His number coming up on her CiD comes as both a surprise and a relief- it's only been a few days, but his absence would've become a problem inevitably, and though she sympathizes with the easy-to-imagine desire to return to one's homeworld...Madrasati does still need him, and they'd prefer not to have to flounder for new leadership before their first full year is out.

“Don't worry,” she says, dry and friendly and skipping the pleasantries, “we didn't give your job away.”