Sonia smiles, warmed by the touch. It's nice of him. Hardly anyone ever dares to touch her, even so innocuously, for fear of crossing the barbed-wire boundaries of a Vorbarra lady's honor. Her smile goes crooked, wry.

"Who ever heard of a Vorbarra expat, anyway?" Her smile turns a shade more serious, though, and she nods. "Good," she says firmly. "You've clearly got a soldier's spirit. You deserve it."