'Person with large sword' was definitely something that stopped Alisa in those tracks that were crossing Quinlan's. Her initial hesitation when spoken to was essentially an assessment of how likely it was that that sword was going to be turned on her. Anytime anyone spoke to her, her hand went to the Etcher pistol -- a result of being in war, sure, but also everything after.

Her assessment was very fast, though, and silent; the humming stopped, and then the words started. She grinned. "Yeah, like an hour or two ago. I have no idea where anything else is, or where my ship is, or where my family is, which is getting old since that keeps happening." Someone had to be Captain Optimist, and she was now Frustrated Captain Optimist. "Afraid I haven't got any advice to go with it, but if you wanted a traveling companion ... a wandering only somewhat aimlessly companion ..."

There was presumably some aim to Alisa's wandering, but she kept forgetting exactly what it was after all the upheval. Chocolate? Probably.