Once it's confirmed that, yes, he has the right person, Nicolas immediately ignores him. Instead of answering, he focuses down on his own food and, picking up a fork, digs in. Weird, super weird, he knows, but that only lasts all of thirty seconds before Shepard gets a completely different form of communication.

Not verbal, but mental.

Don't react, is what he starts with as he warily inspects a piece of bacon. This is a two-way communication. I will only hear what you think back at me, nothing else. This isn't the network, either, so it is impossible for the Soviets to monitor us.

With that explanation out of the way, Nicolas snaps the bacon in two and eats one part, then moves on to picking at the scrambled eggs piled high on his plate.

My name is Nicolas Demidov. I know I sound Russian. That's because I am, but I'm also an imPort, like you.