It made sense to Tyrus. He remembered when he was out with Harriet and saw the sea monster up the river; it hadn't frightened him the same way it frightened most of the people from Earth. His expression grew distant for a moment, as he thought about it, and then he threw back his glass and drank the remaining rum down. He looked at Malachai and nodded his head. "Yeah," he agreed. "We're scared of things that they're used to. I'd bet even a soldier or whatever, they'd be scared of a monster."

He lowered the glass, cupping it in both hands. "There's just nothing like monsters over here, you know?" he asked. "It makes Earth... I guess peaceful, in some ways. Not so much in others, though, probably."