"It's...." Shit. He doesn't know how to explain it all at once. "It's the icon of the Church." Maybe he shouldn't explain it. It's irrational, but he can't get over the idea that talking about it will invite the same disasters to this universe. "...But it's also this artifact. It's incredibly dangerous because it does things to people's heads. The Church was the one going around to different planets and digging them up--exposing people to them."

Keeping things vague helps him feel a little better about talking about it. "They claim it's part of their religion, but they really have... no idea what it's truly there for." His eyes are glazing over again, but this time he's able to fight it back, his expression growing stern. "Yeah. They're why I don't feel comfortable without a gun."