In “The Deception”, when we first encounter our heroes, they are breaking bread (or at least drinking stew) with a human named Jasko. He is telling them about The Dragoons, and the expositionary tone of their conversation suggests that they have only just met. There isn’t any sign of their backpacks in the scene—but because we never see the fugitives prior to their arrival, it’s impossible to say whether or not they would have had them in this story. Note that, unusually, not only is Virdon without his waistcoat, but that it is nowhere to be seen, either.