Once everything quiets down, Tylen uses his data glove to lock down both his cabin and his Fire Control Station - to unlock only with his positive authority.  With children like those aboard, he really doesn't want any mishaps in spaces he is responsible for.

Then a  glimmer of an idea crosses his mind.  The systems have facial recognition, there is voice recognition  as well -  both of high quality.  There must be a program in the system that tracks movements and whereabouts.  Perhaps he should rig a routine to warn him of any unauthorised 'exploration' by the children.  Or any of the other passengers come to that ....

He smiles bleakly at the look on Yasmine's face as she heads towards the passenger lounge but waits for the Doctor to finish her checks.

"Perhaps I could take you up on that coffee now?" he says softly

Finished, Shui steps back from the cryo unit, the only sign of her tension a small sigh.  *Chack.  Chack.  Chack.*  Her mind automatically counts as Yasmine empties the shotgun, then counts again as she slides the rounds back in.  "Finished," she quietly states when the woman slips in the last one, possibly referring to the weapon, possibly to her task.  A check of the readings follows, then a nod.  "Levels are green, our passenger is asleep."

She frowns a moment as Yasmine decides on coffee - fortunately, there's a fresh pot ready, and Shui mentally edits her list to 'Yasmine: cocoa, coffee under specific circumstances'.  Then she blinks as Tylen makes his offer, mentally switching gears.  "Ah, Mr. Orgesh."  A small smile.  "Indeed?  So long as I keep my messaging active -" a wave of the datagloved hand "- I would enjoy that."

They're on their way to lift-off, so to speak, so the steward has to be ready, but she has nothing pressing on her at the moment.  With a wave of her hand to indicate Tylen should exit first, Shui leaves the room last, seal-locking the door behind herself.

"Roger that, Engineering." Ash notes simply and easily.  He can see the status on the roll-up metrics for the various system display screens, but he has always trusted his crewmate's assessment more than the machines.

The Profit Margin's navigator keeps an eye on the proceedings in the low berth and pays enough attention to ensure that nothing seems amiss.  He relaxes visibly when their last passenger is in his berth and makes sure that the cargo door locks are open to the other crewmembers as needed.  He lets Shui lock the access door to the berths, merely ensuring that the status matches the actions being taken.

Then it is back to final countdown to lift-off.  With the ship fully sealed, it is merely a matter of making sure everything is ready to go on schedule for when Jago arrives on the bridge.  Ash's thin fingers glide over the dynamic displays as he makes sure that transponders are working correctly as well as a myriad array of other sundry items on the infinitely complex ship.

Lastly, the ex-Squid-turned-Scout open the channels to the public traffic links from the Port Authority.  He listens to the chatter to ensure that there isn't anything else more global that they might have missed with all of the local docking and cargo bay festivities going on...

"So how are you feeling?" Tylen asks Shui.  His arm snakes out and  his hand, momentarily, touches the small of her back as he drops in alongside he.

"No need to worry about him now," he says alluding to their latest passenger "He'll sleep until we hit port and then Yas and I will see him safely ashore.  And then I suspect we will run  full safety measures while we are on the ground there." he says as he tries to reassure Shui.  He had not missed the tone of her voice nor the way she that she had spoken.  He hadn't seen her like that before, and he preferred it when she was happier.

Violence, or the threat of it, affects everyone and everyone in the military has to get used to it.  You don't have to like it, but you do learn to accept it ,and Shui didn't have that background.  "We could grab a bottle of wine later?" he suggests, leaving the and talk about it as an implication.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:50, Tue 20 Nov 2012.

"Denotam Port Authority to Profit Margin.  Landing bay inner hatches are now locked.  Please confirm that ship has positive seal.  Depressurisation will commence in two minutes from my mark.  Mark."

The final safety checks for departure are, of course, more stringent when the port itself opens directly onto hard vacuum.  There is a constant back and forth between the ship and PATC, confirming and reconfirming that the Profit Margin is ready for space, and that nothing will explode in the landing bay when the space doors are open.

Part way through the procedure a warning lights up on the Bridge panels, but it's nothing to worry about - it's simply to inform the crew that atmospheric pressure is dropping outside the ship.  A readout gives the exact pressure, the warning is simply to make sure that somebody notices.

