[Balin pauses to think back on Dist's letter. He thinks he remembers reading what Crowe talked about ... he recalls that the "hazmats" had been responsible for hunting down the townsfolk several times. Nevertheless, he sighs.]

Ahright ... Yeah, a fortification's not gonna be much help if you got no way of defendin' it when someone's gunnin' for you. Better option in'is case would be active defense. That's what I'm workin' on.

By'a way, was'is Mr. Saeba a military engineer of some type?