Ethics [Thursday, December 9, 2nd period]

[sith_happened]

Anakin had sent out an email with a similar message, but he'd stuck one on the door to his office just to keep his bases covered:

STAY INSIDE. If I see you behaving in a counterproductive way while out on my patrols, I will fail you.

--AS

He was in the classroom anyway, of course, because it wasn't like he had anywhere else to be for the hour.

Comments

[sith_happened]

He nodded. "I'm stuck here until we figure out how to either get the island to open the causeway back up or the maze goes away. Jaina's let me crash on her sofa." He gave her a careful once-over. "You haven't taken any injury?"

[likes_scoundrels]

"I had some rocks tossed at me by angry -- whatever they were," Leia said. She had bruises under her clothes to prove it. "But I'm fine. They weren't interested in dragging me off for some reason. They called the ones who were taken princesses and princes, but they didn't want me."

[sith_happened]

"I think the radio called them goblins," Anakin replied. "You're not insulted they didn't take you, are you?"

[likes_scoundrels]

"Well, I had my heart on being kidnapped by grubby little...goblins, whatever they were," Leia said, rolling her eyes. "I did want to know why the ones they did take were so special, though. But I couldn't get much information out of them, even when I threatened their glass orbs."

[sith_happened]

"I hadn't even tried to get information out of them," Anakin said, looking slightly abashed.

Be shocked.

"They seemed more like low-level minions. There's a guy with terrible hair that appears to be in charge, but no one has seen him except in their dreams."

[likes_scoundrels]

"Really tight pants?" Leia said thoughtfully. "I think I saw him in one of the crystals. It was hard to tell -- everyone was wearing masks. But I thought I saw some of the students in them, too."

[sith_happened]

"Raven didn't mention the pants," Anakin replied with a little frown, retrieving the picture she'd sketched from his belt pouch. "This the guy?"

[likes_scoundrels]

"I think so," Leia said, studying the sketch. "The hair looks right. I didn't get a very close look. I was too busy avoiding rocks and shooting the goblins and orbs."

[sith_happened]

Anakin smiled proudly. "Sounds about right. The bubbles haven't shown up other than that night, which was when everyone fell asleep and got stuck in a dance or something." He frowned again. "I wish this made any sense at all to me."

[likes_scoundrels]

"Same here," Leia sighed. "The goblins weren't even useful for much information, other than the name of whoever is in charge starts with a J or a G. One of them started to say it but caught itself."

[sith_happened]

"And if you couldn't convince him to talk, I don't know who could," Anakin said with another smile.

[likes_scoundrels]

"I have a feeling they don't know the first thing about diplomacy," Leia said with an answering smile. "They didn't take people as hostages, we know that much at least. They haven't made any demands. And there was something about the ones they took that appealed to them, but I have no idea what."

[sith_happened]

"And as a kidnapping attempt, it has a lot of flair, but not a great deal of logic," Anakin said. "Why would you stay in one place afterward?"

[likes_scoundrels]

"Someone who uses goblins as henchmen and lives in a giant maze clearly isn't a logical thinker," Leia sighed.

[sith_happened]

"True, but it's good to remember," Anakin said. "When we move to get our people back, we probably won't be greeted by a normal attack."

[likes_scoundrels]

"I want to be part of that," Leia said. "Getting them back, I mean. I don't want to just sit here and wait."

[sith_happened]

"Have you found a door in yet?" Anakin asked.

[likes_scoundrels]

"Not yet," Leia said. "And I'm not planning on going in alone." She was anxious to do something, but not be stupid about it.

[sith_happened]

"Good," Anakin said. "Because if you go in alone, please refer to the note on the door."

[likes_scoundrels]

"You're not my teacher this semester," Leia smirked. "You can't fail me."

[sith_happened]

"I can ground you," Anakin retorted.

Lots of luck enforcing that, Anakin.

[likes_scoundrels]

"The Alderaan palace guard couldn't keep me in my room back home," Leia snorted. "How are you going to keep me in a dorm room here? Especially when you live off island?"

[sith_happened]

"Extensive use of bribery," claimed the ethics teacher.

[likes_scoundrels]

"Not very ethical," Leia pointed out. "Besides, they'll just take your money and then tell you whatever I want."

[sith_happened]

"I think they're more afraid of me than they are charmed by you," Anakin replied.

[likes_scoundrels]

"Are you so sure about that?" Leia challenged. "You're not the terror you think you are."

[sith_happened]

Oh, would she be taking that back in a little bit.

"Maybe I just haven't been pushed in a while," he said.

[likes_scoundrels]

And wouldn't that be a fun day?

"If I was the gambling type I might be tempted to make a wager," Leia mused.

[sith_happened]

"I'd feel bad about taking your credits," Anakin replied smugly.

[likes_scoundrels]

"I won't feel bad at all about taking yours," Leia grinned.

[sith_happened]

Anakin reached out to bop her gently on the nose. "After this is over then. Maybe."

[likes_scoundrels]

"All right," Leia said. "Because I know you know it's pointless to try to confine me to my room right now anyway."

[sith_happened]

"Too much Skywalker in you for that to work," he agreed.

[likes_scoundrels]

"You're a wiser man than most," Leia beamed.

[sith_happened]

"And better looking," Anakin added.