"Yeah, I can see where that would be a problem." Johnny smiles, affecting an apathetic air: his base state. Nova snuggles up against him, and he picks her back up.

"So where are you from?" he asks. "I mean, like, before the Rift." England, obviously. But time, place, universe... this is like an awkward college orientation, where the conversation starter is always home-state-and-intended-major, and where everyone is probably equally ignorant of everyone else's answers. Maybe a few kids luck out - "oh, we're both from Oregon" or "hey, same freshman seminar" - but mostly, it's just a lot of nodding and polite hmming. Johnny suspects he'll have no idea how to relate to anyone, as that's always been status quo for him, but what else is he going to ask, at this point?