The ceiling that greets Cal when he opens his eyes in not the Mantis. Rocky. Slightly drippy. Sandy beneath him. Sea salt in the air. Is he at the beach? All things considered, Cal has definitely been in worse situations. Like way worse. Like, like... like the actual worst. Right? He's been in worse situations, hasn't he?
BD beeps a dubious affirmative. Then he asks which Cal prefers - being trapped under the ocean on Nur, or being stuck in this cave?
"Secret answer 3: both suck." Cal giggles.
BD scuttles away, telling someone else Cal is awake and -
"My words are not slurring!"
"Yes, Cal, they are. You have a head injury."
"Do not!"
"Do too."
He'll show her. "Hey. Hey, Merrin?"
Merrin takes a deep breath from somewhere nearby. "Yes?"
"Could a head injury guy ask you this? Would you rather fight a hundred BD-sized rancors, or a rancor sized BD?"
Merrin whispers something in a language Cal doesn't speak. It doesn't sound like an answer.
"It's a good question!"
"It is a question that suggests you have damaged your brain permanently."
Cal snorts. And pauses. "Is that why I can taste blood?"
"Do you remember being knocked out?"
Cal gives this a good ponder. "No," he eventually decides.
Merrin sighs. "What do you remember?"
"Uuuuum..." Beach trip. Missing kids. Going into the cave. Finding missing kids? "Are there supposed to be kids here?"
"No, we got them out. And then the cave fell on your head. BD and I are keeping you company while Cere and Greez dig us out."
"Sounds great." Cal decides to sit up...
...bad idea. Oh, such a bad idea. Merrin wrinkles her nose as he throws up.
It's about that time that a large boulder blocking the tunnel moves and figures appear in the blinding sunlight.
"Cal! Merrin! BD!" Cere's voice echoes.
"BD and I are fine. Cal is asking about rancors."
"Cere, I gotta ask you something - "
"Perhaps you should send a medic in," Merrin says over him.
"Oh, oh, hey, medic person! What would you rather fight..."