"Denotam Port Authority to Profit Margin.  Opening outer door now."  Orange hazard lights start to strobe in the bay, and there are several loud bangs, transmitted up through the deck plates in the absence of an atmosphere.  The space doors start to slide open, showing a widening view of the stars outside.

"Denotam Port Authority to Profit Margin.  Outer door is now fully open.  Disengaging bay grav plates.  You are clear to depart on vector one two niner.  Have a good trip Profit Margin."

On minimal thrust the ship slides out of the bay.  Fifty metres out the drives start to ramp up, rapidly increasing acceleration to two gees, and Profit Margin heads for the Jump Point.

Corlan lays on his bed, watching the whole procedure displayed on the walls of his room, via feeds from the ships external sensors.  At various points he orders the computer to save screenshots of interesting occurences...

Marita Doyle is also watching the departure, accompanied by her daughter, Selnia and her friend Mister Pig.  Selnia is full of questions about all aspects of the departure, such as the likelihood of their running into space monsters, or meeting the Emperor.  Questions which her mother answers as best she can.  Mister Pig is lost in his own inscrutable thoughts...

Darien is in his own cabin, absorbed in a hologame which seems to involve improbable amounts of violence with weapons that even Yas would feel uncomfortable about using.  Probably...

In her cabin, Keryn also has the departure displayed, but she is more interested in skimming through the course material obtained for her by Shui.  She pauses from time to time to watch the view...

Eneris sleeps through the whole thing.  See one departure from a space station orbiting the moon of a gas giant and you've seen them all...

Dav Sedric and Jaena Daws are in one of their cabins, together.  Jaenna watches the sensor feed, while Dav fiddles with the illumination settings in an effort to create a romantic ambience.  The effect is totally spoiled when he attempts to add some mood music, and ends up playing something by a Vargr metal jazz band...

Just over four hours out from Denotam a buzzer sounds on the Bridge, indicating that they are beyond the 100 diameter limit.  A series of controls are activated, and profit Margin falls out of space, leaving only  an expanding bubble of fading light, and a considerable quantity of exotic particles...

*before the jump, or the lift-off, with apologies to Tylen*

"Less than ideal, Mr. Orgesh," Shui replies with a sigh, though his touch on her back is comforting.  "I worry, Mr. Orgesh.  I worry about our passenger.  Well, about all of them.  Hopefully we can remove those particular two without any serious issues, though."

Another glance at him, and his suggestion; Shui considers it for a long moment.  She hasn't had a chance to speak with him since their date, and with things the way they are, it would be good to take some time to talk.  "I would enjoy that, Mr. Orgesh.  I believe my office is always a suitable environment." Comfortable chairs, for one.  "Once we are underway, I would greatly appreciate a visit."

'When I'm off-duty' goes without saying, for both them.

Tylen nods as the Steward talks about her concerns for the passengers.  It goes with the job, and good stewards cares about her passengers, and a steward who is a doctor ...

"Once we have jumped then and everything is locked down." he says with an assured smile  "It will be the first time I have ever brought wine to a doctor's office!" he quips with a wink.

"I suppose  I had better get up to the bridge and watch the screens, just in case there are any baddies around ...."

Once they have entered jump space, Tylen has very few duties to occupy himself.   However, he waits until the passengers are settled and all of the general chores are completed before he seeks out Shui in her office.

Never really having established whether she prefers red or white wine, Tylen settles for a bottle of fairly average rose wine.  It won't have a flavour to excite, but  it should be innocuous enough to serve as a casual sipping wine.

He knocks on the door and then tries the handle  "hello ..." he enquires.

Shui has been woolgathering, hunched in a chair in a deplorable posture.  There are some heavy thoughts on her mind at the moment, and she's caught quite off-guard by the knock at her door.  Mr. Orgesh.  Frustrated with herself, she stands and sheds her medical coat just in time for Tylen to open the door.

She's not exercising now, so the lock isn't engaged.  No need for privacy...nothing to hide.

"Mr. Orgesh."  Quick check.  She's wearing her usual working suit; somewhat boring, perhaps, given it's her common clothing, but cut well and tidy.  Good enough, she decides, for a casual chat.  "Please, do enter."  A wave toward the free chair as she moves to hang up her lab coat.  "I have glasses chilling -" that, at least, she prepared before falling into her heavy thoughts "- so make yourself comfortable."

