History in Action, Wednesday, 3rd Period

[hera-rises.livejournal.com]

Bill Adama followed Roslin into the DangerShop, sipping from his coffee. He glanced around the empty, cavernous room, then looked to her, brows raised. "This is a classroom?"

Laura crossed to the control console looking every bit like the cat that swallowed the canary. "Of sorts." She turned her attention to the console and pulled up her program. The generators began to hum. Before she or Adama could bat an eyelash, they were suddenly standing along the coastline that bordered the Malian Gulf.The sounds of the ocean filled the once empty space, and as she returned to join him, she could feel the grainy, alluvial soil beneath her feet.

"What the frak...?" The admiral held on to his coffee as the environment took shape around him, but it was near thing. He stared at it, brows furrowed, trying to make sense of it. Laura could almost see the wheels turning in his mind. "Where are we?"

"We're still in the classroom, though it's actually called the DangerShop. From what I understand, it's a holographic generator of sorts." She gave a smile. "Not unlike Athena's tomb."

Adama nodded, slowly relaxing -- or at least providing a relaxed appearance. He sipped his coffe casually. "We could use something like this to train the nuggets; save a few Vipers."

"What do you think Professor Harrington used the specs for?" Passing him a wry grin, Laura took a long draw from her own cup, draining the last of the contents. "As much as I'd like to preserve our assets, I'm not sure we could incorporate it into our own technology without a lot of effort."

The admiral grinned. "And explanation."

A table solidified, as well as chairs and seating for the class. Laura took her seat, gesturing for Adama to take the seat next to her. That was where the students found them as they began to filter in. As the bell rang, Laura stood.

"Good morning, everyone," she said, calling the class to order. "Today, as I mentioned, we're going to be witnessing and discussing the Battle of Thermopylae. Now, I know there's been a movie released in the past year or so, detailing the story. Can anyone tell me a little more about the battle -- why it happened? What was so important about it?"

Laura allowed the students a few minutes to answer the questions before pressing along. "What we're going to do today is a little less...participatory. Today, we're going to watch events unfold, discuss what's going on; we're also going to discuss some of the more exaggerated details.

"I will warn you -- this is a bit graphic. If anyone has any trouble, please let me know."

After a moment, the events of the battle began to unfold: The 300 Spartans, following their king, Leonidas, arrived on the scene. With each Persian attack, the wall behind them, sealing the passage, grew. The action was paused occasionally, discussing the finer points of the battle.

At the end, the images faded, and there was nothing left but Roslin, Adama, and the students, seated along a ridge overlooking the ocean. "If you have any questions, see me after class." Laura smiled. "Otherwise...have a good weekend."



[OCD coming up. Tag in at will.]

Comments

Sign In

[hera-rises.livejournal.com]

Again relying on her years experience teaching, Laura took roll visually.

Re: Sign In

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Yasutora Sado

Re: Sign In

[1ordinarygirl.livejournal.com]

Buffy Summers

Re: Sign In

[im-afrog.livejournal.com]

Adam Park

Discussion 1

[hera-rises.livejournal.com]

"Can anyone tell me a little more about the battle -- why it happened? What was so important about it?"

Re: Discussion 1

[bookyeve.livejournal.com]

"It was the first time the Greek city-states united against a common enemy," Evie said, after raising her hand. "And it resulted in the defeat of the then-thought-invincible Persians, who ceased attempting to expand into Greece and the Mediterranean."

Re: Discussion 1

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

"The whole development of Western civization would have changed entirely if the Persians were defeated," Chad added. "Or at least delayed."

Re: Discussion 1

[hera-rises.livejournal.com]

Laura pursed her lips as she listened to Evie and Chad. "You raise an interesting point, Chad. Why would it have changed the development of Western civilization?"

She had, of course, done her homework, reading several books and countless "what if" theories. She wondered how much of that her students had picked up on.

