3 Chirreb 4385:Hiring Them

[delight-in.livejournal.com]

Summer Sky still hadn't made up his mind about what he wanted. "Something serious. And sparkly or shiney or fiery -- do you do fiery? I want to look sleek and fast and dangerous. Don't make it anything like my name! I hate my name." That made the other Ulgrane laugh at him which I don't think made him like his name any better. I did him all in black with flickering flames burning up the rear half of his wings and up his legs and trailing from his eyes. The girl Ulgrane got kinda bored by now because they don't have nearly as much interest in looking pretty as the boys. Which is funny because I think the main reason the boys do it is to get the girls to pay attention to them. Although the girls did give Chain Lightning a lot of admiring looks when he was done so I guess the final effect was worth it even if the getting-there part doesn't grab them.

Since the girls were bored and wanted to get back to racing, most of the flock did that, racing alongside the airship because they didn't want the group to get separated. They came back to rest now and then because while they can fly a lot faster than the Charger, they get tired and the airship doesn't. Normally they'd just hover when they wanted a break, like Khtsoyis, but having to keep up with the ship made that awkward.

While that was going on, Purrzhon took Mirhandrax below. I think he wanted to get Mirhandrax's opinion about hiring Ulgrane but I don't think he wanted to admit that's what he was doing.

They were still down in the hold when I finished with Summer Sky and the three remaining boy Ulgrane all started arguing about who got to go next since I wasn't styling three more today, not after I'd already spent half the day exercising.

I took a break and checked my scroll for messages and to see if there was anything new from Boomsy or Sythrs. Then I wrote about my day so far and by the time I'd gotten to the end of the entry before this one, the Ulgrane had decided to settle the argument by racing and the best two of three had already won. Who was named Moon-Keeper and also didn't want anything to do with his name. Intoxicating Sky pouted next to us. "I wanted something to do with my name. I was going to get little bubbles all over, rising to foam over my crest. Like ale!"

I made sympathetic noises at him but didn't offer to paint him anyway because NO THREE IS PLENTY. Ulgrane are BIG!

The other Primes were gone for a while longer even after that. Later I asked Nightbloom what everyone was doing. She said that the lead pilot and half the crew had cornered Purrzhon to ask him what was going on with the Ulgrane and demanded that he drive them off at once.

Which I think is when Purrzhon decided to hire the Ulgrane.

At least, that's when he told the crew and Nightbloom and Trust that he was hiring the Ulgrane. He might've already said something to Mirhandrax, I don't know. Anyway, he said he was hiring the monsters, just like he'd hired us and hired the Charger. And if the shiphands didn't like working with monsters they were going to like fighting them a whole lot less and maybe they shouldn't have taken Purrzhon's lozens for danger-pay if they were such cowards they wouldn't even fly in the same general vicinity with a friendly monster.

I don't think he was actually threatening the crew that he'd sic the Ulgrane on them if they threatened mutiny or tried to put us off. Nightbloom didn't think so either. But the crew might've if they didn't know that Sleeth usually aren't that subtle when they make threats.

Anyway the crew grumbled a lot but they said all right in the end.

Of course Purrzhon hadn't actually asked the Ulgrane if they wanted to work for him yet. Strictly speaking, Purrzhon didn't ask them at all. He made me do it.

Chain Lightning was pretty surprised. "What? I'm a rainmaker, Delight, not an adventurer."

"But you're an Ulgrane everyone knows how tough you are and you know Call the Lightning and that's a great combat spell and we could really use some help from people who don't need a spell to fly and pleeeeeease?" I made big sad Orren eyes at him.

"How many of us are you asking?" Windchime wanted to know.

I looked at Purrzhon. The Sleeth shrugged. "As many as come. I pay you the usual rates. The monsters, you are only fighting the monsters. The Mewellicaps and any other monsters that attack. The Primes are fighting the Primes."

"And anyone knows that an Ulgrane can take a Mewellicap!" I said.

The Ulgrane all nodded at this obvious truth but most of them didn't look very eager for a fight just the same.

"And we've got a healer so if anything happens to you Trust'll fix you right up again!" I added.

Chain Lightning ducked his head. "Maybe you should come back to the cloudnest and ask the warriors. If it's not going to buy us trouble with Ulmarn, the Council might be willing to help."

Purrzhon lashed his tail, annoyed. "We are on the fast ship so that we can take the enemy by surprise. I am not taking the detour and asking for the help that may or may not arrive after the hours or days of politicking. If I am wanting the politics and the council than I am going to Ulmarn and asking them for help. I am not thinking they help me so I am not sure why I might be thinking the monsters do."

"I just don't think this is a great idea, Joy," Chain Lightning began.

Windchime rustled her wings and fanned out her feathery tail. "I'll do it. Hunting Mewellicaps sounds like fun."

"All right, I'm in," Chain Lightning said.

None of the others were interested, not even when I tried to tempt Intoxicated Sky by offering to paint him afterwards if he'd join us. The sun was starting to go out, so they all took off. We offered to give Chain Lightning and Windchime space inside the ship to sleep (although I don't know exactly where we'd put them. In the galley, I guess) but they said they didn't like little rooms so they'd sleep on the Charger's back. "We shall be quite cozy inside the Shelter." We brought them up some pillows and blankets and stuff for them to make a nest out of, and then I wrote up the rest of my day before bed.

I hope less stuff happens tomorrow or I'll never be able to keep current!

Comments

[terrycloth.livejournal.com]

If everyone thought it was a good idea, Purrzhon wouldn't have done it? Sleeth work by anti-democracy!

[tuftears.livejournal.com]

More to the point, never demand a sleeth do something or he'll do the opposite to spite you. };)

[delight-in.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure that was it he doesn't like anyone telling him what to do!

[delight-in.livejournal.com]

Noooo he asked everyone's advice on stuff earlier I think he only spites people if they give him orders.

[gavinfox.livejournal.com]

So how does he respond to people *diplomatically* trying to tell him what to do, you know, those tricks where they try to make him think he came up with the idea, or it really is the best plan, or whatever?

[delight-in.livejournal.com]

I think he can tell when people are doing it because Mirhandrax kind of does that and Mirhandrax sort of annoys Purrzhon too. But it works a lot better than giving him orders!