fandomhigh | Doing As You Like For Fun and Entertainment (And Sailing), Monday

Edward still didn't have the foggiest what he was supposed to teach, but he was content to keep making it up as he went along. So for today, he asked the class to meet him aboard the Jackdaw. It got them a fair few odd looks from the lads, but Ed was also content to ignore them.

"Welcome to the Jackdaw," he said. "She used to belong to a Spanish treasure fleet, but we liberated her recently. They weren't using it well, after all."

He leaned on the wheel. "So before we begin I should tell you all, I'm a pirate, and if you've got a problem with that, you might want to leave," he said cheerfully. "See, our homes and families can have a habit of telling us that there are rules, that there are things we cannot be and ways we should behave. A pirate rejects such foolish constraints in favor of something better. So."

He pointed at the nearest student. "If you could be anything in the world, what would you be?" he said. "Is there anything that stands in your way to get there?"

He paused. "And while you tell me, help the lads on deck raise the sails, will you? Just as a trial, of sorts."

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What would you be, without constraints? And what are the constraints you see?

Oh. Breq didn't want to answer that question, and definitely not in class. She remained silent, and would have looked uncomfortable if her face hadn't naturally had a blank expression.

What lie could she come up with?

Edward raised his eyebrows. "Breq," he prompted.

"A ship," she said, "like this one." It was the first lie she could think of. "it's physically impossible."

"You want to be a ship," Edward said slowly. "Or you want to have a ship?"

Oh, this was a mistake. Breq quickly tried to decide what to say next. She didn't care what her teacher thought of her generally, but she wanted this class to be useful and interesting, and coming across as crazy might not be the right way.

Then she noticed Beaker.

"To be one. I know the ships on water here usually aren't run by AIs though."

She didn't think the teacher would draw any conclusions from that that she would prefer him not to.

Beaker gave a rambly, entirely meep-based answer to the question that involved the call of the sea, his bad habit of getting eaten by sea monsters and/or exploding and how he'd probably be better off with a nice, safe desk job. But sailing on the big blue sea would be great. Or maybe working on a variety show?

"Right," Edward said, after a pause. "In total agreement with that."

"Not so much a different what than a where," Uma said, folding her arms across her chest. "I'd have my ship, I'd have my crew, and we'd be free of that miserable island. I just want to be able to go where I want, when I want, with no cares other than keeping my crew hale and hearty."

"This miserable island, or another?" Edward asked. "Because if it's another, I daresay you're already halfway there."

"My crew's not," Uma said. "They're still stuck back home. Along with my ship. So unless you know of another ship worth stealing..."

She gave an ostentatious look at the ship they were on.

"Ah, I just stole this myself," Edward said. "I think it's got to take a bit of a rest before being stolen anew."

Or never again.

Doing As You Like For Fun and Entertainment (And Sailing), Monday

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