<div align="center"><strong>-=Simeon Gaorong - hijacking The Gamble* - Ferret's hothouse, Persephone=-</strong></div><br/>After a morning dotted with little unexpected events and interruptions this, at last, was something to offer Simeon some genuine surprise. Not that he thought himself so witty that a joke never fell flat, but he had the impression Sasha appreciated the slight levity he brought with him in the field, assuming circumstances did not require greater stealth than such offerings provided. That she chose to respond with something rather more enticing than her usual similarly understated reaction was unexpected.<br/><br/>And yet, after the surprise if the initial turnabout, he rolled with it easily enough. She was playing along, it seemed - calling his bluff, as it were, to escalate the show they were putting on for Stephen. It was the most likely reason anyway; if not that then he was unsure of the cause, but that was a conversation that could wait until they were back aboard their own ship rather than tromping about in the back alleys of Eavesdown. It was both simpler and safer to make a snap judgment and act on it. If she wanted to play, that was fine by him. The opportunities he had to flatter his First Officer were few and far between. This was an unusual sort of chance for it, perhaps, but a valid one nonetheless. So it was that, following in the wake her of her teasing air-kiss and subsequent turn forward again, Si took an early step to stay close, close enough that he could lower his voice for a more personal remark: "It is hardly sporting of you to flirt so much when wearing so little. Were I not better informed, I might think you hunting for chastisement, qiānjīn de móguǐ." He didn't press the issue, slowing to follow a few paces behind per usual so they all had room to move if and when they needed it, but Si found himself looking forward to their return to the ship for altogether different reasons than he had when they first set out. Between the smile she'd worn in the cargo bay and this unusual break in character on the job something was clearly going on with the First Officer. Perhaps it was the sort of something that would merit a conversation once they were back on The Gamble; perhaps not. He would simply have to wait and see.<br/><br/>On most protection details the goal is to become invisible once you have checked the area for immediate threats. Visiting Ferret was an exception to this for two reasons. First, it was impossible to check the area for threats thoroughly enough to be secure, so he would simply have to expect something untoward to happen. It hadn't before, but he knew as well as Sasha that an unexpected bit of information or an attractive enough price could turn the circumstances against them at a moment's notice. He would simply have to be alert.<br/><br/>Second, Ferret didn't like her eye candy to turn invisible. "Mr. Gaorong, the epitome of genteel chivalry. So good to see you again. You look as dashing as ever. "<br/><br/>"There may have been some effort involved," he replied, "but I could hardly turn up shabby on one of these rare opportunities to visit now could I, Ms. Xuědiāo?"<br/><br/>Their formalities ended in brief per usual as Ferret moved on to consider the new face in her domain. It was such a little thing, and no doubt seemingly out of place in this setting, among these people. Still he played along on the occasions he happened to see the woman for their work. To some even the pretense of class lent things an air of respect, perhaps even authority, they might lack otherwise. If it meant keeping business smooth it cost him nothing to treat the criminal with courtly care. It wasn't as though she ever spent a great deal of time looking for his attention anyway; it was just one more thing on her checklist of positioning maneuvers and wastes of time, and they both knew it. Funny how criminal social politics so often coincided with elitist social politics. Little wonder the population at large didn't trust either party.<br/><br/>That aside, the formal greeting and spat of banter was the extent of his role prior to purely defensive measures unless further input was needed. Once the ladies began getting to the heart of the matter he withdrew to his role as sentinel, keeping an eye on what he could see in the room with them in an effort to gauge what was waiting where it could not be seen. Sasha would keep up her end of things, he need only concern himself with his. That and the new X factor of McPherson, he supposed. Perhaps it would be better to find a position where he could see that man in addition to the rest of the room if possible. Yes, that would be an improvement.<br/><br/><div align="center">- - -</div><br/><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 7pt;">qiānjīn de móguǐ ~ darling devil/devilish daughter (assuming I didn't fuck it up)<br/>xuě diāo - ferret</span><br/><br/><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 6pt;">*Accuracy of description may vary. Reader discretion is advised.</span>