fandomhigh | The Art of War, Week #10 [Period 3, Monday]

"Congratulations, you've made it all the way to week ten," Ghanima said dryly from her perch on the desk. "So far, many of our discussions seem to have focused on physical engagements of force, mostly because many of you are all familiar with tactics in a military sense."

"While I am as much a fan of armed combat as the next Fremen, however, it is it necessary to learn how to apply the tactical ideas you are learning outside a battlefield."

"Last week, we tried to measure cost against outcome when weighing the human element," Ghanima remarked. "Today, we focus completely on the human component, and turn our tactical prowess to that most dreaded tactical engagement of all - relationships."

"Each of you has a slip on your desk with an assignment. You must try and follow the directions to the best of your abilities, using the tactical ideas we have discussed in your negotiations. You are not limited to your classmates for this exercise, and indeed, I shall award extra credit for each successful 'mission' you undertake. I will do my best to listen to radio and chart your progress, but you will be expected to report on your varying levels of success next week."

"Yes, boys and girls, you are going on dates. Get what you want out of the other person, without giving too much ground. Try not to end the world while you are at it."

[OOC: OCD is up, go forth!]

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"You talked to Jacen?" That was not a happy look on his face.

Any normal standards of parent-teacher confidentiality went out the window at the look on Ben's face.

"If by 'talking to him' you mean that I insinuated he should remove himself from my office, then yes, I spoke with him." Ghanima said briskly. "We agreed that you were an outstanding pupil, and then I do believe I made him distinctly uncomfortable."

"Which I must admit, I enjoyed."

That got her a smile. "Not many people make him uncomfortable."

"I'm afraid I was a bit sharp with him," she admitted. "I dislike being patronized or lied to in my own office, and I told him so. Not the most professional moment of my teaching career, but I suppose I shall recover."

"Should I not have spoken to him at all?" Ghanima asked, concerned. "If not, I do apologize."

"I'm his apprentice," Ben said. "He wanted to know what I'm learning here."

It took special effort to sound that neutral.

"So he said, and he seemed quite pleased that I only had positive things to say about you," Ghanima replied. "There was even a smile, and I think it might have been genuine."

That was not necessarily the most reassuring thing Ben had ever heard. "I'm glad he was pleased with me," Ben said. "I didn't get him the hotel room he wanted."

She hadn't meant it to be reassuring.

"He's incapable of making his own hotel reservations?" Ghanima asked. "You may be his apprentice, Ben, but you are not his servant. Unless apprenticeship means something different in your world than mine, which I find very unlikely."

He shrugged. "He has moods," he said, understating things by a lot.

"I have moods," she replied. "My brother has mood swings that make a galaxy hold its breath. Mr. Solo has, if you will pardon my bluntness, an ego that brooks no competition, and a stick in unmentionable places to match."

Ben snickered, slightly scandalized. "Dean called him a dick," he shared. "He was pretty awful at the funeral."

Ghanima was used to being scandalizing, so she found Ben's response rather comforting. If he could laugh, even a bit, then that was good.

"Good for Dean," she said promptly. "It is nice to know that I'm not the only one who finds Mr. Solo disagreeable, although I am deeply sorry he was ill-behaved at the funeral. That's simply disgusting."

Ben shrugged. "Dad thinks we shouldn't antagonize him."

Ben disagreed rather a lot.

"Your father is undoubtedly grieving, and not thinking clearly," Ghanima answered. "As Tzu says, you should harass the enemy to a state of confusion, not let him gain a steady ground." And as far as Ghanima was concerned, Jacen Solo was an enemy, if he inspired this reaction from Ben.

"Jacen's certainly doing that," Ben said. "The Jedi are in chaos."

"One man, unseating an entire order?" My, did that sound familiar. "No wonder he was so reticent to discuss the details of your galaxy with me when I asked."

"They look to my father," Ben said, "and he's...kind of not there right now."

The Art of War, Week #10 [Period 3, Monday]

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