"Because that's where the programming is stored," Ishiah concludes. It's not a difficult conclusion to arrive at, which makes him wonder further about the clear tension in Sarah's countenance. Is there more? Is there something that she isn't telling him, that might endanger the greater island population? Ishiah understands keeping certain facts close to oneself, and in fact better than most people on the island seem to, but in this, he wishes he could break right through her defenses. There's too much at risk, with her being Caliban's close friend.

Either way, he's not likely to extract all information out of her in a single conversation, so he turns to demonstrate a stance, his eyes fixed on a higher point on the trunk of a nearby tree. "How you grip the hilt will depend on whether you're aiming purely for damage, or for accuracy. It's difficult to manage both without much practice."