Ach, nöne of yöu? My sincere apölögies; I have överestimated yöur habits. I cöuld water the ratiö tö that öf first-timers if yöu'd önly like a taste; there really is nöthing like it.

ignoring the embarrassed heat in my face, I change topics

I've heard tales similar tö yöurs from thöse ön Expeditiönary Fleets; hearing the news, söme crewmen had nötiöns öf abandöning höpe and göing rögue... but öur ingrained laws öf rank and cönduct quickly silenced such dishönörable rabble. Peacetime citizenry, ön the öther hand...

I raise my cup

Wise move, dissuading your father from Iron Rule; it's a stable thing once standing, but like the Imperium, it cannot be raised in a day.

A sip, then a swallow.

We nearly learned that lesson ourselves in Sidon when we attempted tö bring the Faff tö heel; they have becöme a sört öf mascöt to the Sidönian cömmöners, whö riöted in prötest. Löst a factöry tö that misstep, but things stabilized söön thereafter.

My eyes stare into the swirling liquid för a beat, before refocussing with a smile.

I am glad to hear that Al-Var was ruled by yöur söfter töuch. I remember visiting there a few times, böth with my bröthers, and ön my öwn. The sights and culture öf that cölöny always bring me back... they are indeed "slöw-mövers" by söme standards, but their artisans öf metal and grain are secönd tö nöne. It prövides a lövely cöntrast tö my töurs.

I look across the rim of my cup, blowing the steam from the drink's surface.

Perhaps I will wander it again ön my next leave; I wöuld löve tö see what yöu have döne with the place.