fandomhigh | Care and Feeding of Hirelings, 2nd Period [Session 6]

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care and feeding of hirelings

Care and Feeding of Hirelings, 2nd Period [Session 6]

Hook had ~~handwavily~~ announced earlier that today the class would meet in the Danger Shop. Once the few and the proud had gathered, he switched on the program, which projected a single figure: a bearded, short, man with a bizarre piratey dress sense.

"This, dear children, is Smee. Or at least a much more tolerable version of the man, as it replicates neither his incessant prattling or his peculiar smell." He chuckled at his own humor. "But as much as I do decry the man, he was an excellent second in command. The fellow who knew what I was thinking, the fellow that rubbed my feet and got me my wine after a hard day of captaining. Having a man or woman you can trust, at least as much as you can trust any person, is probably one of the most needed parts of of leadership. There is just one simple rule in this situation, one simple rule. Never choose a second in command who could replace you."

He smirked. "But, Captain Hook, you are thinking to yourselves. Why would I not put the most capable person in my employ in such an esteemed position so they can be the best second in command possible?" He laughed again.

"Because then they will learn they could do your job, and they will seek to take over. Even the most loyal, in my experience. Trust only those that you know you can defeat. Everyone else, you keep close, so that you can stab them in the back before they stab you. And I do mean that literally."

He grinned. "So you've seen Smee, now I want to hear who you would all pick as your second in command. Not in abstract, no, no, no. I want to hear about the actual person."

[ooc: ~~OCD comin' up!~~ Open and ready for students]

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Like you've got a friend...

Peter Wiggin

~~AHAHAHAHA, OH PETER THAT'S HILARIOUS~~ Ahem, I mean

Karla

Elle Bishop

The Few, The Proud...

Hook will press you on the issue, of course.

"My sister," Peter said, easily. "I mean, she's a little naive, and very young, but she's clever. She's got potential. Besides, family first, right?"

No offense, Topher, but he didn't ~~control~~ know you that well yet.

"Having not had any family to really work with, as a concept that is untested for me," Hook said. "But so... you have a ~~twin~~ sister? How much younger is she?"

"About two years," Peter replied.

"And that's very young now, is it?" Hook said with a laugh. "The way you'd put it, I'd imagined a little toddler!"

"A toddler wouldn't be much of a first mate, would it?" Peter asked, lightly. "Nah, she's young of mind, young of heart, you know? Not very ambitious, doesn't quite see things clearly."

"Ah, then she'd see it all as a game, naievely following your orders, then?" Hook said. "Good move, good move. She'd be all fun and little unchecked ambition. Excellent."

Karla had to sit and really think about this one. "Emma," she said finally. "She's brilliant, rather ruthless, easily adaptable, and knows how to use her gifts to best effect. But she's not Kaeleeran, Blood, or a Queen, so there's no way she could ever replace me."

"By rules of society, or by means of ability?" Hook asked.

"Both," Karla said. "She doesn't have any Craft at all, which means she specifically has not caste-Craft. The Blood would never accept her as a Queen. They would choose someone else entirely."

"And there is none who could fit those qualities that she could use as her puppet?" Hook asked.

Truth be told? There totally were.

"Well, first she'd have to find a Queen, and then find twelve males who'd be willing to serve that Queen while not being aware of what role that she was playing...and, honestly, if she were going to put all that much time and effort into all of that, I'm pretty sure she'd go off and find somewhere she could rule openly instead."

"And if she's that resourceful, what's stopping her from doing that and just leaving you behind?" Hook asked, playing devil's advocate.

"Not a whole lot," Karla admitted. "But it'll give me time to groom her replacement. Especially if she sees her time with me as a stepping stone to get her own affairs in order. Then it's beneficial for both of us."

"Her affairs need putting in order, then?" Hook said. "Tell me, what flaws do you see in this friend of yours?"

Oh, Hook was enjoying this, yes he was.

Oh, this was dangerous territory to get into. Especially with squirrels listening.

"She's a little on the meek and mild side," Karla said with a straight face. "Also, not very decisive. I'd say unambitious, but that's a benefit in this case, right?"

Karla feared Emma's retribution a lot more than Hook's displeasure, okay?

"You seem to have flip-flopped," Hook said. "First you didn't doubt her ability to create a puppet government, now she's unambitious?"

He peered carefully.

"It's not her ability I doubt," Karla said innocently. "It's her desire to do so. Could she? Absolutely. Would she?"

...Quite probably. Maybe not in Glacia, but this was Emma.

"I doubt it."

Sigh. My sleep scheduled is all frelled again.

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