"Put some nudity in," said Earthlord. "That should pull the crowds."
"Unlikely," said the artist. "Who's going to be naked? You?"
"The possibility had crossed my mind."
"Forget it. Humans aren't into that sort of thing."
"How about the unicorn?"
"Same. That's why no one bothered to dress it."
"There is such a thing as artistic license, I believe."
"There is, but mine's booked tidying up your host. With fingers and a face and consciousness and so on."
"And happiness," added Earthlord. "It's all the rage among your sort, I gather."
"Be easy, sir: the fad is passing. I recommend contented surrender. The credulity of an audience is best not overtaxed."
"You allude to the principle of versimilitude, Weaver of Wiggles."
"I do, O Occupier Of Our Orb. Your grasp of my craft leaves me speechless."
"Yet still you speak." Though Earthlord feigned exasperation, the compliment had pleased him mightily. "He needs something more... a vestige of consolation, methinks..."
"In like words, as I recall, did your source of nutrition once petitition Your Omnipotency."
"Beg pardon?"
"Good thinking, I said. Let's give him a beverage and something to read." The artist began honing his pencilpoint. "Text specifications?"
"Russian with English subtitles in speech balloons."
"Background?"
"What do you recommend?"
"What am I getting per hour?"
"I thought my terms were self-evident. Do as I command or have your soul sucked out your eye-holes."
"So a job quote. Let's go for blank. Less distraction from the subject."
"And less work for you."
"You misconstrue me, Almightiness."
"As might the fruitier element of the viewership - so indicate, if you would be so kind, that this blankness represents an unbroachable wall."
"How in the hell am I supposed to do that?"
"Easy. The faculty of imagination? Schematizes solutions via voliltional hallucinations? Use that."
The artist bowed and readied his paper.
"Within reason," addended Earthlord. "This is my picture, not a platform for some new art movement."
The artist tested the graphite spike on his thumb and saw his face in a drop of blood. "And the content of your communique?"
"I'm thinking."
"Unlikely," said the artist. "Who's going to be naked? You?"
"The possibility had crossed my mind."
"Forget it. Humans aren't into that sort of thing."
"How about the unicorn?"
"Same. That's why no one bothered to dress it."
"There is such a thing as artistic license, I believe."
"There is, but mine's booked tidying up your host. With fingers and a face and consciousness and so on."
"And happiness," added Earthlord. "It's all the rage among your sort, I gather."
"Be easy, sir: the fad is passing. I recommend contented surrender. The credulity of an audience is best not overtaxed."
"You allude to the principle of versimilitude, Weaver of Wiggles."
"I do, O Occupier Of Our Orb. Your grasp of my craft leaves me speechless."
"Yet still you speak." Though Earthlord feigned exasperation, the compliment had pleased him mightily. "He needs something more... a vestige of consolation, methinks..."
"In like words, as I recall, did your source of nutrition once petitition Your Omnipotency."
"Beg pardon?"
"Good thinking, I said. Let's give him a beverage and something to read." The artist began honing his pencilpoint. "Text specifications?"
"Russian with English subtitles in speech balloons."
"Background?"
"What do you recommend?"
"What am I getting per hour?"
"I thought my terms were self-evident. Do as I command or have your soul sucked out your eye-holes."
"So a job quote. Let's go for blank. Less distraction from the subject."
"And less work for you."
"You misconstrue me, Almightiness."
"As might the fruitier element of the viewership - so indicate, if you would be so kind, that this blankness represents an unbroachable wall."
"How in the hell am I supposed to do that?"
"Easy. The faculty of imagination? Schematizes solutions via voliltional hallucinations? Use that."
The artist bowed and readied his paper.
"Within reason," addended Earthlord. "This is my picture, not a platform for some new art movement."
The artist tested the graphite spike on his thumb and saw his face in a drop of blood. "And the content of your communique?"
"I'm thinking."