[If she's particularly quick, and particularly skilled at reading people, she might just catch that flicker of tension at the corner of his eyes and in the line of his mouth before he covers for the mistake by bringing his hand up swiftly to claim the cigarette again. Always an easy misdirection. People watch the hand, the obvious movement, and not the face. Still, he's tired. Letting things through when he shouldn't at all.

The Marines would certainly launch an investigation. Or they'd set a bunch of sailors out under the guise of an investigation to cover for the fact that they - that someone in the government - probably knows exactly what has happened. It's going to be tough going without access to that information anymore. Maybe he'll figure something out.

He taps ash off the end of his cigarette onto the street.]

Thought the news was funny when I got off here, but I hadn't had time to do much reading yet.

[Rosinante flicks his eyes up the street, as if making sure nobody is listening in on them talk. Really, if it was a problem he would suggest they move aside, but a woman like her probably wants nothing to do with some scruffy sailor like him, even if she's being kind enough to chat. She must be just as confused by all of it as he is.]

Sounds like you're caught up on the latest, but the latest isn't enough. Look, I could use a hand. Been on a long journey. But I'm a retired guardsman from an island in the North Blue and I know how to handle myself in a fight. Know a thing or two about handling Marines, too.

[That last part he says quietly, with a slight conspiratorial lift of his eyebrow.]

If you've got business in this place, I can help make sure you get it done, so long as you can spare some beri.