Practical Diplomacy, Friday, February 17, 2017

[sith_happened]

Today the class was meeting in the Danger Shop, and the scenario was set up to look like a busy open air city market. "When you are acting as a diplomat, you aren't working in a vacuum," Anakin said. "There are numerous other groups who are invested in making you fail in your operation, or even just knowing what you're doing. Today we're going to have an exercise about being aware of your surroundings, dodging a tail, and tailing a target yourself."

"One would think this is an easy exercise, but it is not," Obi-Wan said mildly. "There is a veritable treasure trove of ways in which people can keep track of not just your movements, but your communications. You may also wish to consider leaving your communications devices at home."

Anakin nodded. "Even on this primitive planet--" ANAKIN, "--there are hundreds of phone apps designed to look like one thing that are really serving as recording devices. Flashlight applications, for instance."

"So do make sure to check your cell phone," Obi-Wan said. "The sim may make use of it as well."

The sim would definitely make use of it because Anakin was a cheating cheater. "Remember that your appearance can be changed--so can the way you walk, how you hold yourself, and so on and so on. Your job is to not be noticed."

Comments

Prepare to be sneaky!

[sith_happened]

Ditch your electronics, put on clothing that won't call attention, maybe a wig?

Re: Prepare to be sneaky!

[era_two_triangle]

Peridot was following along with the entire lecture just fine, right up until the part where they said that 'appearance can be changed' bit.

As it was, she'd been iffy about the prospect of ditching her phone. It was her one bit of technology that helped her to feel like a whole and complete Gem again. But that last part?

She was three foot nothing, bright green, had large triangular hair, and was one of a newer wave of notably inferior Gems made after the war, without the ability to shapeshift. Everything about today's exercise struck a really, really raw nerve.

Rather than attempting to find some way to blend in - she wouldn't even know where to start - she tried to find herself a corner to tuck herself away in so that she could tweet the word 'CLODS' repeatedly to the world at large.

Re: Prepare to be sneaky!

[boneyard_girl]

You...didn't really blend into that corner very well, Peridot.

"You feelin' okay?" Ada asked, going over to check on her friend. "You look...unhappy."

Re: Prepare to be sneaky!

[era_two_triangle]

"I can't do this assignment," Peridot muttered, little green finger furiously tapping out a 140-character screed on her phone's screen. She couldn't quite bring herself to look up. "There is nothing about it that I'm equipped for."

Re: Prepare to be sneaky!

[boneyard_girl]

Ada pursed her lips and looked Peridot over critically. "If this is rude, please forgive me, I don't know much 'bout Gems," she said, "--but how flexible is your hair?"

Re: Prepare to be sneaky!

[era_two_triangle]

Okay, that got Peridot to look up with a squint.

"My hair?"

Well, it was...

She reached up her arm to the top of it all, and then squished it down so that it was almost flat against her head. It popped back up into place again when she let go, but it was still fairly flexible, for all that.

Re: Prepare to be sneaky!

[boneyard_girl]

Ada grinned. "Okay, I can work with that," she said, digging around in her bag for two elastics and her hair brush. "Here, scoot forward so I can sit behind you."

Peridot was going to get two cute, bushy little pigtails, if Ada had her way.

Re: Prepare to be sneaky!

[era_two_triangle]

Peridot blinked up at Ada in confusion... but otherwise, did as she was told.

"What does my hair have to do with any of this?"

Re: Prepare to be sneaky!

[boneyard_girl]

"It's th' easiest way to spot you," Ada said, starting to brush out Peridot's hair in long, soothing strokes. "If I can put it in a different style, then we can try t' use make-up t' change your skin color for your face, or just use a hat t' make it harder for people t' see you, an' clothes can do th' rest."

Re: Prepare to be sneaky!

[era_two_triangle]

Peridot was making the weirdest faces at the sensation of having her hair brushed for the first time... ever. The weirdest.

"It can be... styled?"

Look, she was still pretty new at this. The fanciest she'd ever gotten was sticking her Valentine's roses into it earlier in the week.

"How?"

Re: Prepare to be sneaky!

[boneyard_girl]

"You seen me with both my hair down, an' pulled up away from m' face, right?" Ada checked. "You can do different things with it, dependin' on how long it is."

