You can get anything you want...

[ooeeooahah]

[ Phone, early afternoon, filtered from drones: ]

Yes, I know - anyone that wants something other than what was delivered, stop by tonight, I've got three turkeys to fry.

[ 1490 Kramden Road, Thanksgiving, early evening: ]

[ Ilsa viewed the delivery with deep suspicion... and some annoyance. ]

[ However, she did bring in the turkey and carve it

Comments

[velesdonnersen]

[Tarvek has stopped over at his house long enough to stand as a token presence at his own table, carving the turkey Drone-Luka has made. He's said a nice, long, Germanic grace, pretended to eat, spent time with his two drone children...and then quickly, quietly slipped away, jumping in his car to join Ilsa...]

[He cuts into the background, and is met with... a vision. A SCAFFOLD! With...BOILING OIL! EEEEEEEEEEEEE!]

Ah! I see: you decided to make sure I had something to be thankful for!

Can I play, too?

[ooeeooahah]

[ Ilsa stops in her outdoor cooking station preparations to see that light in Tarvek's eyes. ]

Oh, ye jigs and juleps...

[ Her expression is that of a rabbit that has just spotted the goshawk about to take it down. But there's a part of of her that sees what the attraction of a Spark might be in his world. ]

Ah.

[ She takes just a moment to get herself under control. You need your wits about to handle this operation. ]

This is for the turkeys. [ Firmly. ] Not anything else.

[velesdonnersen]

[Speculative consideration given. "Turkey" can cover such a marvelously broad range of beings, in English, after all...]

[Hopeful] Fried Venkeman? Pleeaaaase?

[ooeeooahah]

NO. [ She's suppressing a giggle. ] That's bad for your karma. And probably for your cholesterol levels as well.

I could use some help with these, though.

[ She gestures to the three coolers on the patio with her. ]

[velesdonnersen]

[Putters very cheerfully over, and pops open a cooler. Wonderful: LARGE turkey...]

You have a pulley and harness rig for this, I hope? Boiling oil is dangerous, katzchen.

[ooeeooahah]

That's what the scaffolding is for. I've been part of enough boucheries to know how to handle the oil station.

[ She climbs one of the stepladders and sets the rig in place. ]

Besides, we aren't drinking for this one.

[velesdonnersen]

[Mixed feelings. He's a good Eastern European, and he does believe booze belongs with celebrations. But he's also a bit of a virtue prig, so ultimately be approves.]

Good, good. Now, let's get a turkey harnessed, yes?

[He strips off his jacket, rolls up his sleeves, and gingerly fishes a brined turkey out of the cooler...]

Greetings, Herr Truthahn, I would like to have you over for dinner, neh? Now, now, step right into this little wrap...

[He's a boy. He walks the turkey on across the top of the cooler before installing it graciously in the harness.]

Ready to hoist him, love?

[ooeeooahah]

Tch, playing with your food.

[ Ilsa hooks the rig to the ring, and hoists the turkey up to the pulley, then backs off to lower it into the vat. ]

That should do, and in half an hour, we get that one out, and start the next. Supper in an hour, and everything else should be ready in stages, as well.

[velesdonnersen]

[Looks longingly at the scaffold and rig...sighs.]

You're *sure* you don't want me to adapt it so we can cook three at once? Or... or do something really exciting? Like... like... like deep-fried exploding puddings?

[ooeeooahah]

Maybe for Yule, fireworks are traditional for that.

[ Besides, maybe they can get an adequate fire extinguisher worked up by then. ]

Might need a cannon for the pudding idea, though... hm.

[velesdonnersen]

[He's imagining an automatic winching system, with several attachments for serial dunkings, and for exotic vict...er, dishes.]

Mmmmm. Fun!

What else can I do to help, liebchen?

[ooeeooahah]

Well, for one thing, someone needs to be with this at all times. So having two here means if something needs attention in the kitchen, one of us can keep watch.

[ She shrugs. ]

I don't expect the drones to come out here, they had the town turkey, and I've had quiet music on all day, I'm hoping they take the hint.

[velesdonnersen]

[He nods, looking sad.]

Their lives are so small. They like it that way, but I keep hoping that if we find a way to resolve Mayfield it will include a way to give drones better lives.

But Catherine and Perry seemed to like the Thanksgiving they got.

This one, though, is more fun.

[ooeeooahah]

[ She stares at the bubbling pot. ]

I... I remember how Jeff was before. It seems as if everything was drained from him. Blue is back, but in another house. When she was replaced here with that improbably blonde girl, it was a relief. It...

[ She catches herself, and tightens up her shields a little, but not enough to completely shut off the trickle of unhappiness Tarvek might get from her. ] It makes it a little easier, not knowing who or what the girl here used to be.

[velesdonnersen]

[Pulls her close.]

I feel badly about Luka. But the new drone-wife isn't her *or* the Betty. It's unsettling.

They still don't upset me as much as they do you. I just keep feeling they're only half-made, and deserve better.

I hope you get a grand turn-out for this, love. A party would be a good thing.

[ooeeooahah]

[ Quietly, ] When Egon was droned, it was like stepping off in a hole unexpectedly. It wasn't just that he wasn't behaving like he usually does, there wasn't anything there.

[ She shivers, and continues. ]

I couldn't feel anything from him. It's probably why I couldn't do any healing with him in that state. There wasn't any pain for me to take on.