RE: https://ohai.social/@asokel/117165917384129334 for those unfamiliar with votv lore: it's not forced labor, it's something far worse. kel is part of the "canary project", as in this kind of canary: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/canary_in_a_coal_mine he's not supposed to make it out. they didn't say *he'd* be paid, they said "compensation will be awarded". likely to his relatives/caretakers