Like Kira, Thomas is a servant of the Council, and therefore an artist for the Gathering ceremony. The box he gives Kira is a gesture of friendship; at the same time, Thomas implies that he’s lost a fundamental connection to his abilities as an artist. While it’s not quite clear why this is the case, we can guess: Thomas has been employed by the Council for too long. Kira, who’s only just arrived at the Edifice, can still access her creativity fully. This would imply that the Council, despite seeming to sponsor or act as a patron of art, somehow actually limits artists’ abilities.