[color=598527]"Being frank, Cogs? Scale of casualties does not justify their contributions by any stretch of the imagination. As for the Guard, I won't pretend to know their tactics to the letter, but if the only thing the majority did was collapsing rings of artillery, we'd have been doomed long before ever living to see current affairs. Ignoring all that, ranking enemies above each other in terms of damage caused is a damn fool notion. Holding one evil above others only invites someone to tolerate the lesser evils and threats. So I'll stick to my 'paranoia' in not trusting a xeno to be true to its words. Especially from a kind known for never revealing their true goals even after they are completed."[/color]

	The talk of maiden worlds and having struck bargains with the local Imperial forces for her services in exchange for the continued safety and shielding of such worlds. Typical, using countless human lives to protect and screen their precious own, while playing at helping and having the Imperium's best interests at heart. He didn't buy it for a second, and considered the maiden worlds a convenient point to pin attention and inquiries on. He wasn't going to comment on intersystem commerce and trade agreements, even between xenos and the Imperium. He knew well that Rogue Traders cared little for anything other than profit and status, and if they could get that trading with xenos? Well as long as the Inquisition wasn't around and also in the xeno pockets, well, all the better then. The xeno turned its remarks to him, hiding its true form with some base illusory tricks most likely, though it did nothing to dissuade him or put him at ease, even if it prevented others from seeing it for what it was.

	[color=598527]"I would save your concerns, xeno, there is little to discuss between us. I know enough of your kinds treachery and deceit, regardless of what is said, to ever trust even with the story you presented. Perhaps, Throne willing, I won't have to deal with you any more than absolutely mandated, but I'm not holding my breath on that."[/color] Cogs open acceptance of the xeno, the fact that Morgenstern was keen on traveling with, fighting alongside, and trusting this alien, and the strange air all mixed into a thoroughly grumpy and irritable armsman. He'd rather be completing their objective and mission here, not dining and sight seeing. He was concerned with how many likely escaped their recent operation and were preparing to resist further attempts on their activities and gatherings. A ticking clock, as it were, and it was being spent sitting in some high end restaurant, where he would never exactly be comfortable with being at to begin with, wasting time speaking with a xeno. Let alone sharing a meal with one, Throne forbid.

	[color=598527]"Nothing for me, thank you."[/color] Stukov wasn't hungry, and wasn't going to simply pick at some needlessly fancy, and expensive, meal that he would never have the palette to appreciate, let alone make good use out of. He would stick to his rations and normal meals, with the odd indulgence in Tanna being the rare treat, and continued watching their surroundings carefully. He would remain on edge for as long as they had not secured their objective, and while the xeno was present as well, and given private places like this were bound to be rife with the less than throne fearing types, all the better to avoid giving them the opportunity to get the drop on him. So he kept his head on a careful swivel, keeping an eye on any potential entrances, escapes, and other points of note that might be necessary to deal with should things get out of hand suddenly. He wouldn't put it past heretics to make a move in such a place, especially if they had allies in the local security that could suppress alarms and delay Arbites responses.