Glancing up from the fridge as she acquires said glasses, Shui cocks an eyebrow.  "I daresay we are owed some relaxation time, after the confusion at the last port."

Dressed in his bomber jacket and tee shirt again, it is back to the every-day Tylen again rather than an official security man.  ”I am sure we are.” he agrees as he takes the proffered chair.

It only takes a moment or two to open the bottle and pour two glasses of the wine.  Taking a sip from his, Tylen considers the flavour for a moment before nodding.  ”Nothing to write home about, but it passes muster.” He says with a slight smile as he places the glass back on the table.

”So how are you feeling?” he asks bluntly  ”It has been a busy day for you, chasing around after Corlan and Jago and then sorting those noisy kids out …”  he pauses for a moment ”And then there was to get  settled in … ” he says leaving it hanging.

"Passes muster, indeed," Shui laughs.  "You come bearing gifts, and expect me to criticize?  Certainly the wine is more than serviceable for conversation."  She tries it again, nods.

Both wine glasses clink onto the small, circular table between the two chairs, and Shui leans back as Tylen hits her with his question.  Closing her eyes, she breathes out slowly, looking for the right answer.  No, Shui decides.  Why not go with the truth, for a change?

Her eyes open. "Disturbed.  Upset."  She waves a hand. "The children were nothing - I have dealt with children before, and often enjoy their energy.  But the danger to Mr. DeSant and Captain Lanza...and yourself and Ms. Crow.  Unacceptable.  The presence of this man-child who believes he knows best, and that he stands at the center of a universe that has heaped all manner of injury upon his undeserving head.  His rudeness to you, to Ms. Crow.  Mr. DeSant is disturbed, and will not speak to me about it."

Her lips thin. "These things, I cannot repair."

Reaching out, she toys with her glass for a moment, then studies the two glass cages across the room.  "And yourself?" 

"I've been involved in security for years." he shrugs lightly as he sits back in his chair and twirls his glass "And I have met too many like him to worry about him for long.  They come, they cause a disruption and then, if I do my job properly, they go away again.  This time Yas was able to resolve it peacefully." he says with a smile totally ignoring the fact that Othati-Fenn had been laid out by a blow from her bag.

"Yas and I are used to violence. We have learned to think past it.  It is not pleasant, but we can discard the bad bits. To some extent Saskia and Ash should be able to do the same.  They have both spent time in the navy.  I don't know about Corlan and Jago." he says with a slight shrug.

Then he leans forward in his chair. "But you haven't got that sort of experience and I don't think I have ever seen you that rattled before.  And I don't like seeing you upset." he says with his customary bluntness.

Shui lets pass the 'peacefully' qualifier.  Truth be told, it was handled in such a way, and she knows it.  The 'safer' method for dealing with that situation would have been shooting the man; Yasmine took a chance, but had justifiable confidence in her own skills at pulling it off.  "One can always hope this is the end of it."  They still need to get the man off the ship without incident.  And his brother, to boot.

She acknowledges his explanation regarding the others with a small nod.  He's correct, in fact; she knows Saskia isn't exactly a marine, but shows little concern after a spat of violence.  Jago has a great deal of experience.  But Corlan?  Perhaps this is one of the first times he has been completely helpless, unable to assist while his life lay in grave danger.

That can hit.  Hard.

"But you haven't got that sort of experience and I don't think I have ever seen you that rattled before.  And I don't like seeing you upset."

Shui blinks, her eyes glassy.  Memories fall through her gaze, the memories of another time when she wore a different name.

...and the laser hums in her hand, burning through the holotarget of the man dozens of meters distant...

...she tastes blood in her mouth as she rises to her feet, fists clenched, her body aching all over as her father gestures her forward...

...the pictures fan out before her, images of the President for Life and his two bodyguards sprawled at awkward angles; dispassionately, she studies the wound patterns and their broken postures as her father quietly praises her brother for a job well-done...

...the stink of the village is around her, the scent of rot, old blood, and fear, the bodies decaying in heaps, her father shaking his head and laying a hand on her shoulder...

...a young face framed by the rifle's electronic targeting system...

Another blink.  Focus.

