[ Mass relays -- he can put that together with 'transporting' and deduce it's some sort of travel system. Doesn't work like that here; Confluences pull people in people. One way. Balthier is aware space travel and dimension jumping exist, but something has had them locked down on this world, like some giant jegd.

Which he isn't going to tell Reyes; the rules have changed this week. There are cracks in the sky. Whose to say there won't a way to send him back?

Except that would mean Balthier could go back. Which is an entire mess of decisions he never thought he'd have to deal with.

He's formulating something calculated but not technically false to say when the other man brings Fran back up. The words shrivel up in his throat, his voice going tight and his eyes searching the other man's gaze like he could someone stare through him and see her. ]

I -- you're all friends, then? Good. That she's well.

[ He looks away, pressing his lips together just a little too tightly. His knuckles go white where they clutch the hilt of his gun.

Fran bought him this pistol. ]

Seems to be AI. It exists here, but was previously more limited. The Confluences -- the energy surges like that one that brought you here -- have a habit of instigating nonsense.

[ Which he punctuates with lifting his gun and firing off two quick shots to sink whatever rogue drone was barreling toward Reyes. ]