[quote=@jynmi88]
"Oh?"  Gee swallowed something that belonged in his chest back down his throat.  "Color changing devil fruit."  He nodded.  "Oh okay then."  Face pale he stood, wondering if there was something else he should do.  Honest, he hoped to be dismissed and fast, but it wasn't happening quickly enough.  "Uh.  Just checking in."  He said with a lisp.  "No worries here, then?"

"I'm sorry!  I'm sorry!"  HIs female counter part shouted before realizing she shouldn't have spoken to a higher ranked officer so.  "Apologies, sir!"  The woman was older than Gee but not by much.  "He's knew and dumber than a second coat of paint."  She stood close enough to the rook so her arm disappeared behind his back so she could pinch him if he started talking.  Which he did, and she in fact pinch him, hard enough to break skin.  "We're keeping watch over the area and I guess he thought it would be a good idea to check the ships individually, even though I've told him before how marines don't look favorably on independent thought."  She paused for a moment, realizing the liberties she just took a stiffened her attention stance.  "Apologies sir.  I didn't mean to speak out of line like that."

[@ProPro]
Gee wanted to tell off his fellow rookie, but didn't because her nails were sharp and she hand them burred into his back.  Then he noticed something interesting, what appeared to be some kind of drunk on the ship.  The man seemed to be urinating.  Either that or he was pouring out a container of fluid that he kept in his trousers for some reason.  Part of the young man wanted to question what was going on.  The other part wanted to leave as soon as possible and since that part required less effort he decided to follow it.  Then the drunk spoke, calling attention to himself.

"Uh."  Gee asked.

"Sir?"  He question was aimed at the commander, but The young lady's attention was aimed towards the stranger on the boat, which unfortunately included the golden stream he was polluting the water with..  
[/quote]

Handel could see that the two rookie marines were clearly tense. [i]"Marines don't look favorably on independent thought,"[/i] he thought to himself, replaying what the young woman had said, and let out an inaudible sigh of defeat. [color=a187be]"Relax, I'm not your direct superior, so you can drop the formality. I'm just here to take it easy and enjoy the festivities,"[/color] Handel said, suddenly feeling his age, so much so that he decided to give them advice, "But although discipline is necessary, do not lose yourself to obedience. Look at the admirals, it is their ability to act independently, to make their own reasonable choices, that has proven their ability to lead and be responsible for the lives of so many. Let obedience carry you part of the way through your career, to be a truly great marine, you have to think for yourself, be yourself." He looked up, hoping to see the younger marines looking at him starry-eyed for his sage wisdom, but all he saw on their faces was confused disgust. Tracing their line of sight, he also witnessed the good doctor spreading 'cheer' into the ocean. Handel's eye twitched. [color=a187be]"S-see what I mean? Completely off his rocker, but that man is the best damn ship's doctor you could hope to meet.[/color] Handel, of course, didn't mean a word of it, but he needed to find a way to justify Ken's behavior. Then Hunter passed by and addressed Handel. [color=a187be]"A-a-And our captain doesn't even wear the uniform half the time,"[/color] Handel stammered, his story becoming flimdier by the second, [color=a187be]"So you see? It's ok to just be yourself. I know my crew does, and what upstanding marines they are."[/color] His eyes glanced around, wondering if any more members of the crew were going to pop out and ruin his ruse.