He's all right with that. It's kind of nice to just sit and talk, despite the dire situation. Makes him feel less like he's about to die at any moment. As such, he relaxes incrementally as he chats with his great aunt.

"Really?" he asks, brightening. The reaction is real; he'd forgotten that Sonia been there as well. "Silica, yes. I hope you enjoyed it - I certainly found it preferable to Barrayar." A bit of a sympathetic grin. "I'd have liked to try out for the Survey, but I'm a bit too unpredictable for them. So I joined a mercenary group instead."