Jack of All Trades, Wednesday, Per 1

[geniuswithasmartphone]

Hardison wasn't alone in the Danger Shop today when his class entered--and, for once, his companion wasn't a sim, either. "Sup, class," he said, giving them a nod. "This is my partner, Eliot. Some of y'all probably know him from other classes--like the one he's teachin' right now with the pony."

Was Hardison endlessly entertained by Pinkie Pie maneuvering Eliot into teaching class with her? Yes. Yes he was and forever would be.

"But some of y'all mentioned learnin' a little bit of self-defense in this class an' that ain't exactly my area of expertise." His niche was fighting the injured. He liked his niche. "Fortunately, Eliot's got all the expertise in the world. You should see what he can do to a grown man with with a damn appetizer."

Technically, that had been self-defense!

( And theres lesson number one. )

Fitness and Health, Tuesday, Period 4

[doubleohblonde]

Bond had his students meet him in the Danger Shop today, where a wide, snowy tundra greeted them.

"Good afternoon, and I hope you all enjoyed your holidays," Bond greeted them. "Now today we're going to be doing a spot of cross-country skiing, which differs from what most immediately comes to mind when most people think of skiing, but is actually the older form. It's concerned far less with going up slowly then down quickly, and more with getting from point A to point B."

Bond took some time to explain the mechanics before clapping his hands together. "Now gear up and have a go. There a course marked out for you to navigate."

Diplomacy, Relationships, & Tactics: The Art of War, Week 8 [Wednesday, Period 2]

[atreideslioness]

"Welcome back," Tahiri said once everyone appeared to be present. "I hope everyone enjoyed their spring break, but we do have to get right back to it this week. Sorry about that. If it's any consolation, today we're taking all the elements we covered in previous weeks and combining them, since this lesson is all about tactical maneuvering."

"Not just when and how to maneuver," Ghanima continued. "--but also when you should not make a move which clearly looks like it could win you the battle."

It is a military axiom not to advance uphill
against the enemy, nor to oppose him when he comes downhill.

Do not pursue an enemy who simulates flight;
do not attack soldiers whose temper is keen.

Do not swallow bait offered by the enemy.
Do not interfere with an army that is returning home.

When you surround an army, leave an outlet free.
Do not press a desperate foe too hard.

Such is the art of warfare.

"Never interfere with an army that is returning home," she recited, tapping her chalk against the board. "And do not press a desperate foe too hard. These are two lessons that, if you learn nothing else, remember these. Because both times, you will be overconfident, and you will suffer for it."

Tahiri nodded. "Remember how Sun Tzu was talking about a good general being able to predict an enemy's actions while keeping their own unpredictable? Put a desperate enemy in a dire enough position and unpredictability's likely exactly what you're going to get. That makes for a dangerous combination with being aware of your own tactical advantage. You might not necessarily dismiss the threat, but there's no guarantee your subordinates will do the same." She smiled, a little bit sadly. "Trust me on that. I've put myself in that situation."

Ghanima could write ESSAYS on how the Jedi got themselves into Terrible Situations at this point. She loves you all, but really.

"To illustrate that point, you'll be watching a movie today," she continued cheerfully. "Since we know you're straight back from break, and probably not up for massive tactical and moral debates."

"Because it's not just armies you should be wary of," Ghanima said as she hit play, "--but individuals can can do just as much damage as an entire platoon."

"Even without special abilities," Tahiri added, and then shut up before the movie started rolling.

Weapon Safety, Wednesday

[likethegun]

"Hey guys, I hope everyone had a great break," Sam said, grinning at everyone from between two targets. Today, instead of the target dummies, there were colorful circular targets facing the class. "Today, we're going to play around with some crossbows. We may look at regular bows and arrows at a later time, but crossbows can be a very effective weapon because they're smaller, and therefore easier to carry around, and pack a pretty significant punch."

Sam demonstrated how to load a bolt into the crossbow, and then fired at one of the targets, landing a loud, satisfying thunk close to the center of the circle. "The hardest part might be loading the bolt without snapping yourself with the string. Once you've got a handle on that, see how close you can get to the center of your target. I have a feeling some of you will be naturals at this."