Ianthe flinched involuntarily at Toi's outburst, and grimaced at Darion's unlikely-to-improve-matters response. For a moment, as she took a smooth step back away from where the android and the soldier were nose-to-nose, her silhouette appeared to warp slightly, as if refracted through a prism. But without any particular rooting interest she was otherwise content to simply take herself out of the immediate line of fire, key off her wrist-comp so as not to be assaulted by Toi's voice over the comms as well as in person, and clear her throat quietly.<br/><br/><span style="color: mediumturquoise">"I was under the impression that this was a <i>mercenary</i> outfit,"</span>she remarked, keeping her tone low and measured.<span style="color: mediumturquoise">"As in, we take contracts, fulfill them with something approaching professionalism, and get paid. Maybe, being the new girl, I haven't been sent the new employee manual for this particular boat just yet."</span>Her lips quirked in a wry little smile.<span style="color: mediumturquoise">"But I <i>have</i> been doing the mercenary thing for a couple of years, and while I've seen a lot of creative ways of making money, I've never seen 'screaming at the captain' or 'treating the medic like shit' bring me closer to a payday."<br/>
</span><br/><br/>She paused there to finish zipping up the coveralls and straighten her collar, then drew breath and looked over Toi's shoulder to Darion.<span style="color: mediumturquoise">"Captain, I didn't go to a big-name university or anything, and certainly haven't spent my free time reading philosophy. So I'm not really up to debating the finer metaphysical points of android sentience. But I'm pretty sure that deliberately pissing off the one individual on board with more than layman's skill at patching you up when you get shot full of holes is the opposite of a good idea. Meanwhile, Toi..."</span>She trailed off briefly, and reached out to touch the android lightly, reassuring if still wary, on the shoulder.<span style="color: mediumturquoise">"I know what it's like to be thought of as a tool rather than a person. But snapping at Darion isn't going to change his mind. Come to the galley with me, sweetheart; we can talk about it."</span><br/><br/><b>[ Active: Psychic Shield ]</b><div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>