"I dislike violence," she admits.  "Though that may be an understatement.  But I must stand ready to assist when it happens.  And it will."  Leaning forward herself, she touches Tylen's hand.  "Injuries are my responsibility, much as protecting us is yours.  That you are here, now, means a great deal."

A sip of the wine.  "Poor Corlan," she sighs. "I wonder if it is his pride that has suffered an injury, or if he bleeds from a wound to his spirit from having a pistol at his head." A sad smile to Tylen follows.  "A hard thing to manage, I think."

"I know you and Yasmine have seen a great deal of pain."  Closing her eyes, she visualizes the results of her examinations. "From observation, and from listening to your stories.  I wish this were not the case for your sakes, but I give thanks you have not lost your joy of life."  The doctor shakes her head.  "I have met many people who have had something essential stolen from their spirits.  Not only do you and Yasmine hold that at bay, but you do not leap to violence as the first answer to a problem."

The smile grows slightly wan.  "I understand that can be an issue for some.  People being people, habits form.  'To a man with a hammer, every problem resembles a nail', I believe is the expression."

One eyebrow rises.  "You are not that man." 

Tyen nods as Shui speaks of disliking violence, and her recognition of the need to be nearby should it happen, and his smile broadens spontaneously as she welcomes his concern.  Truth to tell, Tylen had wondered how Shui would react to such a direct approach, but then it was the only tool he had for this type of situation.  Deep conversations with girls, well with anyone for that matter, had never been a big part of his life.

”Corlan probably doesn’t have the experience to cope with it as well as he might.” Tylen says with a shrug ”But sometimes it is something that we have to internalise for ourselves.  I was lucky, I was never the big strong leader type, I was never ‘unbeatable and as a kid I learned that there was always someone bigger stronger and nastier than me.   It was no big shock the first time someone held a gun on me.  And I had been trained for it as well.  The IS can’t afford to have a scout go off the rails when they are parsecs away from civilisation with limited  medical support -  so they train us to minimise.” he shrugs again before going back to Corlan.  ”In the scouts if we had problems like that, they didn’t send a pretty girl to talk about it, they sent a case of grog and a couple of old timers who had been through it before.  Sometimes it is easier to talk about it after a skinful of booze.  And when there are good looking girls around, well there is that old fashioned male pride that kicks in …” he leaves the implication s of that hanging, confident that Shui will understand it.

”As for ‘all problems looking like nails’,   that is only the case when you only have a hammer.” the scout responds smiling again.  ”I do have a hammer” he pauses for a moment ”But I also have a screwdriver, tweezers, power saw, revolver, security man’s uniform and laser rifle.” He adds grinning more broadly as the list grows ”And I try to use the one that best suits the job.” he comments before he grows a bit more serious again.  ”Violence never really solves anything.  If you kill the attacker, there is his brother, mother or friend who can take exception to the fact.  It turns into one big never ending circle, if you aren’t careful.” he concludes.

Finally done he sits back in his chair and half drains his glass, before looking at it quizzically, almost as if wondering where all that wine went.

Shui sighs.  "I went to Corlan as a friend.  And perfectly happy to admit my own concerns at the time.  I think he did spectacularly well, in the situation; he kept his head.  I had hoped...but perhaps I erred."
She slants a glance at the former scout, before reaching out to add some wine to his empty glass.  Not a lot, but enough for a refresher.  "Wisely put.  Violence...well, it isn't the only solution, no.  Sometimes it works in the short term.  Sometimes, in the long." The words come out as if dragged by hooks.  "Sometimes it may seem necessary.  But -"

Shui blinks.

What are you doing?

"Apologies."  A shake of her head follows.  "A touchy subject.  Probably best avoided.  I havn't taken you as one who embraces violence, Tylen, though I know it's part of your duties.  An unavoidable fact, and something best not to discuss."  Implicit criticism of those who practice violence: that could be what one takes from her words, though it would be incorrect.

"Such a gloomy way to begin a trip: Corlan isn't speaking to me, the crew may be on edge from what we're carrying in our cold berths..."  Shui glances up, one eyebrow cocking.  "I am failing in my duties as a Steward."

It's a half-joke.

Tylen nods encouragingly as Shui speaks of how well Corlan did as a hostage, and wonders slightly at his own role.  However, his smile fades as Shui start talking, even briefly, of the necessity of violence.

