[Douglas is a careful man, but nowhere near as observant as Mycroft. When Daqiang addresses him directly, he sits up a bit straighter, brightening somewhat-- he hasn't picked up that Daqiang is testing him, but boy, can he talk about sailing.]
I learned to sail when I was a young man, honorable Moon Supreme.
[He inclines his head with a slight nod. For the moment, the affected deference to Mycroft is gone: the seas are Douglas' element, and he knows it all too well to pretend that he doesn't.]
The stars are always there, of course, but these other elements must also always factor into a ship's course. Whether the direction of the wind and the conditions of the waters are favorable or unfavorable for a journey, or if a crew should navigate elsewhere for the safety of its men and cargo. Various instruments exist for this purpose, even to calculate a ship's location in relation to land.
[Did he get ahead of himself a little? Maybe. But it's clear that he's more than confident in this respect.]
no subject
I learned to sail when I was a young man, honorable Moon Supreme.
[He inclines his head with a slight nod. For the moment, the affected deference to Mycroft is gone: the seas are Douglas' element, and he knows it all too well to pretend that he doesn't.]
The stars are always there, of course, but these other elements must also always factor into a ship's course. Whether the direction of the wind and the conditions of the waters are favorable or unfavorable for a journey, or if a crew should navigate elsewhere for the safety of its men and cargo. Various instruments exist for this purpose, even to calculate a ship's location in relation to land.
[Did he get ahead of himself a little? Maybe. But it's clear that he's more than confident in this respect.]