Mallory furrowed his brows even deeper as he stared at the woman for a few seconds.
"Madam Director," he began in a patronizing tone, "you may not yet be used to this, but the Marshals Service is a government agency." Straightening his back, he uncrossed his arms, choosing to instead clasp his hands behind his back. "Our marshals are government employees. Now, I cannot be sure how things work at the LPI, but government employees are paid by the government, not vice-versa."
The deputy director paused for a moment, letting the information settle in.
"As much as Marshal Hawkes' generosity is admirable," he continued, "I have to vehemently protest against letting him pay for an entire fleet of military ships." The very thought made him audibly scoff. "I do not even want to know how he came into possession of the necessary finances, nor how he can possibly afford to just donate it all."
Done with his lecture, Mallory's posture relaxed ever so slightly.
