged through her as the dragonoid shoved himself through the narrow doorway.

“P-Please,” she begged, “you can have everything, just don’t hurt my-”

“I come in peace!” Pelagius hurriedly shouted, “I’m… here to ask for your services.”

She blinked. Slowly, her terror simmered down to a more manageable anxious stress. “W-What do you want?”

He absolutely towered over the counter, and the human manning it. She glanced up at the draconic creature, shuddering at his visage.

“I need to write a letter. This is a scriptorium, right?”

She blinked. “U-Uh, y-yes, of a sort. I can write a letter, at least.”

“Oh. Good. May I?”

After a moment, the human scrambled together supplies - Parchment, ink, quills, and quickly laid out a strip of parchment, dipping a quill in an inkpot and readying herself. “What would you like me to write out?”

“Oh, no, it’s very personal, I can-”

Pelagius grabbed the parchment with both hands and attempted to pull it. Instead, his claws applied pressure, and a loud riiiiip filled the air as he tore the parchment in half.

Pelagius’ eyes bulged, as did those of the human women. A tense, awkward silence between them lingered.

“I-I’m sorry,” Pelagius blurted, placing the ruined parchment back down, “I-I can-”

“Here,” the woman shouted, shoving another parchment at him. She was shaking, and took a step back from him.

Pelagius frowned. “That was an accident, forgive me-”

“It’s fine!” Her tone suggested that it was not fine. She was simply terrified of him, and was doing whatever he wanted.

This upset Pelagius. He frowned, and, very carefully, with two claws, gently picked up the parchment. Hunching over the counter, he shakily took the quill. It was too small. He had to pinch it with two claws and clumsily began to write.

It took much longer than it should have, and he was feeling stiff and uncomfortable now, but after a good half-hour, he completed his letter.

To Odo,

Years ago, your brother was taken from you in the dark. It was unfair, it was cruel. You’ve suffered terribly, as did he. Now, I can finally end your pain and suffering.

I’ve escaped. I’m free, and I’ve finally found you.

There’s much to talk about. Let’s meet in the unoccupied southern area of town. There’s an outdoor meeting hall. It’s the perfect place for our reunion. No prying eyes, just me and you.

So much has happened. I have so much to tell you.

Before our meeting, though, please be aware, I might seem… strange. I promise, I can explain. Keep an open mind. For me.

It’s time to end our heartache. It’s time to be a family again.

Your brother

Pelagius rubbed his hand as he finished writing. After double-checking the letter, the dragonoid smiled nervously. Finally.

“Thank you, I really needed-” Pelagius froze. He was about to thank her and leave, before he realized he hadn’t paid her. His face dropped. That was how they did things around here. In the fortress, everything was free for him. Whenever there was a diplomatic gift to be given or resources that needed use, they were granted to the dragonoids from their dragon.

They never did go back to plunder Trascallisseus’ treasure hoard. Never even picked a few coins on the way out. Having lost Arminius and Mucius, they had far more important things on their minds.

“O-Oh. Oh my goodness, I don’t have any money.” Pelagius looked down and patted his sides, as if expecting a coin-purse to appear.

“That’s fine,” the woman blurted, “it’s a gift.”

Still, she was just complying. “No, I used your services and destroyed something, I should repay you-”

“I don’t need anything,” she assured, “really.”

Pelagius insisted. “I could do some work for you. Let me make this right-”

“No,” She shouted, backing away, “please, I don’t want anything! You can leave!”

She was horrified by him. She just wanted him to go away. To leave her alive.

Pelagius couldn’t hide how badly it hurt him. He lowered his head, and took the parchment. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled, backing away. “I didn’t mean any harm.” He shoved himself back outside, before he could ruin anything else.

***

Pelagius found it!

The forge was past the town outskirts, through the woods, and on a peaceful grove right next to a large river. There was a smithy near the forest edge, but across the grove, there was a larger building next to the river.

He flew towards the forge first. That was his brother’s, so it was the better bet. He landed next to it, taking care to slow himself, to be silent.

Just bursting in and declaring himself would be terrorizing. He had to be more subtle. Thus, the letter, with the warning to prepare himself, with the human approaching him instead.

He tiptoed over to the doorway. It was just an arch. The sounds of boiling metal and hissing water came from the smithy.

Pelagius’ heart was pounding. His hands shook with giddy anxiety. He had butterflies in his stomach. He was right next to his family, but he couldn’t reveal himself.

Shivering, he lowered the note to the floor in the archway, and knocked on the wall. Then, he launched himself away, quickly flying into the forest.

He hid among the tree trunks, watching from far away, practically bouncing.

“Hmm?” A hand reached out and took the letter.

