Mists and clouds swirl, breaking and reforming in the wake of the airship's passage. On the deck, a young poodle noble strides along, his muzzle held high, his hands behind his back, looking as if he's in charge. Furthering the misconception, he occasionally nods approvingly to a crewhand here or there, as if such approval were needed from him.

The poodle walks past a few crewhands, and tut-tuts to himself. "Such terrible grooming habits! Small wonder I have never dealt with anyone from an airship at any of the parties. And, speaking of, I simply MUST talk to the captain about the lack of a WINE STEWARD on this ship. And the food! It's positively wretched. While I'm at it, I simply can't believe how SLOWLY this ship is moving. If they'd used a proper ship like I suggested to my dear father, Arch-Inquisitor do Varr," he seems intent upon accenting the name, "we'd be there already."

The poodle shivers from the cold as he looks over the edge of the ship … then quietly frowns. He clears his throat and shivers again.

"Excuse me!" says the poodle loudly in a very nonconciliatory tone of voice. "Can't anyone see that I am SHIVERING?"

Kira watches the young noble out of the corner of her eye, and wonders why she lt herself take this guarding job.

The poodle looks to Kira. "Now, I hope you haven't forgotten who I AM. Eustace do Varr. Your EMPLOYER. How about if you make yourself useful and get me something so I won't freeze to death up here? A blanket, or shawl, or perhaps a hot mug of Ganorean Spice Ale?"

A crewmember disappears into the stern section of the ship, a door banging closed behind him. This is followed a few minutes later by the door opening and closing again. A brown Khatta strides onto the deck, quickily spotting the poodle. "Here, what's this?" she says, approaching the poodle and escort. "I won't have you harassing my crew." Her tone somehow manages to be annoyed and respectful at the same time.

Kira says, "I'll go find a blanket for you."

The poodle frowns severely at Mira, not even acknowledging Kira's offer. "Harassing? HARASSING?!?" He looks around at anybody around him, as if for witnesses to this affront against his honor. "Can I believe my ears? Have they been infected by the chilling cold, or numbed by pangs of hunger, starving on the swill that passes for food here? Pray tell it is but an illusion, that someone should treat Eustace do Varr, son of Arch-Inquisitor do Varr, with such lack of respect!"

Up in the rigging, two Vartans squawk to each other while inspecting the ship's airbag.

Kira stands behind the young noble and tries not to glare at him.

The brown Khatta, apparently carrying some kind of authority among the crew, takes a deep breath. Her tail twitches behind her. "I am sorry, sir, that our accomodations are not up to your standards. I assure you that you are not being treated any differently than any other passenger whom I have ever ferried."

The poodle's eyes go wide. "Not any DIFFERENTLY? NOT ANY DIFFERENTLY? Was that meant to be some sort of consolation, or are you openly insulting me? I am NOT some mere commoner! Perhaps you have been away from Rephidim for too long!"

Kira says, "Master Eustace, would you like me to find you a blanket now, or maybe some warm food?"

"YES!" Eustace near-shrieks. "Yes, yes, YES! Just DO it! Bother and pestilence! Why have the First Ones been fit to torment me so, by surrounding me by so many uncultured … uncultured … Oh, what WOULD be a proper word for them all? I haven't even an assistant to suggest insulting phrases! How positively uncivilized!"

One Vartan points down to the poodle, then squawks something to the other, who only partially stifles a laugh.

Apparently, the comment rankles the officer. She surveys Eustace calmly, though the tic in her tail seems to be growing worse. "What would you have me do?" she inquires. "If you are cold, I assure you that the galley can be quite a bit warmer. But this ship is not a pleasure liner. The Glutton works to earn her keep." (As apparently you don't know how), she silently adds.

The poodle yaps, "Pleasure liner? Well, mind you, since I'm aboard, my pleasure is of utmost importance, and my comfort. And I am NOT about to spend my time in the galley, shoulder to shoulder with lice-infested Vartans and … whatever else some of these people are!"

Kira looks at the other Khatta and tries to remember to remain civilized.

