Terhikki made a snort of derision. Before Marlowe could even leave the impulsive girl stood straight up and turned to stare at Talu.

"Oi, grandpa. You ain't my chief- and I'm here to help you with your problem. Don't lecture me on who I do and do not want in my crew. Eclipse? Curse? Pff, sounds like a challenge to me. If he's cursed and has no sign then I welcome him aboard even more because... if I don't, nobody will. And that sounds like Hell- a hell of being alone and locked up here on this hot little ball of sand you call home."

She lifted her chin somewhat defiantly at the chief. She knew there was bad news about those folks with no sign. The moon swallowing the sun just wasn't supposed to happen. There was a natural order to things, and Terhikki herself understood that she fell within that natural order. But deep inside her, she felt something resonate with Marlowe despite having just met him. Cursed? She didn't know much about it, but she could tell one thing for certain... and it's exactly what she said; if she didn't fight for him, nobody else would. It's the same reason she approached Marina- she could tell that Marina would be hard pressed to find friends if Terhikki hadn't walked up and said 'hello' to her first. The airs she carried just wouldn't cut it for a small crew, but Terhikki couldn't stand to leave people alone. Not Marina, and now not Marlowe. In the end, it'd be a crew of misfits if she had her way but she wasn't about to bend on her convictions.

She pointed at herself with her thumb as she spoke up again.

"He says he's the son of a heroine and a diver- that's enough for me. the sea's in his blood, and he has passion in his eyes. I'll fight for anyone who wants to plant their feet on a boat and leave home- It'd be hypocritical of me not to after all, 'cos that's what I did. I want him on my crew. Make him my problem, not yours. Wash your hands of this curse and let me shoulder it for you since you don't seem to want it. I welcome any challenge."

As she finished speaking, she turned her head slightly and narrowed her eyes back outside the tavern- someone was watching them and she felt something off about it.  Something unnatural. Her eyes fell on Solia, but she dismissed it for now and returned her focus to Talu.

"So what's it gonna be, Grandpa? Gonna dismiss my feelings just as easily as his?"

She hoped this worked, if not she'd be real embarassed. And in front of her new, overly flirtatious, friend, too. She hoped she wouldn't have to swallow her words here.