Practical Diplomacy, Friday, January 4, 2019

[sith_happened]

The class would find themselves in the Danger Shop, which had been set up like a diplomatic reception: drinks in the back of a too large, too bright, room with much too long a line; a variety of languages being spoken with various degrees of expertise; waitstaff circulating with varieties of mid-level snacks on tiny skewers (and no, they don't know what they are either); and people standing in pairs, singles, and small groups looking uncomfortable.

"Welcome to a networking opportunity," Anakin said, making a slight face, "otherwise known as roughly 40 percent of your life as a diplomat. Today's assignment is to introduce yourself to three people in this room, including me, exchange business cards--" he passed them out to every student as he continued speaking, "and come away with three ways to remember who they are for the next reception."

He smiled a little evilly. "Because there will be a next reception."

Comments

Sign in 1/4

[sith_happened]

Ready to mingle! Or not!

Re: Sign in 1/4

[axe2grind]

Jack (Two)

Re: Sign in 1/4

[in_sidon_we_trust]

Prince Sidon

Re: Sign in 1/4

[chirpchirpchirp]

Vette

Mingle!

[sith_happened]

Or Anakin's sneaky twist on the introductions class. Talk to each other! Talk to NPCs! Definitely talk to Anakin.

Mingle: Anakin

[sith_happened]

Anakin was sipping from a glass that was holding club soda and pretending to be absolutely fascinated a conversation about the latest hair salon that had opened nearby. Save him from small talk. Saaaaave him.

Re: Mingle: Anakin

[chirpchirpchirp]

Well, introducing herself to Master Paintball was part of the assignment, and Vette intended to take this class pretty seriously, and so she waited... not until a break in the conversation so much as the moment when it looked most as though Anakin might need a rescue before slipping in sideways and then chirping, "Hey! That sounds great. I don't suppose they wax lekku there, too?"

They never did. Weird hairy people.

Re: Mingle: Anakin

[sith_happened]

"Lekku get hair on them?" Anakin asked curiously.

Not the point at all, Anakin.

Re: Mingle: Anakin

[unusual_sith]

"Pardon me." Lana nodded to the fake people. "Dean Skywalker, I wonder if I might have a word?"

Sith rescues Jedi! Well, she got a kick out of it, anyway.

Re: Mingle: Anakin

[sith_happened]

"Of course," Anakin said, excusing himself from the fake people. "How may I help you?"

Re: Mingle: Anakin

[midichlorianfail]

"Ani, buddy, long time no see."

Had Theron decided that the best thing to do to avoid actually having to talk to people was play-act the kind of obnoxiously overfriendly drunk idiot? Yes, yes he had.

Re: Mingle: Anakin

[sith_happened]

"No one calls me Ani," Anakin declared, frowning a little.

Re: Mingle: Anakin

[axe2grind]

So this wasn't like being thrown into the deep end of diplomacy, or anything. Especially for someone who didn't sign up for his own classes.

Still, he'd at least seen people try to be diplomatic. Professionally, that is.

"How are you enjoying the party, sir?"

Re: Mingle: Anakin

[sith_happened]

"Thrill a minute," Anakin said dryly. "The roast beef skewers are okay, for once, at least."

Re: Mingle!

[in_sidon_we_trust]

Ahhh, finally! After two classes where Sidon felt incredibly out of his element, it was time for something he'd already known he was good at and comfortable with and that he was pretty sure he absolutely killed the last time he'd done it in Master Skywalker's class: being charming as all heck and getting to meet people!

You could bet money on the fact that he was going to attempt to talk to as many NPCs and fellow students as he possibly could despite the mun being mired in dumb stupid work, too!

Re: Mingle!

[axe2grind]

Jack was trying to decide if this was better or worse than being one of the people circulating with a snacks tray. On the whole, he thought it was probably worse.

Still. It might be helpful, someday, if he ever got back home. Time to at least try.

"Hello, ah, sir. Or madam. I try not to make assumptions." Cough. "How do you do?"

Re: Mingle!

[chirpchirpchirp]

Oh yes, Vette was going to throw herself into this with a sort of enthusiasm that almost seemed out of place in a reception situation like this. Sure, she wasn't a fan of stuffy, but she did enjoy a little luxury now and again, and knowing how to rub elbows with high society happened to play in nicely with her hobbies back home.

... If she ever managed to get back home.

And so here she was, considering her business cards for a moment before looking around the room for just the right person to introduce herself to.

Re: Mingle!

[unusual_sith]

Well, this wasn't the sort of thing Lana enjoyed, exactly, but she'd seen her parents at it enough, and been to a few such things after leaving the Academy. The main difference seemed to be...well, no, there really didn't seem to be any. Fewer Sith, maybe.

She'd be mingling, smiling, and keeping her eyes and ears open and her back to the wall as much as possible.

Re: Mingle!

[crack_that_whip]

Networking? Ugh.

Trevor immediately tried to find a spot where no one would talk to him, but he could still get the lay of the land.

Only then did he go chatting up NPCs for that valuable info.

Re: Mingle!

[midichlorianfail]

Theron didn't like mingling, but Master Zho had considered it a valuable skill, so he picked up a glass and put on a vacuous expression.

Re: Mingle!

[heinous_bitch]

Kat was going to fail this class!

Because she was standing against a wall somewhere with her arms crossed, looking like she might hit anyone who tried to talk to her.

Which was... not the assignment.

Re: Mingle!

[axe2grind]

Jack fetched up next to cat when the tide of the crowd kind of maneuvered him to the edge of the room. Sometimes having artificial limbs meant the path of least resistance was keeping him from falling over.

He nodded at Kat, and said, "Hullo. Would you like to exchange cards and small talk? Or just cards?"

And report!

[sith_happened]

How will you remember each of the contacts you made?

Talk to Anakin

[sith_happened]

After you're done mingling.

OOC

[sith_happened]

I do not miss this part of being overseas.