Kit keeps his distance, and the crowd stays behind him. Though the eyes of the sentries are still unpleasant, they are far enough away now that Rutile can let their guard down a little, and focus their attention on Kit.

Rutile's questions really are quite simple. It's not their fault the sentries are insensitive communicators. They've gathered that this place is not the moon (which is almost certainly true; it doesn't look like the moon), but nothing beyond that.

"What is this place?" they demand. "How far is it from the moon? Have you heard of a gem called Phosphophyllite?"

These really are questions the Dreaming Bridge can answer, one sentry begins to point out, only to receive a vexed eyeroll from Rutile.