"Mm," is mere acknowledgement. Too bad. Kirigan deals deliberately in half-truths as a matter of course; but if not this, he expects Ralston will choose some other reason for being irascible. He seems to have a surplus at the ready.

"One does wonder. Still, it's possible we are his first experiment—or an early iteration, at least. That would explain a few of these decisions. And when I was dragged from the well, he seemed to rely on that book of his to determine that my arrival was undesirable." The wry pull at his mouth is thinner than Ralston's, and no more pleasant. "'Another failure', he said. 'Wretched creature'," spoken with a gentle lift and turn of his head, like he's quoting a lovely verse. Like he finds it funny.