 A touchy subject?  Best Avoided? Perhaps for the moment.   However Tylen makes a note for later.  At a time when she isn’t so upset.

”I don’t think anyone is one edge at the moment.” Tylen responds after a moment’s thought ”When any of them get thawed out again, maybe.” he acknowledges with a gin.

Then he glances down at his recently refilled glass and chuckles.  ”Failing as a steward?  You can’t help youself.” he chuckles as he takes a mouthful of the wine.  Then a mock serious look comes over his face  ”Unless you are trying to get me drunk ...”
This message was last edited by the player at 18:22, Thu 10 Jan 2013.

Shui bobs her head in wry acknowledgement of Tylen's comment on their frozen passengers.  "Indeed.  I expect at least one of them is in for a surprise upon awakening."  Certainly the elder brother will be less-than-amused at the situation.

But...

"Oh, indeed, failing."  A wave toward the wine.  "You have discerned my motives most astutely.  While the rest of the crew languish, and our passengers are in turmoil, I choose to ply you with wine...."

Her voice trails off, and Shui drums her fingers on the armrest of her chair.  Then she takes another sip of her wine before fixing Tylen with an inquisitive stare.  "A question for one of our security officers, then.  What, Tylen, do you think will transpire when we arrive at our destination and attempt to offload those two reprobates?"

Then she rubs her forehead.  "And a question for Tylen, the man."  A sad smile it is, this time.  "Not, I fear, anything truly exciting.  But how would you deal with Corlan?  Can you guess at the cause of his dolour?  I can try, but I would hear the opinion of one of his gender." One eyebrow cocks.  "That would be you," she finishes helpfully.

As Shui waves towards the wine, Tylen nods  sagely.  Or rather tries to nod sagely, but the corners of his mouth are trying hgard to creep upwards into a grin.  Howeverm his expression becomes more serious as Shui asks his view on releasing the prisoners landing the passengers.

”Well, if Jago isn’t very careful there will be bloodshed.” he pauses for a moment as he thinks on the question, before continuing ”One way would be to  land the bounty hunter and their prisoners first – and let them know the  brother is aboard.  Then when the loudmouth is thawed, tell him the bounty hunters know he is aboard and give him choice of landing as he is, or coming along to the next stop in deep freeze. At least that is up front with everyone. ”

Tylen, the man?” he interjects hopefully, but schools his enthusiasm when she asks about Corlan.  ”It is a shock to the system.  Something like that always is.  If he were a new recruit, I expect his mates would take him out for a skinful and rib the hell out of him.  But they would be there for him.  They might even pay for a girl for him.” he says with a glance out of the corner of his eye.  ”Because you do that for you mates when they need it.”  he pauses for a moment while he takes a sip of his wine.

”But Corlan isn’t a young lad new to the unit.  He is a successful businessman, retired and used to fending for himself.  He must certainly have an inner steel to have made enough money to retire in the way he has.” again he pauses for a mouthful of wine ”And in that time, he must have learned how to deal with things that made him feel uncomfortable.  In some ways I imagine his life has been a bit like mine.  I have heard that being in  charge is lonely, that you have to deal with things alone.  Like being on an X-boat for weeks at a time.  You solve your own problems.  Things like that you put in a little pocket at the back of your mind, and let it out slowly.  And slowly you become accustomed to it.  And before long it is a new part of you.  Then you get on with life.”  He shrugs his shoulders, knowing that isn’t really what she wants to hear – but it is the best he has to offer.

”But what about you?  It must feel a bit like that when someone you see as a patient rejects your offer of counselling?”  he says turning the question back on her.

"Hm." She considers his thoughts on the matter of releasing the prisoners, and Shui eventually decides she likes them.  Give the choice.  Both parties gain the knowledge, one has the option of continuing without being involved, or stepping off and going into captivity with his brother.  Of course....

"That would mean we would have company until our next stop," she murmurs.  "Rude, overbearing company."  A sigh follows.  "Unless Jago consented to placing him in coldsleep.  I would rather not so quickly for health reasons, but simultaneously...he is dangerous to the harmony of this crew.  I foresee only difficulty if he roams the ship."

She finds some of the options given for 'helping' another man to be repugnant, but Shui is old enough to know that things work differently in different cultures...and the military is certainly a different culture.  It's 'sensible', in its own way.  She doesn't agree with it, but understands the why.

