"Who's Murphy?" Connor asked in passing, and just as quickly he moved on to the next question, considering Dawn's appraisal of Taxon's safety.

"Even boring places can be dangerous. You should always be prepared. You never want your enemy to catch you unaware." He nodded once for emphasis. "Always be ready for things to 'happen.'" He paused, looking down as he realized he couldn't have been telling Dawn anything she didn't already know. She had a good head on her shoulders.

"... sorry. You don't need a lecture."