The poodle looks back to Kira. "And you! What are you doing, just STANDING there? I think … I think I'm going to get into a RAGE, I will, if someone doesn't tend to my needs IMMEDIATELY!"

A weary-looking Savanite approaches the pair of Khattas and the poodle. " Captain Mira, Mistress… " he begins to sign. A Rath'ani translator standing near Mira quietly converts the sign into speech, whispering to the Captain.

At this very moment, Eustace whirls around, hands outstretched in a melodramatic gesture to encompass all he sees, saying, "And why is everyone just standing around doing nothing – or just trying to LOOK busy? Shouldn't they be pushing or flapping or something to make us go fa – " His arm smacks into the Savanite.

Kira steps forward. "Master Eustace, please be careful. We are on an airship, and I wouldn't want you to trip and hurt yourself."

The Savanite cringes back. "No, Master! Please! " he signs frantically… a bewildered look in his eyes.

Eustace does just that – that, is, trip – and stumbles, arms flailing. "Assault! I've been assaulted by a rabid Savanite!"

Kira says, "Master Eustace, calm down!"

"Calm down? Earn your pay, mercenary, and defend me! Box that impertinent slave about the ears for daring to touch my person!" the poodle yaps.

The suddenly more-awake Savanite signs, "No, I did not… " before dropping his hands to his sides, and lowering his head, submissively.

Mira's retort is cut short as the Savanite is tossed to the deck. She hurries to his side, looking for any obvious injuries (the better, of course, to have reason to confine this crazy poodle belowdeck.) "Rabid? I think it was you who hit him. I advise you to be more careful. Some things in here don't take well to abuse!" Mira helps the Savanite to stand. "I agreed to ferry you to your destination," she tells the poodle flatly. "That I will do. And you will arrive there alive. But you will refrain from abusing the privelege of travelling on board the Glutton."

Above, the Vartans whisper-squawk, watching all.

"Abuse?!?" the poodle shouts, as if nobody is talking quite loudly enough for him. "Now then, what is your name, captain? I think maybe the Inquisition would be very interested in how you run a ship! Yes indeed!"

The captain's tail-tic becomes a bit more severe.

The Savanite turns to Mira. "No Mistress, it was my fault, I deserve my punishment,", he signs, but with hesitant motions. The Rath'ani translates it with appropriate inflections.

Kira puts her hand on Eustace do Varr's shoulder. "Master Eustace, perhaps you should be a little more diplomatic. We don't want to get trouble, do we?"

The Savanite's protests are waved off. "Never mind. Report, crewman."

The poodle is almost frothing at the mouth. "Dip – dip… " He gasps. He must be overexerting himself. He waves his hands at the Savanite as he tries to catch his breath. "What IS that Savanite finger-wiggling about? He'd better not be signing anything insulting or obscene!"

"Yes, Captain Mira," the cheetah signs, fingers almost slurring nervously… "The second shift has chewed… fed, I mean, Mistress… and is ready to replace the first shift, upon your order." The translator leaves out the stumbling.

The poodle yaps, "I insist that this rabid, impertinent, insulting Savanite be … be … thrown overboard! Immediately!"

"And if someone doesn't snap to it and do it … Well, I'll do it MYSELF! I'm tired of everyone standing around and letting me suffer!" the poodle sputters.

Kira stares at Eustace.

Kira narrows her eyes. She's had enough of this little brat, even if she could use the work.

Eustace looks back and forth. "Well? Well? Can ANYONE here do the right thing?"

At this, the captain steps between Eustace and the Savanite. Her voice sounds a bit like a growl. "You will not interfere with my crew," she says flatly. Mustering all the respect she can, she continues. "M'lord, this is for your own safety. Please calm yourself. Perhaps a rest in your quarters and some hot soup would be to your liking." Mira is visibly trembling, though, and the words come only with great self-control.

The poodle gawks, then sputters, "Just WHAT are you saying? For my own safety?"

The Savanite waits motionless now, hands at his side and head lowered once more, as harmless and servile as he can appear.

