As the crew departs, Paris begins her self-assigned tasks: ship's laundry, turning down and restoring the cabins to their typically Paris-Pristine condition and, after getting dinner going in the galley, takes a bottle of a bit more expensive wine upstairs and settles down across from Lord Percy with a backgammon set. "Good afternoon, Milord," she smiles gently at him, "I thought we'd spend some time, if you don't mind my being interrupted from time to time with ship's business."

Percy grumps, "Why didn't you allow me to to with the others?" But he doesn't turn down the wine she offers.

Paris smiled at him, pouring them both a glass of wine * and set up the backgammon board. "Because you've been cornering yourself in your room, drinking yourself into oblivion and being a poor host--you're the owner of the ship, and you would choose to represent yourself and your title--and, I might add, Percy, your world--as a bunch of boozers."

"No skin off my nose what people think." Percy mutters under his breath.

Paris merely gave Percy a gentle, matronly smile.

She handed him the dice. "I'm the ship's steward--and it reflects on all of us--I do like you, Milord, but I think we need to change your behavior." She took a sip of her wine and smiled kindly. "I think you'd rather talk to me than Lady Sharda."

"I'd rather find a party somewhere and have some fun." he grumps, "But I suppose a bottle of this wine and strip backgammon with you will have to do."

"Well, I'm glad that you at least attempted a small show of appreciation," Paris acknowledged. "And you're welcome to play strip backgammon to your hearts content, my contract doesn't encourage me to do so with the passengers or crew."