As a result I feel the beginning of Act1 is at conflict with itself a little.
I never get this impresion either to be honest ...
From my point of view, your companions have no idea how much time you have ...
So far, they are feeling okey, so they all agree that there is no need to spint until you will fall to the ground exhaused with pink foam around the mouth, as your own blood will be boiling ...
Yet, they keep reminding you, bcs no matter if you have hours, days, or weeks ... it still should be your top priority, and they would rather resolve this sooner than later.
It might seem confused, but to me that is exactly the feeling we should get from that situation ...
Let me remind you that our character, and all companions was just abducted (we dont even know how much time passed BTW), and implanted with alien parasite that is eating their brain, dragged through hells, and spitted in middle of battlefield for two groups, where one of them are on the edge of civil war ... i believe that some sort of confusion should be understandable.
