If Alex had noticed that Tasia was hiding something, he didn't let on. Her admonishment seemed to have the opposite affect than intended. Alex smiled widely and so did Isamu. They exchanged a glance as though sharing something private.<br/><br/>"You thinking what I'm thinking?"<br/><br/>"If she wasn't a gaijin I'd think they were sisters. They share the same ki."<br/><br/>"Congratulations", Alex began as he addressed Tasia again. "You've managed to do the impossible. You made Isamu here smile! That definitely earns you passage. You'll be right at home here. No one else on board appreciates my witty repouirte either." He shook his head in dismay, "You just can't get the audience nowadays."<br/><br/>He turned to Tau. "Get a cabin prepared. Not the one with the peep hole behind the dresser. And pick one reasonably distant from Longfinger's cabin. We don't want a repeat situation like the one with the voodoo priestess back at Tortuga. He still clucks and tries to lay an egg every time somebody says the word mainbrace". He winked at Tasia, "Which is ironically a word used quite often on board a ship. So now you know who I am, do you have a name? I've also got to ask, what's a beautiful girl like you doing in a dinghy in the middle of the ocean with no land in sight? "