She neatly smoothed half Peridot's hair into one bunch, and put an elastic around it. "What 'm doin' t' your hair right now is called 'pigtails.'"

Re: Prepare to be sneaky!

[boneyard_girl]

Ada Miller was a carnival girl who wore second-hand clothes, let her dark curls run wild, tended to wear as little as possible, and only wore combat or cowboy boots.

Ada Miller was also trained to blend in so the Townies wouldn't notice her, almost as much as she'd been taught how to call attention and be memorable as an effective barker.

She made a face, but set about quickly braiding her hair up into a neat, boring professional bun, while she looked around for a pair of heels and clothes that would fit.

Re: Prepare to be sneaky!

[vrajna_kralis]

Finally! A lesson in something Hyacinthe knew about. He was Tsingani and had spent a fair bit of his time as a messenger and sneak thief. Leaving his electronics behind was no great hardship; he forgot his phone in his room more often than he had it along. Choosing clothing that would pass as normal was more difficult as his eyes kept getting drawn towards bright colors, but with a bit of effort, he found something appropriate.

Re: Prepare to be sneaky!

[boneyard_girl]

Ada, stop checking out Hyacinthe while you're trying to find heels that fit. You need to be focusing on finding disguises for you and Peridot.

Even if he did look ridiculously good in that outfit.

Re: Prepare to be sneaky!

[vrajna_kralis]

Ignore the narrative, Ada, and keep looking.

Hyacinthe, feeling eyes on him before the activity began, looked up and caught Ada's eye. "Hello, rinkeni," he said, giving her a slow smile. "Do I pass muster?"

Re: Prepare to be sneaky!

[boneyard_girl]

"Only if'n you pass th' test," she teased, fidgeting with the sleeves of her 'I'm a yuppie hipster parent at the market' suit for a moment before going back to braiding her hair. "That's what'll tell us if'n it's convincing."

Yes. Totally. She was not going to complain about the view while they waited.

Re: Prepare to be sneaky!

[vrajna_kralis]

"If I may be so bold as to say, I far prefer your usual attire," Hyacinthe said, giving her a slow up and down. "This seems far too staid for you. I'm sure I'd not know how to approach you in something like that."

Which meant it was effective for the lesson. But he already missed glittery and colorful Ada.

Re: Prepare to be sneaky!

[boneyard_girl]

"You'd approach me t' liberate m' wallet, maybe," she laughed, "--not that I'd ever know it."

It was boring. And it was stiff and restrictive. She hated it.

Re: Prepare to be sneaky!

[vrajna_kralis]

"I don't know," he mused, tapping his chin. "I might wish to see if there was a woman beneath that stiff attire. If I could pull down your hair and heat your blood." Beat. "While stealing your wallet."

Re: Prepare to be sneaky!

[boneyard_girl]

"Incorrigible," Ada accused, but she was still laughing. "You'd try t' seduce a plain an' boring miss, just t' see if you could get her hair down?"

Re: Prepare to be sneaky!

[vrajna_kralis]

"Just to see if she is always boring," Hyacinthe corrected with a merry grin. "It's possible that she's not, but she doesn't know it yet!"

And Hyacinthe would be right there to show her. With his--personality.

Re: Prepare to be sneaky!

[boneyard_girl]

Of course. A thorough personality matching.

"Maybe some people are just always boring," Ada said, shaking her head. "Stuck up, prim an' proper an' don't got no joy."

Re: Prepare to be sneaky!

[intotheout]

So the last time Tip had been on the run she'd been one of like three humans on a planet totally inhabited by small multi-legged deflated frog looking things. (The Boov were weird, okay?) This had to be easier than that, right?

"You're going to keep an eye out for me too, right, Bill?"

Bill flitted in front of her just long enough to spell a quick YES, then darted back up into her hair.

Re: Prepare to be sneaky!

[snipsnspecks]

Yes, Anakin's narrative, a wig would really help Ahsoka blend in.

Trying not to think about the last time she'd had to avoid Anakin's notice, Ahsoka went for the robes. They were less conspicuous than being the only Togruta in the market.

Re: Prepare to be sneaky!

[halfaclink.livejournal.com]

"Everybody!" Frank announced after downing a drink. "If you would all do your very best not to notice me, you would have my gratitude. And the person who does the best job not noticing me may even get a drink! Thank you in advance!"