[There's an uncomfortable silence that follows Qubit's question, broken only by a quick, repeated tapping of Kieran's foot against the floor. His eyes are darting back and forth behind his eyelids as he revisits those horrible moments.]

Y-Yeah. They. Uh. Th-They were from back home.

[He fidgets a bit more in his seat.]

I ran with some ruthless folks called the O'Driscolls before I got caught b-by another gang. The Van der Lindes. They, uh, g-got some information out of me [see: actual torture] about a hideout. Th-The O'Driscolls found out I talked and got mixed in with their rivals, s-so a few of 'em grabbed me from outside o-of the Van der Linde camp one day and... well...

[He gestures vaguely, tiredly, at his face. He's relived this moment so many times, both in his head and physically, that it's more draining than frightening anymore.]

Killed me after that, too. Th-They didn't get that far here, o-obviously, b-but everythin' else was exactly the same. Even th-the marsh. Don't know how they got here, d-don't know if those nanite things or whatever the hell they're c-called were involved... b-but it was as real as that day.