Re: Discussion 1

[notafairmaiden.livejournal.com]

Gwynn was just...not exactly sure about this whole thing. It might be because it could hit a little close to home...

Her and her father's men against Prince John and his soldiers many times.

So, she was very silent and taking notes on everything that was said.

Discussion 2 - Nitpicks

[hera-rises.livejournal.com]

[Your chance to nitpick and point out the ridiculous aspects. Example? The exaggerated size of the Persian emperor...or maybe the unending flow of Immortals.]

Re: Discussion 2 - Nitpicks

[bookyeve.livejournal.com]

"Why don't they ever mention the 700 Thespians?" Evie muttered. "Do they just not like the name?"

Re: After Class

[hera-rises.livejournal.com]

Laura grinned. "Maybe because it sounds like an acting troupe took on the Persians?" She sipped her coffee, watching Evie over the rim.

Re: Nitpicking

[bookyeve.livejournal.com]

Evie just barely restrained herself from snorting. "Well, perhaps. Or perhaps they think saying 1000 men accomplished this is a huge difference from three hundred. Honestly. It was an incredibly brave last stand, no matter how many did it. The historians are probably trying to be dramatists again. I wish they wouldn't do that."

Re: Discussion 2 - Nitpicks

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

Robin was not nitpicking, so much as hiding under his chair. He'd deny it utterly of course, but perhaps Robin shouldn't try to watch any gory horror movies any-time soon.

Re: Discussion 2 - Nitpicks

[hera-rises.livejournal.com]

Roslin spotted the little green lump hiding under a chair. She approached, kneeling to Robin's level. "Ah, Robin, you doing all right under there?" she asked.

Re: Discussion 2 - Nitpicks

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

"I'm okay." he insisted lamely. It wasn't that he was a stranger to violence, it's just that there didn't seem to be that much mess when Muppets were violent.

"The Spartans are winning, but losing at the same time right?"

Sidebar Discussions

[hera-rises.livejournal.com]

It's summer, a more relaxed atmosphere. Kids are going to chatter, and Laura accepted that fact. She was also willing to look the other way unless the discussions interfered with the lesson.

After Class

[hera-rises.livejournal.com]

Laura hovered by the table, discussing the battle and the upcoming rescue operation with Adama. The admiral was still fairly impressed by the DangerShop.

Re: After Class

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

Anders had managed to misplace one of his yo-yos during Explosions yesterday, and he'd only realized just now that he'd lost it.

"Forget my own damn head next," he muttered distractedly as he wandered into the Danger Shop. "Where the frak did I -- whoa, sorry, Professor, I didn't mean to interrupt anything."

Re: After Class

[hera-rises.livejournal.com]

Laura turned, adjusting her glasses, and smiled as recognition settled. "Ah, Sam," she said. "You're not interrupting. Honestly, we've just wrapped up class." She cast a sidelong glance at the admiral, who was watching the younger man intently...without looking like he was watching the younger man intently. He didn't always do subtle well, but sometimes he surprised her.

"Have you met Adm--ah, Lee's father, Bill Adama?"

Re: After Class

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

It surprised him a little bit that she called him Sam, but somehow, when it came from her he didn't mind.

"I did once," he said, unconsciously drawing himself up straighter. "Or a version of you, anyway, sir. It must've been over a year ago. How are you, sir?"

Re: After Class

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

Robin, still possibly looking a little, well green around the gills, approached Laura after class. "Er, what did I miss last week?"

Re: After Class

[hera-rises.livejournal.com]

"We visited the Alamo on the eve of Santa Anna's attack," Laura replied. She dug into a stack of papers, withdrawing a small booklet. "This was produced by the historical society...It should give you a pretty good idea of what we saw and who was there." She gave a wry grin. "It attracted all the fashionable people."

Re: After Class

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

Robin took the booklet with thanks. "Yeah I hear Davey Crockett and Daniel Boone were there."

OOC

[hera-rises.livejournal.com]

...because it's SOP.