"You do realize I'm older than I look, right? I'm not so naïve as to think that one moment of kindness or one good deed is going to undo the harm that's been done to you." She shakes her head.

Yes, she believes with enough time and encouragement, some of the bitterness that's steeped in his soul might mellow. But going away entirely? She's not so sure. But she's also not in a position to say it's impossible, either. If Nahida, a goddess of wisdom, thinks that it could happen, then who is she, a mere wandering star, to argue otherwise?

"It's like I told you before. I'm here because Nahida asked me to help repair you. Physically," she adds, in case he wants to start arguing about philosophy again. Since he's laid himself down and exposed his back to her, she takes one of the tincture soaked rags and very, very gingerly runs it against the rim of one of the exposed rims on his back where the the tubes had so violently disconnected after their battle.