fandomhigh | Spy Games, Monday, Period 5

If Sarah didn't seem nervous as she waited for the class to assemble, that was only because she'd spent the last decade keeping cool on the outside no matter what went on underneath. Just teaching for the first time would be bad enough, but there was one student name on the roster that she had very much never expected to see here.

"Welcome to Spy Games," she said with a smile and a twist of her sweaty palms against her skirt as the time came for the session to begin. Her voice came out calm, sure, self-confident as possible. Thank God. "I am your instructor for the next two months. My name's Sarah Walker and, to get this out of the way, I am qualified to teach this class because I worked for the CIA for the last several years. My main focus was protection of national security data."

Anyone at the CIA could say that, but Sarah was hoping to ward off questions.

"If you're here," she went on, "I'm going to assume you want to be a spy, or at least want to know how to be a spy. Maybe you want to work for the government; maybe you just know a lot of people you don't trust. Whatever your experience, there are all kinds of applications for the stuff we're learning here. The syllabus and rules are on your desks, but some of the things we'll cover are lockpicking, disguise, persuasion, and weapons."

"But today, we're talking about basic undercover work," she went on. "If you're undercover, you're lying to everyone all the time. You lie about your name, your family, what you do for a living, maybe your politics, maybe your religion. But under all that, you can't change who you are. You're still you, but the details are different. And the secret of good undercover work is using that."

"For example, I'm not exactly the chattiest person in the world. If I go undercover for more than a few hours and I decide I'm going to be someone who can't keep her mouth shut, I'm going to get caught fast. I'll always have to think about the part I'm playing, and that's when people make stupid mistakes. And a big part of your job as a spy is not making stupid mistakes."

She cleared her throat, finally relaxing into this. "I understand the tradition for the first week of classes is introductions. We're doing that, but with a twist. If you've heard of the game 'Two Truths and a Lie,' we're going to play that -- except you must make one true statement about yourself, one false statement about yourself, and a third statement that can be either true or false. Your fellow students will guess how many lies you told, and which they are."

"Remember that if you're undercover, you're lying for a reason. And in this class, you have a purpose too. Tell lies -- and truths -- that will make me think you have it in you to be a good spy." She pointed out randomly. "You first."

Once the students were done with the game, she smiled before dismissing the class. "Your assignment for the week is to tell one lie. It doesn't have to be a big one or about anything that matters. Just tell it and see how it feels; we'll report back next Monday. And if any of you want to be TA, I could use one. And Miss Bartowski, please stick around too -- I have a quick question for you."

She was impressed how level her tone sounded on that last bit.

[OOC: First posted class of the semester! I will pick up tags in the a.m.]

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Claire nodded. "I'm pretty sure you weren't alone in that. Fandom is unusual, even though it's more similar to where I'm from."

"Sam mentioned that. I must admit, I felt better knowing that if I was feeling insane, at least others felt the same way.

Since my answer would be 'everything,' what do you find odd about Fandom? Or would it be easier if I asked what're the similarities to where you're from?"

"Magic doesn't exist in my world," Claire said. "But the technology is pretty much the same."

"No magic? Not even basic Craft? I don't think I can imagine that. Next you'll be telling me the males are in charge."

Claire's eyes got wide. "Actually, um, they are. Well, mostly.

"..."

"..."

"WHAT?!" Karla didn't bother to keep her voice down that time.

Claire looked at her sheepishly. "Our society is very patriarchal."

Fear began crawling down Karla's spine. An entire world, run by males? Males like her Uncle Hobart and his so-called ruling council. And Morton had thought she'd be safe here??

"In Kaeleer,"she said in a very small voice, "the males serve and protect. And where that is changing...the price is being paid by the witches. Sometimes in blood."

Oftentimes in something much worse.

"You should be safe here," Claire said, recalling Peter's assurances. "From what I've seen and heard, Fandom is very friendly to people with abilities."

"It's not about abilities, exactly. Males and females of the Blood wear Jewels and use Craft. It's temporal power that the males crave. Females rule, males serve and protect. Some males aren't happy with that arrangement any more. Except, for them, the easiest way to make sure that females don't rule is by breaking them."

Claire made a face. "I shouldn't be surprised that that's their chosen course of action. But that doesn't mean it doesn't suck."

"Breaking a witch is more than simply physical," Karla said quietly. "At best, it cuts her off from her powers, breaking her back to simple Craft. At worst, it shatters her mind and her Jewels, leaving her en empty husk. Some witches choose to walk through the Twisted Kingdom to gain their power back, but its a heavy sacrifice. Which is more important, your sense of self, or reclaiming your birthright? Can you imagine what it's like having an ability that you can sense, but cannot use? It's like something is missing, and you are less whole. The Blood would rather lose their limbs than be broken back to basic Craft."

Wow, things sounded hard in Karla's world.

Claire frowned. "No, I can't imagine that. I'm sorry that you have to go through that."

"It wasn't always like this. In fact, it only started nine years ago, when my parents...died. And my uncle took control, and created his all-male ruling Council. Before that, there was no fear, no hatred, no doubt. Males served and protected, and females proved themselves worthy of that protection. I'm not saying there was never violence, and that we were all peaceful and happy. But it was never...institutionalized fear."

Well, not in Kaeleer anyway. Terreille was a different story, but one that Karla did not know.

"And there's no way for you to take control?" Claire asked.

"Not yet," she clarified. "I'm still too young. I can't set up my Court until I've made the Offering to the Darkness, and I'm not ready yet. If I wait, I can attain the Ebon-Gray, I know it. But if I tried now, I'd be lucky to make it too Red. I'm just not strong enough yet."

She signed. "That's why I'm here. There have already been...incidents...back home." Unconsciously, she touched her left eye, the one that had been bruised on Saturday.

"My cousin Morton thought I'd be safer if I left Glacia completely until I'm ready to make the Offering. So, for the next five years, I'm an exile, while my uncle does who-knows-what." She sounded frustrated.

Claire considered that, recalling the girl's bruised appearance when they first met. "Five years seems like a long time. But maybe there are people here who can help you with that."

"Perhaps," Karla sounded dubious. "But even if they can't hurry that, I'm sure I can get some other help here. The more I learn here, the better I'll be able to help my people back home. My cousin Morton says that beyond staying alive, my primary purpose here is to learn everything I can." She looked around their class. "And there is SO MUCH to learn, I can only hope I learn it all in five years."

"I'd say you're probably in the right place to learn it," Claire encouraged.

Spy Games, Monday, Period 5

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