[The cruelty in Kurt's grin fades into sadness, the sharpness dulled by regret for lashing out and a renewed pang of missing Sascha. For all his kind heart, they were both monsters in a way he hopes Winn never has to be.]

But I do. Only the dead have seen the end of war, and to win it you will need someone to do horrible things in the dark. And I am good at those things; just like my mother.

[Pressing his lips together, Kurt drops his line of sight to his own tail, twitching restlessly over the corner of his bed.] I promised you I would be as happy as I can. But the safety of my crew and our fellow captives will always come first.