<div align="center"><strong>-=Simeon Gaorong - embodying the role of Disapproving Father - Ferret's hothouse, Persephone=-</strong></div><br/>It wasn't hard to see where this was going, nor that it was intended to go that way. Sasha was an excellent negotiator - Si had had opportunities to witness that much firsthand before - so there was no way she'd pushed Ferret around the way she had thus far unintentionally. Every bite between them was taken with all the teeth she wanted to use. That the marks bled was no accident. It was only a matter of time before something drastic happened on one side or the other.<br/><br/>That Sasha asked to be left alone with Ferret was no surprise, then. Isolation may not be as flashy as a violent outburst, but leaving oneself in a vulnerable position in unfriendly territory qualified as drastic all the same. The veteran let his displeasure with his First Officer's decision-making in this instance show in that moment of eye contact: no deviation, no expression at all, walling off to keep from giving away any sense of chastisement that might be visible to their audience. He did not approve, but he knew better than to show any break in solidarity when they were not among allies. She had his support as long as she needed others to see that she had it. They could talk later.<br/><br/>"Ms. Xuědiāo, a pleasure as always." He offered a nod toward their hostess, then turned to escort McPherson upstairs. He might be concerned about Sasha's well-being, but he was more concerned about the possibility of their irritable new hire not wanting to follow her lead. Falling out would be worse than only being split up. Zao ta shi suoyou diyu de biaozi de ma fangzong fengkuang!*<br/><br/>Unfortunately the affair left him in no mood to play the gentleman for their welcoming committee in the shop proper. "Certain colors clash in a bouquet," he said by way of explanation, and little else, preferring to pass the time by examining the flowers on display and their various available paraphernalia. A few of the vases weren't half bad, really, considering what material was on hand to make them. The display cases were clean enough to keep an eye on Ferret's muscle and her coy receptionist in the reflections on the glass, giving him the best of both worlds: something innocuous to focus upon rather than worry overmuch about Miss Dearing putting herself in harm's way (<em>again</em>), and a useful vantage point to keep watch on the room behind him.<br/><br/>In retrospect, he thought, perhaps this wasn't the best outing on which to have taken their new crewman. For all her vocal interest in having him along to see how well he performed, their First Officer nearly seemed more interested in having him there to push around. It was almost enough to garner some sympathy for the man. Not enough to feel an obligation to keep him company while they waited, but enough to at least consider it. Maybe later, when he felt less inclined to say unflattering things about their shagua young officer.<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">*Damn whores from hell and their self-indulgent lunacy.</span>