Gene looks at the mug, and says nothing for a little while, watching the steam from the tea curl upwards.

Then: "I am sorry. I could have stopped it," he says, his voice tightly controlled, though Pepper ought to be able to hear the strain. "I'm sorry because I failed them, and because I should have known better than to--"

He falls silent quite abruptly. He doesn't want to tell Pepper about Malicant's boons and what they did.