The Art of War, Week #11 [Period 3, Monday]

[atreideslioness]

As the students entered this week, they would see a passage on the board:

Sun Tzu said: We may distinguish six kinds of terrain, to wit:
(1) Accessible ground
(2) entangling ground
(3) temporizing ground
(4) narrow passes
(5) precipitous heights
(6) positions at a great distance from the enemy.

"Terrain. Which I am sure you are all dreadfully sick of hearing me talk about," Ghanima announced as soon as the last student was seated. "However, if you do not know where or how you stand, in any battle, you will lose. I cannot stress this enough. It doesn't matter if you're facing a troop of Sardaukar on Salusa Secundus, or trying to make dinner plans with a cranky significant other. If you cannot understand the terrain under your feet, you will find yourself on the wrong end of a metaphorical or physical blade."

"This all goes back to what we discussed that first week of class, "'Hence the saying: If you know the enemy and know yourself, your victory will not stand in doubt.' To know your soldiers, you must know yourself. You must be able to assess both the capabilities of your fighting force, and your own ability to command them in terrain before you. If you cannot give the soldiers what they need, even the most elite squad in the Empire can fall against a small handful of women and children." Not that Ghanima would know. At all.

"First, however, I want to hear how you did over the last week."

[OOC: Ya'll know the drill - the OCD is up, so go play!]

Comments

Lecture II & Assignment

[atreideslioness]

"The funny thing about terrain," Ghanima said, "is that it can shift without warning. What was a dry creek-bed may suddenly become a flash flood. Entangling ground may shift to become a narrow pass. You cannot count on your battlefield staying the same, and this is especially true when dealing with other people."

"Negotiation, however, is startling efficient in bringing parties to a common ground, where your 'battle' can be on more equal terms."

Nevermind that Ghanima's personal idea of 'negotiation' was simply manipulating the other person until they came around to where you wanted them.

"Which is why, this week, you will be in groups of three. You will spend a minimum of forty-eight hours together over the next week. It does not have to be consecutive, although you may try and power through the assignment if you wish. However, you must spend time together as a trio, and each chunk of time must be at least four hours in duration."

"Whenever possible, you will visit your teammates' places of employment, and, if it is acceptable to their other teachers, attend classes with them. You will probably get on each others' nerves, and hate me before the exercise is over. However you will learn, hopefully, how to negotiate. Where and when are you spending time together. What is for dinner? What aspects of your lives are off-limits? In the process, you'll learn more about your classmates, practice your negotiation skills, and quite possibly learn new things about yourselves."

"I have broken you into groups, based out of names out of a hat. If you find your group completely unacceptable, simply negotiate to trade places with another person."

"Group one: Adam Park, Susan Pevensie, Myn Donos. Group two: Agnes Nitt, Harvey Dent, Savannah Levine. Group three: Ben Skywalker, Liir Thropp, Ella of Frell. Group four: Eve Levine, Ino Yamanaka, Jania Solo. Group five: Jo Harvelle, Teyla Emmagan, Edmund Pevensie. Group six: Reno, Tahiri Veila, Lee Adama. Group seven: Ronan Nolan, Alice Liddell, Tony Foster."

"Good luck."

[OOC the 2nd: This can all be as handwaved as needed, but be sure you clear it with your group-mates first!]

Re: Lecture II & Assignment

[solo_sword]

Hm. This was going to be interesting. Jaina waited for her group, already mentally trying to figure out how to fit other people around her insane self-inflicted work schedule.

Re: Lecture II & Assignment

[blackmagic-eve.livejournal.com]

"So... this is going to be interesting. And by interesting, I mean painful to figure out." Eve made a face as she moved to sit next to Jaina.

Though her schedule after this consisted of Physics class later and then Ronon's class on Friday, with work on Thursday and Friday.

Re: Lecture II & Assignment

[intraspective]

Ino winced as she flopped down into a seat by Jaina and Eve. "My schedule is busy," she volunteered. "So I've got no idea how this is going to work."