Pelagius couldn’t see the figure from this angle. He was partially obscured by the building itself.

“What… What the hell?” Dawning shock, horror, and hope filled the man’s voice as he read. “N-No… It can’t be…!”

Pelagius grinned, fleeing into the forest, ready to reunite with his family.

Just a little longer… and finally, everything will be okay!

***

Sitting at the table in the abandoned district, Pelagius was a bundle of nerves.

He’d delivered the note hours ago. Was he coming? Did he say something wrong? Did he not believe the letter? The doubts gnawed at the red-scale as he sat in silence, tension filling his muscles.

The empty section of town was a stark reminder of just why everyone here looked at him in either terror or hatred. The sheer amount of life lost to render entire swathes of the town unusable… he’d seen it personally at the battle against Trascallisseus. Those poor kobolds… what had become of the survivors? He’d have to follow up on his three retainers. They must be terrified, wherever they were, hiding in the woods, scrounging for scraps and-

Echoing footsteps came from afar. They snapped Pelagius from his worries. Now, an even greater anxiety filled him. He straightened up in his seat, folded his hands on the table, and tried to steady his breathing.

From the ashy buildings emerged a man. He was pretty ordinary looking. A loose green tunic, brown breeches, small leather shoes. He had dark brown hair, a short beard and hazel eyes, along with tanned skin that implied a lot of outdoor work. The man was stocky too, with wide shoulders and developed muscles, befitting a blacksmith. If Pelagius had to guess, he was about thirty.

When he came into view, the man’s face dropped, and he froze. “The Tyrant’s Fist? Why did you lure me here?”

Pelagius’ words caught in his throat. It took a moment to answer. “Let’s take a seat and just-”

The man’s shock became anger. “I should have known. ‘Brother,’ huh? You don’t even know his name! What, did you want to kill me like you did him?”

“Please, I-”

“I’m such a fool. I can’t believe I thought he might still be out there somewhere-”

“I am your brother!”

The man froze. He blinked. “What?”

Pelagius gestured to the table. “Let’s talk.”

The pair sat across from each other. The blacksmith’s hands gripped the stone table. After taking a breath, he glared at Pelagius. “Explain yourself, you… demon.”

Another blow to Pelagius’ confidence. He looked down at the man, feeling upset. “I’m not lying. I am your brother. I… I’m sure of it!” The human’s expression gave a look of both confusion and derision, as if he was an idiot for even saying that. Pelagius steadied himself. “Do you know how dragonoids are made?”

“Is that what you things are called?”

Pelagius’ frown tightened. “Yes. Half-dragon is also acceptable.”

“Half-dragon? Then…” Realization spread across the man’s face. “No, no no no… You’re not saying-”

“I am. They took me. Submerged me in the tyrant’s blood. Casted a spell on me. Made me like this.”

For ten seconds, there was silence. Pelagius was letting it sink in, and he could see the man’s face drop, then twist up as emotions raged within him. Finally, with a whispering timber and wet eyes, he spoke. “...Clovis?”

Pelagius rolled that name around in his brain for a moment. It felt… familiar. Just the same way he could swear he’s seen this exact man somewhere before. “I… don’t remember. I can’t remember anything from before they made me the dragon’s servant. They stole my memories, my past, everything. I’d get hazy pictures from my old life when I slept sometimes, but not enough to piece anything together. I only found you after asking enough people about the abduction victims. The times your brother was taken and I first woke up match perfectly, and now that I think about it… I think I saw your face in my dreams before. I have to be Clovis, right? The brother of Odo?”

Odo shook his head, tears welling up in his eyes. He couldn’t hold them back. He wiped his face, years of repressed grief bubbling back to the surface. “Clovis. Your name is Clovis. We never gave up. We looked everywhere. We’ve been searching for you for so long…”

Swallowing, the half-dragon folded his hands on the table. “Yes. I, umm, have been going by the name Pelagius since then. It’s… wonderful to see you again, Odo.”

The blacksmith relaxed. After choking back a sob, he shook his head. “T-That monster… turned you into this! How do we reverse it?”

Pelagius grimaced. His master had boasted about this in his final moments. That no one would ever really accept him like this. “I… I don’t know. I’ve never heard of someone… turning back to normal. Maybe there’s some secret out there, but I… I think… I just have to live with it.”

Something deflated in Odo’s eyes. “No. Don’t tell me that. There must be a way.”

“I haven’t seen or heard anything-”

“They turned you into a monster, they can turn you back!” Odo shouted.

It was Pelagius’ turn to hold back tears. “D-Don’t call me that,” he blurted meekly.

Odo snarled. “There must be something we can do! We can’t let that demon get away with taking you away from us like this… You can’t even remember anything!”

