I dropped my eyes to my terminal so I wouldn’t have to see Torran’s face when I lied to him. “I must’ve misspoken,” I said. The words tasted of bitterness and frustration, but I forced them out. “I was overwrought and not speaking clearly. Of course the FHP had no knowledge of civilian inhabitants before the attack. It was an unfortunate tragedy.” That last part, at least, was true.

I could feel his gaze boring into me, but Torran didn’t say anything for an endless moment. When I risked a peek at him, he frowned at me. “I don’t think you misspoke at all.”

I met his eyes and lied to his face. “I absolutely did. If you are finished with your apology, then I need to get back to work.” I pushed the box to the edge of the terminal. “Take that with you.”

“I will not use what you told me against you,” Torran promised quietly. “And I will forget the conversation. But if you ever want to talk, I will listen. If you and your crew want to work on your mental shields, my people and I will help. I apologize again for the harm I caused. Please keep the gift.” He bowed his head, then left before I could protest.

The bridge door hissed closed behind him.

I stared at the box he’d left behind. It was wrapped in matte black paper embossed with a subtle, swirling design. Curiosity tempted me to open it, even though I should return it to him unopened, insult or no. I was human. I didn’t have to conform to Valovian standards.

But part of me was dying to see what was inside, to see what Torran thought was an appropriate gift.

I picked it up. The box was heavy for its size and it didn’t rattle when I gently shook it. The wrapping paper was folded into straight, precise lines, and I wondered if he’d wrapped it himself. Surely not. Right?

I ran my fingers over the swirling pattern, fighting the desire to open it.

After a few seconds, curiosity won.

I slid a fingernail under the paper’s longest seam and popped open the adhesive. The wrapping opened in a complex origami shape that was as beautiful as the paper itself.

Nestled inside, still encased in its anti-tamper packaging, was a brand-new, high-end comm. I didn’t know how much this exact model cost because I hadn’t looked at prices in a while, but I knew that it had to be more than a thousand credits.

No matter how much I wanted to keep it, it was too much.

I’d been happy with Torran’s promise to forget last night’s conversation. I didn’t need an expensive gift on top of that. I would have to find a way to give it back to him without insulting him.