"For the drink as well. What would you like?" Again, a brow arcs up, and its hard to tell whether he's joking or not.

Jim reminds him very much of another captain, perhaps when he was younger. In the days when Dylan was first given command of a ship. When he was fresh and new and enthusiastic. It was before the Nietzscheans had decided the Commonwealth must fall, and when Rhade still opposed the destruction of the Systems Commonswealth.

It's both a comfort and something that burrows in his gut and lodges there like stubborn Magog larvae. He wants to warn him to stay away from him before he tries to get close to him. He's also greedy for the feeling that he used to have with Dylan.

"Do you like strategy games?" he's asking before he can stop himself.