Merwen starts a little, and immediately regrets the reaction. She's never heard a voice like that before. She's not sure what to make of it. She also doesn't want to leap right to offending her new acquaintance.

"I have never seen a 'train' before today," she says. "It isn't where I would choose to live." She's being as easily conversational as she can, taking V's distress as though it were the most natural thing in the world. Because it is. Because this is a distressing situation. "You could share with me a story of your home, if it would help."