fandomhigh | Ethics [Tuesday, January 12, 2nd period]

"Today we discuss lying," Anakin said as he closed the classroom door precisely on time. "Everyone lies. 'Of course that doesn't make your butt look big.' 'You like her, I like her.' 'I'm totally okay with you moving on.' 'Everything's fine, why do you ask?' It's how the world goes around because no one wants to be trapped in a conversation where someone whines at you for hours on end about how awful their life is."

He looked around the room. "Trust me. Everyone's life is terrible. They're just not telling you about it. Be grateful."

He reached onto his desk for a piece of paper. "Today we're conducting an exercise to see how well you pass this particular social ritual, then we'll discuss whether you think it is necessary. We're playing two truths and a lie. I'll tell you three things about myself and you have to decide which one is the falsehood. Then you'll all tell three things and we'll see how well you can either read each other or keep things hidden."

He gave them a small smile. "I'm very good at this." It had taken him a very long time to come up with things that Leia either wouldn't know or shouldn't know, but that was hardly the point, was it? He schooled his face to absolute neutrality, put his mental blocks up to bar any psychics in the room from gaining an advantage, then said: "I have never lost a lightsaber duel. I hate sand. I can fly any ship I ever sat at the controls of." His eyes challenged them to call him out. "Who's next?"

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"I know," Leia said. "But Palpatine would have everyone believe there was some vast Jedi conspiracy, and few dare question that, not with Vader slaughtering Jedi and any who harbor them."

"There," Anakin said. "That right there is why I won't tell you who your mother is. I couldn't live with myself if Vader killed you."

"How is he going to know I know my mother's name?" Leia argued. "And I already know your name. Isn't that just as bad?"

How to explain that Palpatine knew who Anakin was married to without actually explaining that. Hmm. There was a reason Obi-Wan did most of the talking.

"My name is dangerous enough," he conceded. "But you don't really need to research me. My name and her name combined will grab the Emperor's personal attention."

"And why is that?" Leia asked.

Anakin was quiet for a very long moment. "Because I sat on the Council as the Chancellor's representative," he said finally. "We were friends."

Before the whole Sith thing.

"It's not something I generally mention."

What with the entire friendship being a careful manipulation and all.

"That doesn't mean he'd ever find out who I am," Leia said quietly.

"I'm not prepared to risk that," Anakin said just as quietly. "You're my daughter, and I've seen their work."

Up close and personal, even.

"I appreciate that," Leia said. "But...I'm practically a stranger to you. Why do you care so much?"

Because she had Padmé's eyes, but Anakin couldn't exactly say that.

"Because I want to get to know you better, and I can't do that if you get executed."

"I'm not planning on it," Leia said. "And you can't get to know me without letting me get to know you."

"But you've read the unaltered histories," he teased. "You know me."

"That's not exactly the same," Leia said, more good-natured than "bitch please" this time at least.

"Are you saying the histories miss things?" Anakin looked shocked. "Really. I'm appalled."

Doof.

"They didn't mention you being a father," Leia said pointedly. "What else did they get wrong?"

"They also didn't mention I was married," Anakin replied. "And that's because no one--not even Obi-Wan--knew about it. It was strictly forbidden to have that kind of attachments as a Jedi."

"Then you must have loved my mother very much to break that rule," Leia said softly.

"I did," Anakin said.

Leia sighed, pressing her fingers to her temple. "And now we're back to me wanting to know more about her."

"I'm not saying never," Anakin said. "Just not right now."

"How will things be different later?" Leia pressed.

"You'll have met your brother," Anakin said with a tiny smile.

"I want to meet him," Leia said. "But when is that going to happen?"

Patience? What patience? She was a Skywalker after all.

~~Wow, that is some hair.~~

Well, graduation if Anakin couldn't convince Luke to stay home.

"Sooner rather than later," he said.

"Good," Leia said. "The sooner, the better." Tomorrow wasn't soon enough in her opinion.

Re: Talk to Anakin [1/12]

sith_happened - 2010-01-13 18:25 (UTC) - Expand