I don't think questioning the Pthumerians will get us anywhere. They seem to do whatever they want, whenever they want. No rhyme or reason.

[He continues to watch Lance, worried, unsettled. He can't even argue with what Lance is doing, because isn't this how he tends to deal with his own pain? Throwing himself into work because it was easier to focus on that than everything going on in his own head? ]

Just make sure to not work yourself to nothing. None of us want that.