Leaving Corlan to stew and try to work through this himself, though, that goes against everything in which she believes, save one: the right for people to make their own choices.

"Not the advice I had hoped for, Tylen," she murmurs around the edge of her wine glass.  "But sage in its own way, nonetheless."

His next question takes her off her guard.  A good thing, that, Shui muses.  Someone she could predict, someone unwilling to press or challange her - lightly, without debate - on some subjects, that proves interesting.  It makes her think.  "It is...difficult to say.  Corlan is not only a patient, but a friend."  A helpless shrug follows.  "Were he merely someone I should counsel, I would feel badly enough.  But he being a friend, that makes it so much more difficult for me to turn my back.  I would help, if I could.  Listen.  Let him work it out, using my own perceptions as a different lens through which to view his issues, but nothing more.  I would not attempt to press him down a path.  I..."

Sighing, she leans forward, puts her elbows on her knees and cups her glass in both hands, staring down into it.  Her long hair slides off her shoulders, hanging down to wall off the glass.  "I dislike not knowing what to do.  All my life, I have had plans.  Those plans changed with circumstances.  Now?  With Corlan, I cannot plan." She smiles behind the hair, a wry expression. "I seek control, but cannot take it when it comes to stealing it from others."

Her head comes up.  "Curiously neurotic, is it not?"

”Stealing control? Curiously neurotic?” Tylen questions.  ”Sometimes people need you to take control.” he smiles ”And at other times, you need to let other people be in control.”

”When it comes to jump time, we leave it to Ash and Jago, and let them be in control.  But there are contingency plans in place.  For example if both of them are knocked out, I can pilot the ship and I can use the computer well enough to plot a jump – if I need to.  Anyone who has been in the ISS for a while can do that.  But I don’t have any active plan to take over if it is required.  In some ways that is the same sort of thing.  You don’t need to be in control then. “ he smiles and shrugs at the same time.  ”Your hair looks nice like that, you know?” he adds as an aside before he leans back in his chair and continues.

”But when it comes to emotions we all have to control our own.  Corlan has learned over the years, and he is strong enough to do it.  But he will do it in his own way, and he will probably rationalize things very differently to you.   Deep inside he knows all the emotions he has to deal with, because he has dealt with them in the past.  In some ways they are like old friends, he knows were they are and he knows what order to deal with them in, and he knows they will, eventually, go away.  He also knows if he lets you help, things might come up in a different order -  then they will be harder to deal with.  I would certainly want to sort something like that out in my own way.” he grins ”Although it does help to know friends care.”

He pauses for a moment.  Tylen hadn’t missed the moment of disapproval in her glance earlier, but he still wanted to make the point.  ”That is what buying the beer and paying for the hooker is all about.  His friends still love the lad.  Even the girl loves the lad, for a short while.  It helps give him the strength to sort it out for himself.”

He pauses for a moment and then gets ultra serious  ”Although I suspect that both Corlan and I are too old to need either the beer or the hooker any more ….”

A moment later, he bursts out laughing.  ”Although, ironically, I bought you a bottle of wine when I came to offer my support.” and Tylen pauses again, the twinkle in his eye telling that there is more to come.  ”However, I draw the line at paying for a male escort for you when we reach planetside …”
This message was lightly edited by the player at 15:13, Tue 19 Feb 2013.

Shui shrugs.  "I am terrible at taking control.  I...ah, how to put this.  Any words I choose sound critical of other people's choices." A pause, then another shrug.  "I value other people's capacity to choose for themselves too much, perhaps.  Yes, I admit, there are times when control is necessary, and no doubt there will be be times when I will attempt to seize it.  But...those times are few and far between.  More likely, I will deal with what I can and leave others to their own."

Another sip of the wine. "It is not a perfect solution, I confess," she states wryly.  "Certainly not the best.  You, as you note, have the capacity to seize control, and you should.  You have experience, you needed to be in control of situations as a scout...it's hardly surprising, and I would trust you with control."

And, colouring slightly, she inclines her head.  "My thanks, Tylen."  Reaching up, she brushes her hair with her fingertips, slightly embarassed but mostly appreciative.

