<strong>Aeryn Sunlight<br/>Speaking with Eshalu<br/>Port Respite, learning the lay of the land, Socially speaking</strong><br/><br/>"Oh, there is all too often nothing at all of reason and thought in the human reaction to precious metals, Eshalu."  She kept an eye on the boy, and the lurkers nearby.  "He took the gift because he wants more.  And will no doubt be looking for me later, to get still more."  She smiled, but her smile did not reach her eyes.  "Humans, most of us, we're just not that deep."<br/><br/>She sighed, relaxing a bit, but only a bit. The ship had been not pleasant, but the crossing had been easier for her than for many others.  no seaskicknes for one.  And the food had been a little better.  Mush was mush, but she had brought some small packets of spices.  That made all the difference.<br/><br/>One thing making a diference now was the way Eshalu, well, it seemed her eyes just never stopped moving, those little tilts of her head as she responded almost automatically to small sounds.  And that very businesslike spear.  More than once, Sunlight noticed cruel looking men visibly deciding the pair of women were just too much trouble.The naturalist sighed. All she carried was a large poignard, her crossbow, she very much hoped, hds been sent on to the house - it and her gear had been priority cargo.  Supposedly safer than lugging it in the hold.  Oh well, it was replaceable. The writing kit she had in her pack was not, not really.