<div style="padding: 3px; background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 1px solid #d8d8d8; font-size: 1em;"><div style="text-transform: uppercase; border-bottom: 1px solid #CCCCCC; margin-bottom: 3px; font-size: 0.8em; font-weight: bold; display: block;"><span onclick="if (this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display != '') {  this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = ''; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;hide&lt;/a&gt;'; } else { this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = 'none'; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;show&lt;/a&gt;'; }"><b>Spoiler: </b><a href="#" onclick="return false;">show</a></span></div><div class="quotecontent"><div style="display: none;">Sorry for the incredibly late post. The last two weeks have been far more hectic than usual! <img alt=":P" src="./images/smilies/icon_razz.gif" title="Razz"/></div></div></div><br/><br/>Alyssa waits patiently as Sgt. Ananda deliberates, offering just enough of a smile to put her commander at ease without giving the impression of smugness. The stony silence of her commander might be unsettling to to those unfamiliar with her, but Alyssa finds it reassuring; a sign that her commander's ire is past, and logic is prevailing over emotion. Sgt. Ananda's temper might be fiery, but at least it's mercifully quick-burning, and generally easy to extinguish; a few carefully chosen words in conjunction with proper acquiescence to her orders should be enough to settle things for the immediate moment. She'll have to step carefully for the next few minutes, but barring some outrageous slip of the tongue-<br/><br/><blockquote><div><cite>Vanika wrote:</cite>"By the way, did you realize we were here before or after you walked up spouting redundant orders?"</div></blockquote><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Oh dear.</span>Alyssa blanches, freezing in apprehension a second before the first signs of danger appear in Sgt. Ananda's posture. With any other officer, Vanika's insensitive comment might have gone ignored, or earned her a scolding at worst. Even Sgt. Ananda might have overlooked her imprudence, if she'd waited just a few more seconds. But to interrupt<span style="font-weight: bold">and</span>the watch's hottest temper, already under pressure? Vanika couldn't have picked a worse time, place or person to goad if she'd planned it.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Hand of reason,</span>Alyssa pleads,<span style="font-style: italic">guide this one away from her imprudent course... or at least make her sword arm stop twitching.</span>Not the most poetic of orisons, perhaps, but sincere enough, and certainly applicable. Lacking anything more positive to contribute, she continues to recite the short prayer in her head while remaining as quiet as possible, hoping that her commander's anger will boil away before she does anything regrettable.<br/><br/><blockquote><div><cite>Sgt. Ananda wrote:</cite>"You think you can deal with them? Fine- they're yours. If I find out either one of them's caused even the slightest hint of trouble, I'm holding both of you personally responsible. Understood?"</div></blockquote><br/>"Understood," Alyssa replies, her voice an octave higher than usual thanks to her nervousness. She offers a nod of affirmation alongside Dagnyr's, relaxing somewhat. All things considered, Vanika's slip of the tongue could have ended in much worse - a dressing down from Sgt. Ananda is never pleasant, but it's still far preferable to breaking up a swordfight.<br/><br/>As Sgt. Ananda turns her attention over to Kaelen and his story, Alyssa risks a glance over her shoulder at Vanika, prepared to apologize and pacify the demoness in case her commander's ire sparked some resentment... but, it seems she needn't have worried. Contrary to her expectations, Vanika hardly seems to have reacted to her commander's outburst in the slightest; if anything, she might be a bit more at ease than before... which is, in its own way, just as worrisome as an angry demoness. Alyssa makes a private note in her mind to keep Vanika and the Sergeant as far from one another as mortally possible. Another provocation like this one might not blow over so easily...<br/><br/><blockquote><div><cite>Sgt. Ananda wrote:</cite>"Adjutant, finish with Ms. Celaire's questioning first, then get her out of here. And move that thing under cover before anyone else sees it. I don't have time to deal with another panic."</div></blockquote><br/>"Yes, ma'am!" Alyssa responds with a textbook salute, holding the gesture until Sgt. Ananda is well on her way before relaxing and turning back to her two charges with an apologetic smile. "I'm terribly sorry for my superior," she says. "Sgt. Ananda has been under a great deal of stress lately due to the festival preparations. I'm sure she didn't mean to be quite so harsh. If you'll come this way, we can finish the inquiry without any further interruptions." She pauses for a moment, searching for a suitable place discreetly question a ten foot demon, before settling on a banner covered alleyway formed by the tent next door - perfect. She heads for the alley, motioning Vanika and Angel to follow.<br/><br/>"This shouldn't take long," she assures Angel. "Just a few more questions, and I'll let you be on your way. Now, where where we..." Alyssa flips open her notebook and examines her records so far with a nod of confirmation. "Oh, yes, of course! Could you tell me more about the thief you saw before the invasion?"