Part of Scout wanted to cling to that suggestion of a smile. More of her was on the defensive, still waiting for snapped order, the shot to the back. She tried the middle path, struggling to be neutral and formally polite, but although she imitated his pose, putting her hands behind her back as if giving a report, she started to pace around her edge of the room.

"My Order's code of conduct is long and has had a lot of updates over our history. Any group dedicated to protecting and serving others is going to be similar, in - some ways."

It hurt. More than a little, now. Scout felt the tears rising in her and let them, her grief was part of her life, but she would not be pitied, she fought to keep them from flowing and her throat from constricting. She had trained her body to obey her. It did. Her eyes were overbright and her voice slightly roughened. That was all.

Scout took a deep steady breath and stopped pacing, turned back towards him. "Tallisibeth Enwandung-Esterhazy. Assuming you're not here to have me killed or locked up, pleasure to meet you."

Maybe this wasn't the best approach, but he was so serious, it reminded her of a few of her Masters. And if he did want her killed or locked up, better to have that out of the way quickly.