Shipwrights [27 Lage 4385]

[sythyry]

Mirrored from Sythyry.

Per Ijith is a Rassimel man built like a hammer. He acts a bit like one, too. He has been carpentering mightily for some fifty years. That may have something to do with it.

Per: “You-nob the ship’s master?”

Me: “That I am.”

Per: “I-jivu’m here t’get some of the basic arrangements for how we’re gonna do the work on your skyboat.”

Me: “Ah, excellent. I have been awaiting this day eagerly!”

Per: “Well, there’s stuff we-jivu have to figure out first, before’n we all get started.”

Me: “And that would be…?”

Per: “First’n all, there’s that spell y’got on the ship, that’s gotta go.”

Me: “What spell might that be? There are many spells upon it, as befits a wizard’s pleasure craft, and they are all most useful.”

Per: “That pleasure craft spell. Me’n'my guys, we’re decent folks, we don’t hold with this traff stuff.”

Me: “And we don’t hold with being insulted, but I’m sure that you can arrange to be civil while you are on board.”

Per: “You know the spell I’m talking about, wizzy!”

Me: “Indeed, I do not!”

Per: “The spell what says you can’t come on board unless you [perform a quite intimate action with a Khtsoyis].”

Me: “The what? There’s no such spell here. This is important! Our Khtsoyis is strictly cisaffectionate.”

Per: “Well, me’n'the guys won’t be believing that.”

Me: “You don’t need to believe it. Walk through the door, there, and if nothing stops you, there is no spell making ridiculous requirements of you.”

Per: “Aof, y’r doing something tricky then, we know there’s some wicked spell doing something with those [indecent sexual practices].”

Me: “Yes. It’s a spell to block scrying — anyone who tries peering at us from outside gets a scene from a traff pornography instead. The reality is far more sedate.”

Per: “The what? So nobody can keep an eye on us from Eigrach t’see that we aren’t getting molested by your crew?”

Me: “Did you really hire a scrier to do that?”

Per: “Nah, but what if we need one for safety?”

Me: “You don’t need one for safety. There are only two people on board who would so much as flirt with you, and I’ll make sure they behave themselves.”

Per: argue, argue, argue

Me: argue, argue, argue

Per was certain — certain! — that we had some wicked, wicked designs on his body prepared for the instant he stepped on board. Or perhaps a week later. Or something. The details varied, but the fear remained. I gave several assurances that nothing of interest would possibly happen. He was un-reassured. Indeed, it seemed that nothing but a 1/3 raise in his wages could reassure him. Since I am not paying him in cash, I sent him to Lord Bwipin.

Two hours later, thirty carpenters of assorted species and specialties appeared on the road, with carts of tools and rituals and paint, and the skyboat echoed with the glorious sounds of hammering and sawing.

Comments

[rowyn]

Only a day later! Hurrah!

... assuming they are actually *fixing* the skyboat and not managing to make things worse. <.<

I do hope Lord Bwipin paid them in extra yelling and threats, rather than a pay raise. >:)

[shurhaian.livejournal.com]

Frankly, with how horrid Bwipin has been to Sythyry on the matter, I think he can afford to meet them halfway: yelling and threats, to bargain down to a one-*sixth* raise in wages.

[rowyn]

I'm not sure Bwipin is the architect of the delay, as opposed to merely one of the executors. It does sound like the shipwrights were being obstinate all on their own, lending some truth to his contention that the guild had their own agenda.

Though I suppose that could have been a planned bit of gilding on the lily Sythyry wasn't going to buy anyhow. >:)

[shurhaian.livejournal.com]

Apparently they can get some work done when it's shown to be in their interests.

There is the concern that they might not do a proper job. On the other hand, if they screw it up, you should still be able to get it as far as Heleshario, right? The moment you made plain that you weren't going to tolerate their stalling, well, suddenly you're bargaining from a position of strength.

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

Este, Windigar, and I took care to inspect each half-day's work after it happened. And nobody but Windigar (who is cissy) flirted with any of them, anyhow.

[heavenscalyx.livejournal.com]

To Per: Oh, honey, get over yourself. There ain't nothin' about you that makes any of us want to jump your bones.

[rowyn]

I was rather relieved that Sythyry didn't say anything to this effect, actually.

[kensan-oni.livejournal.com]

Sythry is not the Flaming type! Inconnu, on the other hand....

[kensan-oni.livejournal.com]

Umm... Not the... Oh! You know what I mean! Not in that way!

[rowyn]

Hee! Yes, I know what you mean, although that wasn't my reason for being glad. It's more that, well, saying "you're not my type" in response to someone's fear of sexual assault carries the implication that if Per were zir type, than it would be a legitimate concern. D: Which is far from the case!

[heavenscalyx.livejournal.com]

Well, yes. People like Per usually get all offended when confronted with the reality that none of the perverts actually wants them.

[rowyn]

That wasn't what I was thinking of.

On my world, callous people often dismiss accusations of rape or sexual assault with assertions that "No one would want *you* because you are [ugly/fat/old/personally repugnant/etc.]"

The people of Strayway are not going to assault Per because they are not rapists. It really has nothing to do with whether or not Per is attractive. And while it's tempting to return his insult in claiming that they *are* rapists by insulting his (admittedly repulsive) attitude ... it's not productive, or even on target. Having a repugnant attitude is not actually protection against assault. :/

[heavenscalyx.livejournal.com]

Sorry, I misunderstood, and I'm sorry about the comment. Mostly I was thinking about how appalled I am whenever some straight girl thinks that I might possibly be interested in her and thinks that's grody; I wasn't thinking beyond that to the accusation of rape in Per's commentary. You're right, my comment was out of line.

[rowyn]

It's all right -- I had the same thought at first, and took a moment to realize why it bothered me. :/ It's pretty creepy, the way we're trained to think that someone's fear of sexual harassment or assault is "flattering oneself". D:

On the other hand, it's *at least* as aggravating when people assume that having an unusual orientation means you're automatically under suspicion of being a harasser. Gah! And I don't mean to detract from that issue.

[terrycloth.livejournal.com]

The typical scenario for the 'don't flatter yourself' line doesn't have anything to do with sexual harassment or assault, though. It's someone assuming the other person is flirting, and that alone is enough to make them uncomfortable if they're homophobic.

[shurhaian.livejournal.com]

Too, the homophobia is enough to make people assume that any such person is a rapist. Which isn't such a person's fault.

Well...

[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

If there are any secretly traff carpenters, now they know that the ship is shielded against scrying. Defections could ensue, with further awkwardness.

[terrycloth.livejournal.com]

Actually, given Eigrach's attitude towards 'blackmail', wasn't Per basically flirting with you?

"You're going to secretly molest me as soon as I step through the door!"

"I am not!"

"Are you *sure*? My rates are quite reasonable."

[rowyn]

... that it's hard to tell the difference between fear and flirtation is just one of many reasons to leave Eigrach far behind. O.o

[kensan-oni.livejournal.com]

Yeah! Intimate Acts with a Khytsoyis!

[stormydragon.livejournal.com]

Given experienc on my world with people obsessed with sexual minorities molesting them, I suspect Per Ijith is traff and finds you attractive.

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

I suppose that could be true. I will not indulge him, if this is the case.

[stormydragon.livejournal.com]

Oh he doesn't want you to either. But he's struggling against his nature, which causes him to be come angry at anything which reminds him that. So when he says he's afraid you'll try to molest him, he's really afraid he'll try to molest you.