Val had a lot of experience with a different guy who was in love with the sound of his own voice and wore a mask that hid everything but his eyes, and her own gaze flicked up to Tarn's, just like anyone would do while having a polite conversation. It was tough to be sure with those featureless glowing optical sensors they had, but she could tell he wasn't meeting her eyes, at least. That left a few things he could be interested in, but she was going to bet on the weapon.

Tiny though it was by Tarn's standards, the repulsor was large enough to be unwieldy for Val, and interfered with using the datapad. In a casual gesture, she adjusted the strap so the device was cinched around her forearm like the universe's most high-tech statement bangle, leaving him an opening to ask about it if he wanted.

"I do whatever," she said with a shrug, revealing nothing of the continuous social calculations she was running while she spoke. "I prefer physics and engineering--and pure math, not that I ever have time for that--but it's not like I can't perform in other fields if I have to."