Kira whispers to the young noble, "I think you may want to reconsider throwing anyone off the ship considering you only have me to protect you, and there are more of them then there are of us."

"Reconsider?" the poodle yaps angrily. "A do Varr NEVER thinks twice!" with that, he storms toward the Savanite, looking quite ready to carry out his threat. He asides, "And when I'm through … I just might toss YOU overboard as well, for all the good you do me!" He glares at Kira.

Kira mutters, "I wasn't aware a do Varr thought once."

The poodle's eyes bug out! "WHAT?!?" he shrieks.

One Vartan flaps down from the rigging, sitting on the rail on the opposite side of the ship from where the Savanite is backing towards, while the cheetah signs "No! no!" with vigorous head-shaking.

Mira stands her ground. "If you do, I will have you confined to quarters for the rest of this trip!" she snaps. "And the cost of that Savanite will, I assure you, be billed to you." She looks ready to back up her threat.

Eustace immediately grabs the cheetah, as if the poor servant is the cause for all his troubles. "Why you … YOU!" After all, Savanites don't typically fight back. They're so much easier to vent one's frustrations on.

The Savanite's eyes look wildly around, unable to resist or struggle against the poodle.

Mira looks around quickily, spotting the two Vartans. "Don't let him do it!" she yells to them.

Kira walks over to Eustace and grabs his wrists. "Master Eustace, if you don't let go right now, I will have the Captain confine you to your quarters for your own safety."

The Vartan up in the rigging calls, "Ah, throw him over! He was nothing but trouble, that one." But he winks quickly at the captain.

The other Vartan… odd, she was just here a moment ago.

The poodle froths and yaps at Kira. "Unhand me at ONCE! I can have you beheaded! Or worse!"

The Khatta captain, realizing that the Savanite is free again (for the moment, anyway) quickly steps around Eustace and carries the slave quickly away from the confrontation. It wouldn't do to lose a carefully-trained crewman.

The poodle rants, "… and then they'll sew your head BACK on, but BACKWARDS, and only after turning you inside out, and then saw it off again… " His ranting breaks down into a frantic and angry yapping.

Watching to make sure the Captain has the Savanite a safe distance away, Kira releases one of Eustace's wrists.

The male Vartan flaps down from the rigging, and mutters something quickly to the captain and slave.

The Savanite still shudders and shakes, but looks up now to the captain.

Eustace continues his frothing, incoherent, yapping rant, his eyes wide. It's not a pretty sight.

For a moment, Eustace blinks as he notices that one hand is free … and uses that moment to wrench his other hand free (quite a feat, for a poodle), and makes a dash for the cheetah. "Dagh take you, cursed wretch!" he yap-howls as he charges the Savanite.

The Vartan nods to the captain's reply, and heads off to one side of the deck, spinning around as the poodle rushes past him!

The Savanite shudders, frozen to the spot…

With a blurred flurry of motion, and cat-like reflexes almost too fast to follow, the Khatta mercenary's quick action catches the poodle in mid-charge. He hasn't a chance. He is knocked to the deck, and his breath is expelled as he's flattened harmlessly against the wood, pinned in place by the deadly Khatta warrioress.

Eustace has nothing to say, except for a prolonged wheeze. There is a smell of fear in the air.

Kira looks down at the young poodle. "Master Eustace, are you all right?

Mira crosses her arms as she watches Kira tend to her … master. Her tailtip is still twitching … though more slowly than before. She mutters something under her breath to the Vartan.

Eustace wheezes … then passes out.

Kira sighs and looks up at Captain Mira. "I think now would be a good time to take Master Eustace to his quarters."

The captain's only response is a curt nod.

The two Vartans look to their captain, then take up the unconscious poodle, dragging him off of the deck, and out of sight.

The Savanite bows to his Captain, and to Kira, hands joyfully expressing his thanks.

Mira gives the Savanite a gentle pat on the shoulder as she goes about inspecting the ship to make sure Eustace hasn't accidentally wrecked something in his wish to be … helpful.

Kira nods to the Savanite, and rubs her forehead to ease her impending headache.