Elena doesn't strike him as a naive sort of person at all, which is good. They aren't going to need naivety on this trip of theirs, but they just might need hope and stubbornness and determination. He can see how all of those traits would come in handy even if he isn't completely certain about what lies ahead. It won't be easy. There will be risks. In any great journey, there are always risks. It's what makes getting to the other side that much more satisfying.

Clark smiles at her when she looks over at him, when she appraises him. He leans against the railing with the cigarette between his fingers, and the smile slips into something of a charming smirk at the question.

"For other people to think that the journey and the potential answers will be worth the risk," he says, and he knows that is still a lot to ask of the people on this ship, but plenty of them have reason to want to find answers. "Whatever reason we're here, it seems like it would be far easier for this ship to capsize if death was what this place wanted for us, don't you think? I know much less than I'd like to, but I know I'm not here to lead anyone into danger without reward, without an end destination in mind."