That's a good point. This will do for everyday purposes, but I don't like this mode of communication. Partly because it's monitored.

[Mostly because it makes him feel dumb.]

[Thero fishes what looks like a stick with a blue stripe painted on from his pocket, mutters a few words under his breath, and hands it over.]

In an emergency, you can break this and it'll convey a short message to me. Just a few sentences and it will cut off. Or if you're in immediate danger, just snap it, and I'll know where you are.