fandomhigh | Ethics [Thursday, October 5, 6th period]

As usual, Vader stomped into the classroom exactly on time and slammed the door behind him.

The door was looking like it had seen better days.

"There was a rebel who was captured recently," Vader began, "who possessed knowledge about where the headquarters of her wrong-headed and illegal organization was hiding. After extensive interrogation--which is next week's lesson and not this one--it was decided that extreme measures must be taken to get her to reveal her information."

Vader paused, the only sound in the room his ventilation unit.

"So we destroyed her home planet from space."

Vader paced in front of his desk, his black cape sweeping out behind him. "Today's question is not 'was that excessive' because I don't care, but how far would you go in order to get what you want. This is different from the question earlier this semester. I do not want your emotions to play a part in your calculations. This isn't to save someone you love. This is to do your job, to salvage your pride, to make sure others know you being absolutely serious."

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Aeryn knows this is going to be a twitchy subject for her and she's not exactly sure why, other than she was given the rebel's choice in class before. "You don't know exactly what's appropriate until the time comes," she says. "The really important thing is a sense of proportion."

"So 'you take my cookie, I blow up your planet' would be...disproportionate," Vader replied. "But what if they were trying to undermine your government?"

"Blowing up the homeworld of one person when it was filled with billions of people who weren't in her situation or shared her viewpoint is shocking, yes," Aeryn says slowly, "and it gets the point across, sure. But it's unexpected on a level that most people can't even fathom. And there comes a point where the people who see that happen are going to stop being afraid, or at least band together with more people in order to make sure it can't happen again. You lose just as much respect, support, fear, whatever you want to call it, as you've gained. Probably more."

Which, if she thinks about it hard, there are people out there who see her kind that way. It's not a happy thought.

Which had been Vader's private thoughts about the Death Star for years now. Not that he was going to share them.

"It proved we are not to be trifled with," he argued.

The thought Aeryn doesn't voice is the one that starts And a kid with no combat experience blew up the thing you proved that with.

"Except that everyone from that planet couldn't possibly still be on the planet, and they lost family, friends. The Rebellion would have more of a reason to fight now. If they were already leading open rebellion against an established government, I doubt they're walking away. And others would see what had happened and think that it was wrong. People will put up a fight over the stupidest things, and this wouldn't largely be seen as stupid."

Something else he had argued with Tarkin.

"We can handle it," Vader said sharply.

"Maybe," she says, though she doubts it. "Either way, personally I couldn't take it that far to prove a point, because I know it would only work against me."

"So a small moon could be a possibility, then?"

"No. If there are people living on it, it's a senseless waste. If there aren't, it's overcompensation masquerading as heavy-handed strength," Aeryn says. "Shoot a person to prove that you're not afraid to do it? It can be done. More than that, you're not proving anything, you're just being destructive."

Vader growled and stomped off, which kind of proved Aeryn's point.

Ethics [Thursday, October 5, 6th period]

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