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

[cunningkingfish.livejournal.com]

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]

Comments

Re: Who Would You Pick as Your First Mate?

[cunningkingfish.livejournal.com]

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

Re: Who Would You Pick as Your First Mate?

[glacial_queen]

"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."

Re: Who Would You Pick as Your First Mate?

[cunningkingfish.livejournal.com]

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

Re: Who Would You Pick as Your First Mate?

[glacial_queen]

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."

Re: Who Would You Pick as Your First Mate?

[cunningkingfish.livejournal.com]

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

Re: Who Would You Pick as Your First Mate?

[glacial_queen]

"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."

Re: Who Would You Pick as Your First Mate?

[cunningkingfish.livejournal.com]

"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.

Re: Who Would You Pick as Your First Mate?

[glacial_queen]

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?

Re: Who Would You Pick as Your First Mate?

[cunningkingfish.livejournal.com]

"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.

Re: Who Would You Pick as Your First Mate?

[glacial_queen]

"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."

Re: Who Would You Pick as Your First Mate?

[cunningkingfish.livejournal.com]

"Hmmmmmm," Hook said. "Well then. It seems she might be a good choice. Perhaps I should invite the lady into my office hours, see how meek she is."

Re: Who Would You Pick as Your First Mate?

[glacial_queen]

"Is that part of the assignment?" Karla asked. "Vetting our choices? Do we get to watch? I'm looking forward to seeing you spar with Val."

Actually, it would be worth the price of admission to watch him talk to Emma.

"If you'd like, I can call her into class," she offered. See how helpful she was? "So you don't even have to wait for office hours."

And hilarity would ensue.

Re: Who Would You Pick as Your First Mate?

[cunningkingfish.livejournal.com]

"Well, if you insist," Hook said, smiling. "Please do so. I await with bated breath."

Re: Who Would You Pick as Your First Mate?

[glacial_queen]

"I'll be happy to call her and see if she's available," Karla said, pulling out her phone and leaving a message. "If she is, I'm certain she'll be amenable for the visit."

Re: Who Would You Pick as Your First Mate?

[icecoldfrost]

It didn't take Emma long at to arrive at the school and stick her head into the classroom, even as she was telepathically asking Karla if she was serious about being meek and unassuming.

"Kiss kiss, darling," she called, peeking in impishly with a smile. "What's so vital that you wanted Auntie Emma right this moment?"

Re: Who Would You Pick as Your First Mate?

[cunningkingfish.livejournal.com]

"Auntie Emma?" Hook said. "A peculiar nickname for a young girl is it not?"

Re: Who Would You Pick as Your First Mate?

[icecoldfrost]

"I tend to collect people," she replied brightly. "And as I am most assuredly not mothering, it obviously makes me the mother's somewhat off-color younger sister who lost her drummer somewhere and can never quite find the beat."

Karla, you owed her. So much.

"Frost, Emma Frost, at your service."

Re: Who Would You Pick as Your First Mate?

[glacial_queen]

Oh, come now, Emma. This was fun!

"Emma, this is Captain Hook," Karla said brightly. "He wished to meet you. We were talking about second-in-commands today, and I named you."

Hastily, she filled Emma in on everything they'd said today, ending with a, *...You didn't really want me telling a strange male your flaws, did you?*

Re: Who Would You Pick as Your First Mate?

[cunningkingfish.livejournal.com]

"How very specific of a metaphor," Hook said. "Now tell me, Miss Frost, Karla here claims that you are capable, but are as flighty as a dingy bird. She thinks you unambitious, and generally incapable of being as good as her."

Yes, he was playing hard and fast with what Karla had said, but he smelled fishiness.

"What do you say to that?"

Re: Who Would You Pick as Your First Mate?

[glacial_queen]

"I was a little more diplomatic than that," Karla pointed out mildly.

Yay, telepathy!

Re: Who Would You Pick as Your First Mate?

[icecoldfrost]

<< I have no flaws, >> Emma haughtily informed her silently, a touch of smugness in the contact. <<Diamonds are a girl's best friend.>>

"I say you're telling a fib. One, because Karla wouldn't pick someone as her second who was incapable of operating independently in a crisis if needed. If she wanted someone unambitious who did nothing but look to her for orders, she would have picked Morton."

Sorry, Morton.

"Two, you say flighty, I say easily amused. If I went around taking everything seriously, I would never get anything done. And three, first you said she claimed I was capable, but then said she claimed I was incapable of being as good as her, and that simply isn't true," Emma answered, beaming brightly. "We play to different strengths, perhaps, but Karla wouldn't be so uncouth as to phrase it that way, Captain."

Re: Who Would You Pick as Your First Mate?

[cunningkingfish.livejournal.com]

"Oh, but I can be quite uncouth when others refuse to be. Within good form, of course," Hook chuckled. "But I see you didn't mention anything about your ambition, Miss Frost."

Re: Who Would You Pick as Your First Mate?

[glacial_queen]

*Of course you don't,* Karla sent innocently. *So I made some up. If they lead to you being underestimated, well, such a pity, no?*

Re: Who Would You Pick as Your First Mate?

[icecoldfrost]

"Ambition for what? I can be brutal if you get in the way of the last pair of Franco Sartos in my size!" she offered sweetly. "Taking over from Karla? Please. Glacia is cold."

Re: Who Would You Pick as Your First Mate?

[cunningkingfish.livejournal.com]

Hook tilted his head and pondered that for a moment.

"You wouldn't have any real interest in playing her second fiddle, would you?" he asked.