Dan gives Aster a look that's between unimpressed and offended as they scramble down. "I ain't an idiot."

He considers that maybe he does, actually, resent Aster's position of authority in this moment. Maybe that same nature he's always had, at best fierce independent, at worst stubborn and senseless contrarianism, will come between them.

"My employment ain't conditional on me letting you call the shots in this, is it?" Dan tries not to sound adversarial as he asks that. He just wants to be clear on what he's gambling if he decides to listen to his instincts instead of Aster's.