Another sigh follows. "I have seen many people who require assistance to control their own emotions in a way that does not hurt them.  Corlan may be capable of keeping himself 'controlled', but he may cause himself injury in so doing.  I seek to help people work through their issues in ways that will not bring them future harm.  But..." Putting down the wine, she rubs her forehead. "Perhaps I should leave him be, as you suggest.  It is simply that I worry."

"It's because of that concern that I can function to my best as a doctor."

"I would question that a prostitute loves her patrons," she mutters, a touch put out by the idea.  "But that is neither here nor there; I grasp the essentials of your thoughts." Support can work wonders, which is what she, herself, would like to give.  Sadly, it doesn't seem to be the correct sort.  "I am glad that neither you nor Corlan would avail yourself of 'beer and hookers'," she finally states with some relief. "Wine?  Far more appreciated, and besides, it wasn't the beer to which I objected." Well, personally she doesn't like beer, but that's neither here nor there.

Her eyebrow cocks at his laughter, and a sly smile touches her lips.  "While a male escort might - if suitably educated - provide a fascinating night's worth of conversation, why would I wish one?  I find myself admirably companied at the present."

”When there is a medical emergency that needs a solution right now, you take control.” he shrugs.  ”When you were bringing Corlan and Jago back aboard, after the incident, you insisted on making your first investigations in the hold, even though I asked you to move them further inside.  You took control of that part of the situation.” he reminds her with a grin.  ”Now it is your turn to be the back up,” he shrugs ”and let Corlan and Jago sort themselves out.   I am sure that they both have enough confidence in you to come to see you IF they feel they need extra support.” he goes to take a sip of his wine and looks down in surprise at the empty glass.  ”And they will do that if the need it because they do trust you and because they know you care.” Tylen reaches for the bottle, only to frown when he finds that almost empty as well.

”Some times though, we all have to recognise that we are the back up and let people get on with things in their own way.  Much as I disappeared inside as soon as Yas had control of Fenn.”

He splits the last of the wine between the two glasses and leans back in his seat as Shui teases him about being her ‘Male Escort’.  ”I had never considered myself in that role,” he grins broadly, ”But if would please you …” he says slicking his short hair back and preening ostentatiously ”I would do my best.”  He pauses for a moment as if considering, then he becomes very formal.

”Should I go and get another bottle of wine, Ma’am.” but the corners of his mouth quirk upwards as he continues  ”And should I come back clothed in something a bit more ‘comfortable’ or is this attire suitable?”
This message was last edited by the player at 23:26, Tue 19 Feb 2013.

Shui pauses for consideration.  It's true, she's capable of taking control when it's within her purview.  Finally, she sighs, accepting the wisdom of Tylen's words.  "Of course you are correct." The doctor leans back, her hands going behind her head.  "I merely dislike seeing people in pain."  Not that she's alone in that regard.  "It can cloud my judgement and influence my choices greatly at times."

Wise man, Tylen Orgesh.  Of course, one doesn't do well in the Scouts without common sense and wisdom.

Another laugh at Tylen's sally, and Shui shifts foreward.  "I would hardly consider you an 'escort', 'Mr. Orgesh'," she notes with a small smile.  "That implies subordination; subordination is dull, and you are anything but." Then she blinks, noticing the lack of wine.  How many glasses so far?  Two?  A touch more?  "Ahhh...I think I have reached my limit of wine," she murmurs, one finger tapping on her lips.

She's happy.  It's something Shui hasn't felt in a long, long time.  Existing is fine, competent carries its own rewards, amused is all-too-common here on the Profit Margin, where she has friends.  But happiness?  After a time, one forgets it.

One barely realizes one has lost it, until it traipses back into the room.

Tylen Orgesh is a good man.  A wise man.  A man with common sense and maturity, not a moon-struck youngster.  A man capable of understanding, she hopes, of accepting what one has to give and not attempting to take more.

Perhaps it is the wine, as well.

"I find your clothing more than sufficiently dashing," she says more seriously, brushing an errant lock of hair back from her face.  "But a touch too restrictive.  Tylen...would it ruin what we have now if I asked you to stay the night?"  A small, hopeful smile steals onto her lips as she slowly stands.  "I cannot offer more than that, as yet.  In the future, who can say?  But for now, I would not have you leave."
This message was last edited by the player at 13:42, Wed 27 Feb 2013.

Tylen smiles as he stands and lays a finger gently against Shui's lips.  "Shh....