Gene fills up the kettle with water and selects a tea while she's examining his previous attempts at metalworking. "It took some trial and error, but I think I have the hang of it now," he says. "I think my touch is delicate enough not to damage your soul gem."

At least, he sure hopes it is. They're hardy things, but also unpredictable in some ways. And there was the matter of how they'd come to be in the first place...