Taking pity on the man, Hermann switched the dial off and instead focused on assuaging the fear creeping into the Drift. He reached across the table to still Newton's fingers, then switched to English for emphasis.

"Newton, I'd never willingly leave you anywhere. Perhaps I'd entertained the thought of barring the entryway to the lab or having you shipped off to a different Shatterdome before. None of those ever went so far as to suggest cuffing you in the Mess, however. I'm not so terribly creative. I certainly don't have any such intentions now. If ever I leave you, it will be either involuntary or by your own request, I promise."