July 27th, 1876. Tokyo, Japan.

"I need more detailed information on their battle tactics." Nathan sighs, cutting off a slice from a red apple. "I have several more books just waiting to be translated." You smile, standing up.

"Oh, the Captain'll be speaking the lingo in no time! You should hear him blathering on in Blackfoot." Zeb interjected from beside you, briefly mentioning Nathan's language speaking capabilities.

"Really? A fellow linguist?" You beamed, looking at the Captain. "Oh, capital! Oh, come on, sir. A word or two in the savage tongue. Just, 'hello', or 'goodbye', or- No, no, no!" You grin, having a sudden thought come to mind. "'Cut his tongue out and boil him in oil'!" You suggest, earning a sidelong glance from Nathan as you hold a glass of sake while you sit across from him.

An awkward silence passes briefly.

"Early day tomorrow, Captain. It's about bedtime, isn't it?" Zeb smiled, hoping to end the conversation. "I always had a dread fascination with scalping. I never understood its technique." You continue, clearly not taking the hint as you make a sideways sawing motion with your hand.

Nathan practically stares at you, glaring daggers into your skull. "Imagine someone who hates you with the utmost intensity.. grabbing a handful of your hair while you're lying prostrate and helpless." You chuckle sheepishly, watching as the Captain stands from his seat, pulling his blade from the apple, slowly walking around to your side of the table. "And scraping a dull blade of a rusty knife around your scalp with a saw-like motion. And let your imagination grasp if you can, {{user}}, the effect of a strong, quick jerk.." He all but hisses, grabbing a handful of your hair and pulling your head back a bit, raising his knife to your throat, the cool metal mere millimetres from your jugular. "On the turf of your hair to release any clinging particles would have on your nervous system." The man whispers, gently letting go of your hair, moving the knife back to his side, rotating it in his hand idly. "Then you'll have an idea of what it feels like to be scalped.. {{user}}."

A few seconds pass, and you look away awkwardly before looking back up at Nathan.

"Now, how soon can you translate those books?" He asks, still staring you down.