Seven Easy Steps to Being Able to Convince People You're a Spy : Week 1, Period 1

[tricksy-spy.livejournal.com]

The class today was held in the Danger Shop for no other reason than it would make a list that Aly didn't actually have to write up.  Which was good because she got to class just before the students and was carrying a larger box that she was glaring at upon occasion.  She set the box down to the side with a strict admonishment to the inhabitants not to cry during class.

With a final glare at the box, Aly turned to greet the class.  "Morning all," she said with a bright grin.  "I'm Aly - which most of you already know, I think so I'll spare the usual speech about how if you call me Miss Aly, I'll be forced to make you very sorry."  She wrinkled her nose.  "It sounds like a Madam or something.  Professor or duani is fine if you'd prefer a more formal title.  The class we're in for the next seven weeks is 'Seven Easy Steps to Being Able to Convince People You're a Spy.'  If that's not something you're interested in, you're probably in the wrong class so check your schedule or get interested fast."

"No one can learn how to be a spy in seven classes.  Which is probably good because otherwise I'd be out of business both on the teaching end and the spying end.  But we're going to talk about how to mimic a spy and some of a spy's basic skills that can help you give a certain impression.  Unlike the class, last fall, we're barely going to touch on theory."  She grinned.  "Which makes me happy."

She hit a button and a list was projected by the

1. No matter where you are, act like you belong.
2. Behave purposefully.  Especially if you have no purpose.
3. Blend in.  Become a "gray man."
4. Develop assessment skills by practicing even in circumstances in which you are merely a bystander.
5. Learn to trust your instincts to make decisions.  Right or wrong at first, they will get better.
6. Never second-guess your decisions at the time.  Do analyze them later.
7. Be aware that you may be overlooking things in your surroundings, especially if they are familiar to you.
8. Accept the fact that some level of deception is a necessary part of the job.
9. Don't be embarrassed to be suspicious of other people's intentions.
10.  Improve your memory.

"So here you go.  The ten basic rules to being a spy.  Easy right?  Or maybe not quite so much.  There could just as easily be twelve or seventeen or a hundred and fifty rules, but ten is such a nice round number.  I'd like to spend today talking about these rules.  Ask me questions or discuss them with a partner.  Which one do you think is the most important?"

"Also so we all get to know each other, I'd like everyone to introduce themselves and tell a few things about yourself as well as your interest in spying.  And if you know anything about cats?  Throw that in too please."  She eyed the box in the corner.

[OOC: The ten rules were taken with gratitude from the Handbook of Practical Spying by Jack Barth.   OCD will be coming is up!]

Comments

[Spying 7/11] - Sign In!

[tricksy-spy.livejournal.com]

All Collapsible and pretty!

Re: [Spying 7/11] - Sign In!

[sixstandingby.livejournal.com]

Gavin Darklighter

[Spying 7/11] - Introductions!

[tricksy-spy.livejournal.com]

Introduce yourself, tell us three random things (shush, I like this exercise okay?), and what your interest in spying is. ALSO if you help Aly with figuring out how to make her kittens stop crying, she'll love you forever.

Aly will start: "You already know I'm Aly. I've been my queen's spymaster for almost seven years now, and I wanted to be a spy since I was five. Three random things are I've been a teacher here for almost a year, my mother graduated from FH this year, and somehow I was given two kittens who won't stop crying or chewing on me."

Re: [Spying 7/11] - Introductions!

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

Zuko crossed his arms. "You already know who I am."

Re: [Spying 7/11] - Introductions!

[socksofcool.livejournal.com]

Seely grinned. "I'm Seely, don't know if I've got too great and interest in spying, but I've taken Aly's classes since she got here and it seemed a pity to end the streak. Three things, I'm a dog person, even though I like most animals, my dad's a cop, and I'm dating the most fantastic girl ever."

That last one had nothing to do with the fact said girl was in the class, nope.

Re: [Spying 7/11] - Introductions!

[sixstandingby.livejournal.com]

"I'm Gavin," he said, rapidly trying to think of three different things from the last time he did this exercise. "Seely has terrible taste in clothing, I'm not allowed to brush my hair anymore and I used to live on a moisture farm. As for spying, last mission I was on before coming here, I had to infiltrate a planet as a con man. I didn't do too well."

Re: [Spying 7/11] - Introductions!

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"My name is Aravis Tarkheena," she started, and no, she didn't look grumpy. Really. "I'd rather be on horseback than on foot, I hate the wet air, and I wish they let us keep weapons in the dorms. I once traveled through the capital city of my land in disguise, and was able to detect information that eventually saved an entire country by doing so. I'd like to hone this skill if possible."

Re: [Spying 7/11] - Introductions!

[blackmagic-eve.livejournal.com]

"I'm Eve," she began. "Three random things... Okay. I practice magic, I'm thinking of getting a tattoo, and I'm still not sure how I've managed to be here this long and only get detention once." She grinned. "And hand over a kitten. Sometimes they just want a cuddle."

Re: [Spying 7/11] - Introductions!

[walks-two-paths.livejournal.com]

"My name is Savannah, and having taken Aly's class last session, I had to sign up for another class. Random things? I'm a practioner of magic, I have an interesting family unit, and I'm thinking about cutting my hair." She grinned. "I'll take care of a kitten, if you like. I'm good with animals."

She wold just never tell Clay that she sometimes lumped him in with animals as he was one cranky werewolf.

Re: [Spying 7/11] - Introductions!