Re: Lecture II & Assignment

[solo_sword]

"It's going to be rough," Jaina admitted. "Does anyone have a chunk of time to knock this out via sleepover or something?"

Re: Lecture II & Assignment

[intraspective]

"Thursday's my rest day," she offered. "I don't have much going on then. What days work best for you two?"

Re: Lecture II & Assignment

[walks-two-paths.livejournal.com]

Savannah was thinking about the assignment as she waited for her group.

Re: Lecture II & Assignment

[finding-x-dream.livejournal.com]

"Looks like we're stuck together, huh?" Agnes asked, as she sat down by Savannah.

Re: Lecture II & Assignment

[walks-two-paths.livejournal.com]

Savannah smiled. "Looks like. I'm sure it won't be that bad."

Re: Lecture II & Assignment

[finding-x-dream.livejournal.com]

Agnes flailed. "No, I didn't mean it like that! I'm sorry!"

Re: Lecture II & Assignment

[walks-two-paths.livejournal.com]

Savannah meeped. "I didn't mean.." She shook her head. "Let's start over?" She suggested.

Re: Lecture II & Assignment

[stupid-toasters.livejournal.com]

Lee was chewing the end of a pen thoughtfully while waiting on his group members.

Re: Lecture II & Assignment

[raspberryturk]

Reno eyed Lee. And then shook his head and sighed. Fine. Fine. Assignments were assignments, after all.

"This is gonna be a loooooong week, zoto."

Re: Lecture II & Assignment

[stupid-toasters.livejournal.com]

"I just finished a long week," he said and winced. "I don't need another one."

Not that he had a choice in the matter.

Re: Lecture II & Assignment

[weetuskenraider]

"Maybe we'd better work out Ewok-sitting schedules for this," Tahiri remarked, wincing herself at the thought.

Re: Lecture II & Assignment

[raspberryturk]

"For the record, I ain't watchin' nobody's Ewok for nothin'," Reno replied, shaking his head. "I got Radio Tuesday night, and Lit class Thursday, and Chem on Friday, and a whole lotta important drinkin' to do in between, yo."

Re: Lecture II & Assignment

[ella-obeys.livejournal.com]

Well, this was interesting. Ella was thoughtful as she waited for Liir and Ben.

Re: Lecture II & Assignment

[momslilassassin]

"Morning," Ben said, offering her a small smile. "I'm kind of used to this set up, so my schedule is really fluid."

Re: Lecture II & Assignment

[ella-obeys.livejournal.com]

"Good morning! I'm not tremendously busy either," Ella agreed. "I have ethics tomorrow, cheerleading Wednesday, and work at the diner on Friday, but otherwise I'm available."

"How are you used to this?" she asked, curious.

Re: Lecture II & Assignment

[momslilassassin]

"Jedi apprentices spend pretty much our entire lives with our teachers," he said. "It assists with team building."

He chewed on his lip before asking, "Any chance we can give Ethics a skip? I'd rather avoid my grandfather if we can. I have Supernatural Physics tomorrow and Leadership on Thursday--and flight club on Wednesday and the fraternity on Thursday."

He paused. "Huh. I'm busier than I thought."

Re: Lecture II & Assignment

[im-afrog.livejournal.com]

Adam had to admit that the assignment sounded very interesting. He waited for Susan and Myn, wondering how they'd managed to work it all out.

Re: Lecture II & Assignment

[wantstodirect]

Tony knew Ronan by sight, at least. He looked around for someone who might be an Alice.

Re: Lecture II & Assignment

[not_in_the_book]

"Hey," Ronan said, coming up to Tony with a smile on his face. "Looks like we'll be getting to know each other better."

Re: Lecture II & Assignment

[wantstodirect]

"Sounds good," Tony smiled back. "Do you know Alice?"

Re: Lecture II & Assignment

[notyourpawn.livejournal.com]

"I'm familiar with her, at least," Alice said, taking a seat next to the two of them. "Tony and Ronan, I presume?"