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You tell Tamru the story as best you can remember. "Several centuries ago, this merman was sentenced to death, for attacking someone else." He stares intently, not daring to interrupt. "They tried killing him with a volcano, but it only burned him badly. Then they tied him to a subducting trench, waiting for it to pull him under the earth and crush him." You pause before the final reveal. "He…he starved first. It took decades."

Tamru's face contorts in horror. You don't think it was the answer he was expecting. "How barbaric," he says. "How cruel. How very…human. I don't understand how something like that can happen, and you all still consider yourselves superior." He shakes his head. "And all for the whales that most of you don't even like. I'm just glad you're not like that. Arraia and Estre, too."

Tamru pushes his hands against his temples, stretching his eyes. "There's something else that's been bothering me," he says. "I hope that…well, I just hope that you can understand." His voice is steady, but your lateral line can feel his distinct nervous tremble.