[He lightly taps his glass against hers before taking a much more generous drink of his wine. Well, if ever there was a proper time to discuss these things...]

I've a colorful history of my own, yes. It seems that the worlds are rife with oppressive Empires, does it not? Ours was rather obsessed with the acquisition and study of nethicite -- tied to our own Espers, in its way, though none had to die for the cause. No Espers, at the very least. My father was head scientist at the Draklor Laboratory in Archades. He became even more obsessed with the damned nethicite than the Emperor himself. [He glances downwards at his glass, briefly, keeping his expression composed.]

I daresay he forgot about most everything else.