[I]"That's fine. Take as many breaks as you need," Basil said. He was quiet for a long moment, enjoying the silence of the mid-afternoon; if they were lucky, they wouldn't experience any encounters with the local wildlife. Due to all of the human activity in these parts, they tended to steer clear of the trails and the remnants of the paved road system, but it was wise to expect the unexpected. He then said, "Thank you, Jace, for doing this for me. I know that it's a lot to ask for and that it's...well, it's pretty stupid. I won't sugarcoat it or anything. But nevertheless, thanks."[/i]