Why you should never give an elf a Vuvuzela, a treatise

[bythewaves]

Who: Maglor and all of you
Broadcast: Yes
Action: Huntress
When: Right Now

[ The gift basket got a curious look, and Maglor fished idly through it before uncovering some odd instruments.

Which he tries.

So sorry, everyone on the Huntress, you just got disturbed by the most annoying sound in the world

Later on, he'll also try some of the other instruments, which will lead to the whole Fleet being "treated" to ... well something rather unexpected from an elf ]

Comments

[nerdeology]

With the number of people we have on board, I feel like that's just asking for trouble, even if several of us don't need to eat. The kitchen's a popular place to be.

[You can almost always find someone in there. It's prime real estate!]

No, I'll ask Sorey if there's space in engineering. He did get that agriculture upgrade for the ship, so we may as well do something useful with it.

[bythewaves]

True...and Fingon can be absent minded when cooking, I'd hate for him to grab without looking.

[ He nods ] That might work better yes - and it will be warmer down there too, which I'm sure will help.

[nerdeology]

I imagine so. Lastonbell was a temperate region, and that's where they primarily grow. I can ask Dezel if he knows what they need to stay healthy... maybe I'd better save a few seeds in case we need multiple attempts at growing them.

[bythewaves]

Probably wise. [ Maglor agrees ]

If Dezel knows more about them, you may also want to check if they need anything specific, like how our little memorial tree needs a dark room rather than sunlight, even as artificial as we have it here.

[nerdeology]

I don't recall them needing anything so fancy- they were just growing in a garden in the middle of town. It's likely that he'd know better than anyone else, though.

[bythewaves]

If that is the case it is probably so. [ He nods, turning around from the airlock after having gone through the tedious procedure needed to remove the vuvuzela without removing them as well ]

Do you think they will be safe if we fence off an area of the garden, maybe?

[nerdeology]

I don't like the idea of having them even more publically available than here on our own ship. It's a very dangerous poison, so I'm told, and there's bound to be some idiot who thinks they're stronger than they actually are. Nevermind people who wouldn't notice or be able to read a warning sign.

The engine room will have to do.

[bythewaves]

Well, at least Sorey will be able to make sure no one picks it up accidentally, there.

[ Maglor nods ] It will have to do! I'll see if we have any of the spare sun lamps that are small enough to be portable... I'm still finding where things are, in the garden.

[nerdeology]

That would help, yeah. And if we can't spare any, we'll look into buying some the next time we stop. I can wait to plant them after we have all the equipment we need. Oh, and maybe Edna would be willing to check the soil, too... she did that with Zaveid's plants and they grew really well.

[bythewaves]

I haven't bought anything new, at our last stop - so I should have enough money, depending on what the new location is like. [ Maglor nods ] Worse case, we pool funds, but I am reluctant to dip into money that folk might need for other things, or for upgrading the ship.

[nerdeology]

We can find the funds. I try to keep a backup supply of my own, and I've no interest in upgrades this month. I think we'll manage.

[bythewaves]

I will check the garden first, all the same! And I suppose we shall both need to look for pots, too.

[nerdeology]

Pots, or we could build a small plot in the corner out of the way. If the raddishbells don't do well, there's no reason why we couldn't have the space available for other vegetables.

[bythewaves]

A raised bed might work - you don't want anything on the ground that folk might trip over - it would probably be more practical than pots, at that!

[nerdeology]

Oh, probably. Though before we do anything I'd like to check if raddishbells will poison the soil it grows in. Then we'd have to do pots, or a separate box.

[bythewaves]

That might be a problem, aye - you said you knew someone who knows, so I will leave that part to you!

[nerdeology]

In that case, I'd best go ask him. I'm eager to see how this might turn out.

[bythewaves]

As am I! Do let me know how things go!

......................Mikleo.

[ Flatly ]

I did throw the ... vuvuzela out, yes? You saw me do so?

[ Staring at something behind him ]

[nerdeology]

Of course you did, I saw you- what?

[Mikleo follows his gaze, and... sure enough.]

Was there a second one?

[bythewaves]

Not unless someone else got one. [ Maglor says doubtfully ]

But I am sure... maybe we just didn't notice. Here, pass it to me, and I'll toss this one too.

[nerdeology]

Right...

[Mikleo retrieves it from the floor and passes it over, trying to ignore that eerie feeling. That wasn't there when they walked by, was it?]

I'll just... watch you do it. So we know.

[bythewaves]

[ Maglor accepts it, and is very careful to make sure it's in the airlock, and they can both watch it sucked out into the blackness of space ]

That... was very strange.

[nerdeology]

...It was indeed.

[Mikleo peers through the window, watching it float away from the ship.]

I'm sure it was just a fluke.

[bythewaves]

[ Maglor watches it until even elven sight cannot spot it any more and then heaves a sigh ]

It must have been.

[ He agrees, turning away at last ]

I suppose I am not surprised that no one else saw fit to announce they had one too, considering!

[nerdeology]

Maybe they knew what it was and didn't want to even bother trying.

[After hearing the noise it makes, he'd have done the same thing. Though leaving it in the middle of the floor for someone to trip on is just irresponsible.]