fandomhigh | Revolutions: Week 10 Period 5

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Revolutions: Week 10 Period 5

Aly waited for the students to all come in before going to close the door and sit on her desk. "To those of you I had in my class last semester, I want to apologise. This is a bit of a redux of a few topics that we covered that are just as important to a revolutionary as to a spy. The currency of both is information. And to get information, you have to be able to get people to trust you and possibly even mislead them to convince them to spill the beans." She grinned. "We're going to go through these pretty quickly in this class session, but I don't want anyone to think that makes them less important. If you still have questions after class, come find me in my office or save them and ask next class session."

She flipped the whiteboard around to reveal a list written on it.

11 Ways to Start Off on the Right Foot, or a Guide to Flirting.
1. Remain Still and Composed
2. Smile genuinely
3. Maintain as much eye contact as you can tolerate
4. Employ the same body language you would use with an old friend
5. Your opening statement is crucial
6. Assess then focus on the other person's interests
7. Mirror body language and echo speech patterns
8. Plan in advance what you're going to say about yourself
9. Be prepared for likely topics
10. Maintain unshakable confidence no matter what
11. Work the silences

Returning her attention and gaze to the class, she gestured to the board. "Everyone likes an easy tip sheet, right? Here you are then, eleven ways you can start to build trust and establish rapport with a new contact." She winked. "Or a new interest. In all honesty, you can look at this type of conversation as flirting without sexual intent. What is flirting other than initiating contact and expressing interest in another person? You want to appear interesting, sincere, confident enough for the other person to think you're worth continuing the conversation with."

She looked back at the board. "Some of these are rather obvious. 'Smile genuinely.' I'm sure you've all met someone who just pulled his teeth back from his lips and called that a smile. It's not and it won't inspire warm feelings or even a smile in return. 'Your opening statement is crucial.' It's all the other person has to reply to, and when you're making contacts or flirting, you don't want to force the burden of the conversation on the other person. So don't box yourself in. Don't say 'wow, sure is hot in here.' What if the other person likes the heat? Ask them what they think and move on from there. Everyone likes talking about him or herself so find out their interests and focus your attention there."

Aly paused then rolled her eyes slightly. "But not to the exclusion of talking about yourself. Don't dodge questions. It's obvious and anyone smart enough to be your agent is smart enough to notice. I realise that sort of thing looks really good in the spy films or novels, but it just doesn't generally work. Give the person a reason to keep talking to you, give them a reason to share information about themselves. That's why you're planning in advance what you want to say."

"So, any questions about this, how you use it, why you use it, anything?" She asked, gazing around the room, meeting each student's eyes.

"For our second topic, we're going to talk about how to detect lies," Aly paused. "There are a lot of fancy tricks that you hear about with this idea. What we're going to do is simply talk about how to read what another person's body language is telling you. And, possibly, how to mimic the type of body language that convinces others you're telling the truth." She handed out a series of handouts and spent about five minutes running through the information on them.

"Okay then, today? I want you to use both these topics together," Aly smirked. "Flirt with someone else in the class, try to establish a rapport. But do it all through lying."

[OOC: ~~Please wait for the~~ OCD threads are up.]

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Steerpike remained in his bow. "Yes, your highness. I was a servant to his lord the Earl of Gormenghast before coming here."

"A courtier," Irulan murmured, unconciously wary. "So far from home, Seerpike."

"Coutier . . . no, your highness. A . . . cook. But yes. And yourself?"

A cook. Curious. "Farther than your home, I would think."

"There is no record of my home in any of the local history books or maps. Yours?"

"I doubt my home is in any of this worlds history books," she said, deciding to start the lying by obsufication.

"As royalty, that must be frustrating."

"Sometimes, a relief," Irulan studied him, trying to guage what kind of man he was, "You have the bearing of a nobleman, where did you learn this from? Observing? Or did your Master of the House make it a requirement to learn, Speedkite?"

Oh, she was a noble alright. Through and through. "I find it important to conduct myself with grace and courtesy, your highness. One never knows, after all, when one might encounter someone of your regal birth."

Flattery, of course. He maybe a cook but he certainly on his way to being a courtier. Irulan tried to keep an open mind, maybe not all courtiers are backstabbing sychophatic fools.

"How good of you, Speerlite," Irulan said, "Tell me more of this home you left."

Well, he might be backstabbing and sociopathic, but he wouldn't say he was a fool.

"There is not much to tell. As a cook, I did not see much of it. I'd be much more interested in hearing about your home."

"My home is so far away and a bore there is nothing to come of that discussion, come, Steedpile, you must have some stories."

"I have no more stories than you do. I'm nothing more than a simple cook. With phenomenal good looks and manners."

"And modest," Irulan said, a trace of amusement in her voice, "Functions are a bore, I'm sure you well know since you served Earl...?"

". . . of Gormenghast, yes. I didn't attend the functions, only cooked for them. Surely you did something other than merely attend functions."

"You would think so, but there is precious little to do when one is a princess, functions and studies. Very tedious. It is why I am interested what you commoners do when not locked in the kitchens."

"We would bore you thoroughly. Do you know many commoners?"

"I know plenty of fascinating people in this world," which wasn't an answer, "By this same logic I would think your life fascinating as well."

"I doubt that. Tell me about the fascinating people here, then."

"I need not tell, I can just show," Irulan waved around the room, "Fascinating people. From your questions, I gather you're interested in becoming nobility."

"I'm interested merely in better understanding their needs," Steerpike lied easily. "There is nothing wrong with wanting to do your job to the absolute best of your ability."

"And I am sure the family you served, Sneedtyke, appreciates your dedication," She replied, equally smooth. "They are, perhaps, at a loss without your culinary skills."

"Not at all. The Earl has many cooks. I was in training. And now, I am learning here. How is it you came to Fandom?"

"To further my studies and expand my mind," She lied with a serene expression. She was lying, yes, but she was sure she was failing with the flirting.

She most certainly was. "Do your people often send their royals so far away to be educated?"

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