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"My name is Karal Austreben, from the country of Karse, and I do not think I have any interest in spying," he frowned down at Altra, who was sitting next to him, looking smug, "but I am certain that will change after your class. As for random facts, umm, I am a Priest of Vkandis Sunlord, I have a horse named Trenor, and I know far more about certain cats than I would like to."

:I can deal with those kittens,: Altra told him, looking straight at Aly.

"And Altra can soothe your kittens, if you would like him to try," he added, trying not to sound surprised.

Re: [Spying 7/11] - Introductions!

[misshargrove.livejournal.com]

"I'm Annette, uh, I'm in two of Aly's classes this second term," she grinned cheekily. "I like spying. It's fun. I have a cat, Aly; give yours some kitty balls to play with. They'll hush up."

Re: [Spying 7/11] - Introductions!

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

"My name's Dean Winchester. I can make a case for being three different ages at the same time, I'm going to be a big brother again any day now and I own the coolest car ever made. I'm taking this class because the exploding things one was awesome and a lot of the spy skills are also useful in the information gathering stage of a Hunt." He glanced at the box. "As for the kittens, it might just be that they don't like the box -- Hunter hated when he didn't have full run of my room. If you give them some good cat toys that should distract them and get them chewing on those instead of you. And petting them some usually helps too."

Re: [Spying 7/11] - Introductions!

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

"I'm Inara," she introduced herself and tried to remember exactly why she'd chosen this class, "I've been training to be a Companion since I was eight years old, I've only heard of Earth-that-Was in stories and fables, and I am fluent in Chinese."

"Have you considered string, or thread, for them to play with?"

Re: [Spying 7/11] - Introductions!

[notawitch.livejournal.com]

"Um, hey. I'm Will Vandom. Uh... I'm a natural redhead, I spent a weekend last semester fighting shadowy things in somebody else's world, and I really like frogs."

She looked at the kittens. Boy, were they ever cute. "Have you tried offering them milk or catnip or something?"

Re: [Spying 7/11] - Introductions!

[not_in_the_book]

"I'm Ronan Nolan," Ronan said, smiling at Aly. "I've got an interest in spying mostly because I'm certain it will come in handy in my work as a wizard. I've already spent some time in disguise on another planet, and I'm certain similar cases will arise again.

"Three random things? I'm fond of spears, I'm from a year in the past, and I've been considering getting a scarlet macaw as a pet."

Re: [Spying 7/11] - Introductions!

[the_merriest]

"Um, hiya. I'm Rikku, and three random things: I'm a thief, I'm an Al Bhed, and I helped save the world where I'm from." She nodded to her messenger bag, where a cat was napping. "My roommate Hermione has a cat, and my boyfriend's a kitty, again, so I kinda know some stuff about them? If they're crying they may just want picked up and snuggled. Or that's kinda what I'd try anyway, 'cause they're cute, you know?"

Re: [Spying 7/11] - Introductions!

[falcon-or-blade.livejournal.com]

"I call myself Faile," she said with a small nod in greeting. "I am from Saldaea which is not in this world, I am a Hunter for the Horn of Valere and," she glanced over at Aravis, "I also wish we were allowed our weapons in the dorms. I signed up for this class because sometimes I may need to... misrepresent myself to other Hunters."

Re: [Spying 7/11] - Introductions!

[snow-white-boy.livejournal.com]

"My name is Haku. I'm sixteen and a renegade ninja from the Village of the Hidden Mist. I've been a ninja since I was about seven years old, I know accupunture, I can control water and everyone seems to think I'm a girl," he giggled, just to further confuse people.

Re: [Spying 7/11] - Introductions!

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

"I'm Kabuto Yakushi," Kabuto said with a smile. "I'm a medical ninja from Otogakure (the Hidden Village of Sound), and I was a sleeper agent in Yondaime's village of Konoha for three years, before eventually being one of the main agents behind the nearly-crippling invasion of my village against theirs." He paused, then added, "And for a third thing, I'm thinking of convincing Professor Deadpool to get me a one of the sniper rifles we used in his class last term.

Re: [Spying 7/11] - Introductions!

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

Anders was used to these introduction exercises by now.

"I'm Sam Anders, but just Anders to pretty much everybody," he said, thumbs tucked in his belt loops as he stood to do the intro thing. "I just started learning how to swordfight, I'm a huge Red Sox fan which means I pretty much hate the Yankees, and I'm actually a robot I have a jet-propelled hoverboard sort of craft that my best friend built me last year."

[Spying 7/11] - Discussion

[tricksy-spy.livejournal.com]

Ask Aly questions or discuss them amongst yourselves. How do you think they should be applied? Do they seem effective? What exactly does each mean?

Re: [Spying 7/11] - Discussion

[blackmagic-eve.livejournal.com]

Eve grinned cheerfully at Savannah. "So... just how many of these do you think already apply to our family?"

[Spying 7/11] - Questions about Homework? Or General Chatter

[tricksy-spy.livejournal.com]

The homework is to try to put these guidelines to use over the week. Next week be prepared to tell what you did and how they worked.

[Spying 7/11] - Talk to Aly

[tricksy-spy.livejournal.com]

She's around, she's probably poking at the kittens. But she doesn't like them. Really.

Re: [Spying 7/11] - Talk to Aly

[the_merriest]

Rikku looked inside the box, reaching in hesitantly to pet one of the kittens. "So, what does duani mean?" she asked.

Which totally wasn't her way of making an excuse to talk to Aly. Much.

[Spying 7/11] - OOC

[tricksy-spy.livejournal.com]

So the world doesn't end!

The kittens' names are Deadpool and Yondaime. Guess who's getting revenge for this?

Re: [Spying 7/11] - OOC

[bookyeve.livejournal.com]

*dies laughing*