<div align="center"><strong>-=Dani, in the mess aboard The Gamble, trying not to freak out about the second new guy of the day=-</strong></div><br/>As Griff and the stranger entered the mess from the engine room, Dani moved, placing herself on the opposite side of the dining table to the two men.  What with the new guy, the Happy Suck crew, and the delivery boys, her tolerance for unknowns was stretched to the limit for one day.<br/><br/><strong>"I’d like you to meet Dani, our lovely and talented medic and masterful mess sergeant. “</strong><br/><br/>Dani blushed profusely at the unexpected praise from Griff.  His kind words had the opposite effect than what was likely intended.  Instead of building her up, the shy woman seemed to shrink, trying to withdraw into herself.  Above all else, Dani loathed having the spotlight be shone on her.  She was happiest blending into the background, and compliments were mostly unwelcome.  It wasn't that she didn't appreciate the sentiment, but she already knew that Griff valued her. He didn't need to verbalise it, especially in front of strangers.<br/><br/><strong>“Sorry, I mean our doc and cook. Dani, I’d like you to meet Anwar. He’s gonna be flying with us for a while to look after the engines.” </strong><br/><br/>At the mention of Anwar being an ongoing presence on the ship, Dani gulped and stared at the floor.  There'd been no warning the Captain would be bringing another new crew member aboard, and their body language told her that this was not someone the Griff knew well, if at all.  What assurances did they have that he was decent, and wouldn't harm the crew in any way?  It wouldn't be the first time someone had talked their way onto a boat and slaughtered their crewmates while they slept.  Dani trusted Griff implicitly, but this was out of character for him.  Her concern for the crew was eclipsed by his own, and it wasn't like him to gamble with their safetly.<br/><br/><strong>“Well, Hayes had something come up and she had to take some personal time so Anwar here’s gonna fill in for her for as long as needed, ain’t that right Anwar?” </strong><br/><br/>The mention of Hayes had Dani looking up at Griff sharply.  Sure, she wasn't a fan of the mechanic who ruled the engine room with an iron fist, but she was part of the crew, and as such, came under Dani's umbrella of concern.  Griff's tone invited no questions, and with the new new guy in the room, Dani wasn't about to interrogate him to find out what was up with Hayes.  She'd likely find out soon enough, anyway.  Like any group of people who spent a lot of time together, the crew grapevine worked quite efficiently. There was very little that happened aboard that everyone didn't know about within hours of it occurring.<br/><br/>"Cap'n," Dani said in a small voice, eyeing Anwar out of the corner of her eye.  "Can I have a word?"  She jerked her head in a direction away from the new new guy, indicating that she'd like to speak Griff alone, preferably out of Anwar's earshot.