[There's a sick feeling settling low in his gut, and he falls still, hanging his head with a quiet sigh.]

Almost did.

[Not the best thing to say, perhaps, but it's the honest truth.]

Got in the thick of things around the Steps. Hezen Minotaur nearly smashed my head in.

[It's a quiet admission, and while he keeps his tone as casual as possible, there's nothing light about the words.]

Knocked out the power to optics and comms instead. Been running on emergency translucency and a lot of yelling for the past week or so.

[There's a humorless laugh that accompanies that.]

Should...should have had someone else shoot back a message or something. Shoulda been my first move instead of-

[Instead of letting the hunter think the worst. Something, anything.]

I'm sorry.