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

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

[chirpchirpchirp]

"No," Vette replied, looking seriously weirded out by the prospect. "Wait, is that why humans wax things?!"

And there went the point, careening right past the both of them now, courtesy of the weirdest throwaway Vette flavour dialogue in the whole MMO.

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

[unusual_sith]

Lana handed him one of her business cards and smiled. "Lana Beniko, though I imagine you already know that. Actually, I've been wanting to speak with 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

[midichlorianfail]

"Sure thing, Ani."

If Theron could annoy Anakin into not coming up with ideas like this, all the better.

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: Anakin

[axe2grind]

"Is that what they were?" Jack had thought so, but had been leery of making assumptions. Different world, and all. "I liked the little fruit tarts." He looked around, then back to their teacher. "Mr. Skywalker? Where did you find all these people to participate in this?"

The words 'Danger Shop' meant literally nothing to him.

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!

[in_sidon_we_trust]

"Actually," Sidon answered with a bright grin, going for good-natured and almost playful, though he did rather forget about all the teeth, "I prefer Sidon, as that is my name! I am Sidon!" And there it was, the practically patented pump of his fist in the air, the grin managing to get bright enough to catch in the already too-bright light. "The Zora Prince! And there's no need for such formalities among friends, future or otherwise, wouldn't you say? I am doing exceptionally well, especially surrounded by such wonderful people on this grand occasion, how very kind of you to ask! How do you do? And who might I have the absolute honor of meeting?"

Ahhh. Sidon had missed this terribly!

Re: Mingle!

[axe2grind]

Right, then. Jack felt a little bowled over by all that energy, but he was going to valiantly try to at least respond to it coherently.

"Ahh, I'm Jack. Just Jack. Not prince, or anything. Of Ev. Or Oz. One of those?" Or possibly.... "Jack Two, when I'm in Jack Nought's class, but she's not here right now, so. Ahem. Are you sure you don't want to be called Your Royal Highness?"

The few royalty he'd met had been overwhelming sticklers for that. And that wasn't even counting the paragraphs of titles that went with the cardinal witches.

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?"

Re: Mingle!

[heinous_bitch]

"Cards," Kat said, before looking over at him. "I'm not exactly a small talk kind of person."

And every time she talked to someone they made her think the whole town was pranking her, so.