"When one reaches a certain age, one finds they must make the best use of the tools which yet remain to them."

"I suspect you have more than manners in your kit."

"I won't deny the implication, if you'll allow an old man his ego."

"Depends on the size of that ego."

"The seminary encouraged me to travel light in that regard. Alas, I was not always a diligent student."

"A big ego looks good on you, so I won't judge."

"It is very kind of you to flatter me so."

"I can be a good girl when it suits me."

"And how often is that?"

"On special occasions only."

"So this is one of those?"

"It could be."

Hum.

"Why are you traveling?"

Light shrug. "To see somewhere new."

"Anywhere in particular?"

"I don't know yet."

"A more popular destination than you might expect. Though in such cases, the captain prefers to know if any tagalongs may be expected to attempt to join our voyage along the way."

"I'll consider if anyone might be after me."

"Ideally we'd like to know before offering you a cabin."

"There's no one I can think of off the top of my head."

"Excellent."

"Are uninvited guests a common problem?"

"Around the fringes, it's much better to be prepared than not."

"Better to be prepared in general."

"A hard lesson to learn, sometimes."