While Teddy said he had continued to come up with reasons to keep Starla as a viable test subject until he could smuggle her out, Starla's description really gives that backstory some proper structure. In a way, it makes her survival all the more impressive, a testament to the willpower and determination of both of them. While it may be a bit heartwarming in that sense, this ended up being a darker conversation than I ever intended to have, and I feel a bit sick asking about such things now.