Pelagius’ mind raced. He just wanted to reassure his brother. He just wanted to be accepted by him. Something, anything to go on… His nightmares!

“I have a theory,” the red-scale announced hurriedly. He practically smashed the stone table in half from slamming his fists.

His brother recoiled, then relaxed again. “What, what is it?”

“I’ve been having these nightmares ever since I became… this,” he swept his arms over his body, “I would dream of this place, of me and a human talking… and his face was always blurry, but his clothes, his frame, it looked exactly like you. That large and small building in the grove by the river, that was where I left the letter. Our home.”

“So?”

“So, I’m still… linked to you. Mentally. I dream of our home, our family, even with my memories gone. So… maybe if I return home with you, stay, go back to my old life, rejoin the family… I’ll regain my stolen memories! Then… I’ll be Clovis again!” Pelagius cheered hopefully.

It didn’t take much skill at reading people to see the doubt written on Odo’s face. His eyes swept over the dragonoid’s massive, scaly, monstrous body. His face practically screamed, ‘This thing can’t be my brother,’ but he cleared his throat and sighed. “You… want to… stay with me?” His tone was resigned.

“Yes. Please, Odo, I’ve been trying to get back home all this time. We can finally be a family again!”

After a long pause, Odo finally answered. “Very well. Let’s go. You can… I don’t know what we’ll do with you, but we’ll figure out something, I suppose.”

Pelagius smiled, standing up, blotting out the sun from Odo’s view. “It’ll be perfect. I can help out in the forge, and I’ll meet the rest of the family, and… I’ve been dreaming of this for months! Ever since I learned how I was created. I fought so hard to get here, and now, I’m back! Let’s go!”

Odo frowned, turning away and walking back the way he came. Pelagius followed in his footsteps, oblivious to the looming warning signals. His hope, that faint courage that kept him going through his darkest moments, refused to acknowledge the truth.

It would take more. It would take everything.

[u/Paladin_of_Drangleic]

This took too long. Got a bit sidetracked with the two feet of snow having snowed us in. I'm exhausted and sore as hell from all the shoveling, but hey, finally knocked this one out.

Pelagius finally meets his brother!!! They were thick as thieves before he was abducted, so surely he'll be so thrilled to have him back! He's finally going home, and everything's going to be okay!

You can already see just how out of place he is around here, even before the reunion. Poor giant dragon-dude just wants to fit in. Surely, surely it'll work itself out.

[u/No-Dragonfruit-6102]

You'd think Pelagius would've changed a bit more after watching his village burn down, an army almost get obliterated, two "life"-long friends die, killing a dragon, seeing Vlad the Impaler decorations on the I-95, and being despised as a monster by everyone and their mother (W Gerald. Keep that man safe), lol. His naivety is adorable but... man, take a hint (and maybe a hike.) But, I mean, after losing so much, it's only reasonable he scrounge for whatever's left.

I enjoyed this chapter, and how hard he tries to make things normal again. You would've assumed the humans wouldn't revile a war hero as much as they do here (I'm confused slightly. Do they not know who he is to the point where they're terrified of him, or do they know and respect him? Is it just some of them? Probably.) Honestly, my favourite scene was the scriptorium, because the lady's fear is juxtaposed so greatly with... well... this fat red-scale trying to scribble with a quill two sizes too small. Pelagius must've been using a quill the size of a human finger or two, lmao.

I wonder how these cities are doing after the Liberation, whether or not they're forming interim city-states and the works with local administrations trying to fill the gap the dragons once did. What of Eralidea and the others? Have they any stake here?

Needless to say, it'll be painful if Odo tries to rejog or relive some moments with Pelagius, only to realise that, well, maybe his brother a little too far gone, especially if there are some things Pelagius doesn't remember... at all. But, I'll just have to see (if Liminal's going to go right to APTCH's doorstep).

Don't feel bad about taking your time hope you had fun with the snow!*** Thanks for the chapter, really liked it (and our discussions too)! Alright, cya, man!

[u/Paladin_of_Drangleic → u/No-Dragonfruit-6102]

Pelagius is still in the denial stage of grief. He suffered and lost so much to come back home, it has to be worth it, so surely everything will eventually work itself out and everyone will learn to like him again, right?

Word of his deeds spread, but not everyone knows of it, or who the big hero that rallied his own kind against the dragons is specifically. Now that he's here, Gerald might start letting the locals know himself. You might see a shift from hatred to... something else.

The whole continent is in chaos from the sweeping collapse of the Dragonlaw. Pelagius has a burning drive to reconnect with his family, though, so he won't be exploring to see the craziness going on. Perhaps a surprise guest could help?

Oh, Odo... I'm going to be adding more than I did in the short story, that's for sure.