[ this dismissive kind of resignation — an honest answer with no illusions offered about the situation he's stumbled into — is much easier to swallow than the comfort people keep trying to shove at him, and Shepard's mostly-insincere apology goes over pretty well. he doesn't bristle, doesn't resent the truth of it or her for saying it; isn't even surprised, really, because: ]

Well, it's not like I was expecting anything else. [ he says it with a roll of his shoulders and a little scoff, some cynical and bitter sound from the back of his throat. sure, he doesn't resent the cold hard facts. he knows the world too well for that. but he sure does fucking resent someone here for this; Cathaway, the symbiote, the stranger who offered him their hand. himself, maybe. ] I didn't take this deal looking for paradise on the other side, so I think I just might get by without heartbreak on that one.

[ since Shepard seems to have her head on straight and she clearly doesn't mind speaking out against their supposed leaders, he decides that's worth pursuing. ] They seem like they can be trusted so far? Cathaway and Prince.

[ so far, because people can rarely be trusted all the way. ]