Uminushi stares out in to the darkness, making minute adjustments to the ship's course. The man stood straight and tall despite the hours he has already passed in the same position. Reaching for the flask hanging at his side, he takes another swig... only to find it empty. The Mantis frowns and gives the bottle a shake, not hearing a hint of that reassuring slosh.

"Well... shit," he mutters to himself and wonders when someone was going to bring him a refill.

There was a light knock at the door, and then a voice. "Captain I have come to mop the wheelhouse, if I have permission to enter." came the voice of Akodo Amuro.

The man looks a bit blank at that. Mopping. Wheelhouse. Night time. Sea of Shadows. Yes, please come in and make my footing even worse because muscle cramps! Hah! That's not a challenge. Uminushi pauses and wonders when Kaimenko got inside his head. Must be the hour.

"... come in if you like, but leave the mop and bucket. I'd like to know who put you up to this," he replies, both bemused and more than a little confused. Just in case, he shifts the flask aside, and eases one of the hidden daggers in its sheath.

Amuro enters and he is not stranger to the tone. "As you say, Captain. No one put me up to anything, Captain. I am fully capable of doing the job in the areas where you would not be standing. Wasting water by slopping it everywhere is inefficient and dangerous." the man said keeping his gaze respectfully down.

"That might be," came the agreeable reply as Uminushi kept an eye on the man from the corner of his eye, "But, best not to risk it, mmm? Man shifts around, forgets which bit got swabbed and which bit didn't... foot slips. Wheel goes spinning and suddenly the whole fleet finds itself having adventures in the Sea of Shadows. All very unfortunate and very avoidable."

He raps the wheel with his knuckles, warding off ill-luck. "But, since you're here, you can keep me company until my kava gets here. You'll want to move the bucket downstairs by the by... and the mop."

"I left it as precaution. Until permission had been given." The Older Akodo replied with a bow. "I will of course do my best to keep you company, sir." he said.

"You can dispense with the bowing... " he trails off and quirks a brow, "I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name."

"This one is called Akodo Amuro, Captain." he said raising and doing as commanded.

The Lion receives another side-ways glance and a roguish smile, "Also, your eyes are more useful to me on the horizon than on my feet. First time serving on a ship?"

"It is." he replied. "Though it is my second time setting foot on a vessel of this size, though in hindsight I think the first ship was a smaller vessel. It was a three day troop movement along the coast."

"Those are always interesting, especially if it's cavalry," he chuckles, "I don't care how noble horses look whilst running the field, they smell and they're dirty.

"I was always more of an infantryman myself." Amuro says. "I only learned to appreciate cavalry, after I began my transition from forward vanguard commands to more main force deployments, and depositions.

"Mmm," is the man's non-committal reply. Of course he had a working knowledge of battle tactics on land, but that was it. His expertise were lay in his ships and fleets. However, the details and nuances of the conversation were not lost on the Captain, no matter how sleep and kava deprived he was. So, he was that Lion.

"Things are a little different out here on the water, a bit tighter in some aspects and looser in others. Are you looking to captain your own ship in the next couple of years?"

Amuro smiles. "You are an adept man at gauging ambitions, Captain." the Lion said simply. "Perhaps in a couple year with some experience and a firmer grasp on the differences, as well as the sufficiently earned merit I would not turn down such a task given me. I am a Lion, and it is the Empire I serve in the capacity it needs me most." His eyes gazed out at the water before them both. "In that sense I am here to serve in the capacity most beneficial to this ship, and its captain."

"It's my job to know," he chuckles as he makes a minute adjustment to their course. "Make friends, Akodo-san. That's the advice I'd give you and also be patient. You'll meet all sorts in the Legion, especially in the Navy. It isn't quite like serving in a Clan army."

Blue eyes cut towards the Akodo as the man quirks a brow with humor written in every line of his sun-tanned face, "I'm sure I don't have to ramble on regarding the different ways one can lead..."

"No sir." the Akodo replied a bit softly remembering an all too recent experience that went wrong. Something the Captain likely knew from letters of introduction and research. He seemed the type of man smart enough to know everything possible about everyone under his command.

"I will take your advice to heart, Sir." the Lion replied quickly recovering.

"Might want to start practicing with your fellow recruits," he points out reasonably as he shifts to ease his weight on his left leg. "I've heard you hit all your lessons, arrived on time, but generally kept quiet and to yourself these past few days."

"That. Is a fair accounting, Captain." the Lion replied. "I have only in the last two days made attempt at conversation, and most of that has been with my clanmates. I have been slow to expand that circle thus far." Amuro's gaze went from the ocean to the Captain as he replied then back again. "I did have a conversation with Bayushi Hoshi-san, about the same thing. Seems it is my old habits from land units holding me back. A ship is different, and I will have to treat it as such."

"The usefulness of being friendly, your ambitions or the difference between a land unit and a sea unit...?" he asks with a hint of humor.

Well that was just a bit confusing. Amuro returned his gaze to the Captain for a moment. A long moment. Then he chuckled a bit. "All of the above, sir."