"Hopefully the slavers ended up somewhere worse," Zack noted, frowning a little. "And me? I've got people here, I came back after some time away to be with them."

... This was more or less true-ish. While also being a blatant lie.

"I'm one of those people who happens to be here by choice. We're a rare kind."

By choice with no say in the matter. It was complicated.