He very much wanted to push at the other doctor. Gently nudge him into the place that Hannibal knew he could go. Had seen in him before. Wanted to see Simon set foot down on the path that would bring him closer to Hannibal and Hannibal's way of doing things.
It was there.
And Hannibal knew that he could do it. Knew that if he just kept at it, Simon would snap. Not in any big way. Not in a way noticeable to anybody but himself and perhaps River, but it would be there. Just like Aeon's fear of straws was there now.
Ignoring everything that Simon had just said about River, he returned the conversation back to the monkey.
"The monkey is living as long as it's not in moonlight. I would consider it's sperm viable."