fandomhigh | Diplomacy, December 5, 2022

"We only have two more classes together," Anakin announced as he strode into the classroom, which had been set up with linen-covered round tables and a small pile of name cards. "Today we delve into seating arrangements."

Anakin Skywalker had never in his entire life cared about seating arrangements. Not once. So this lesson should go great.

"We'll start off easy," he said, and sure, "with a group of six. The table is round so that no one feels like they are being less important than anyone else at the table, and this table would be placed in the middle of a much larger charity function. Our six guests are:

1) A male ambassador who thinks he should be at the place of honor in this room. There is no place of honor in this room.
2) A female minister who claims not to speak the language the rest of the table speaks.
3) Her female spouse, who speaks the language the rest of the table speaks and also the minister's mother tongue.
4) A male staffer who has replaced his much more important boss at this dinner at the last minute. No one will be happy to see him.
5) A male religious leader who will not approve of the female minister and her female spouse.
6) A male minor royal who will show up drunk.

"Who sits next to whom? You have fifteen minutes, and then explain your reasoning to me."

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"Okay, so," Gray said after a few minutes of studying the situation, "we're gonna put Mr. 'I deserve the best seat' in the seat facing the door, because in the absence of a place with your back to a wall it subconsciously feels 'better' than the other seats." Manipulative, Gray? More than you'd think. "And then my problem is that I don't want anyone to have to sit next to the religious leader," he admitted.

"He's awful, isn't he?"

Anakin, don't sound so proud of yourself for concocting him.

"I guess you could put the drunk guy on one side of him? Because he's drunk so maybe he won't care as much..." Or he might say something outrageously offensive, because he was drunk.

"Or he'll have no filter and tell the guy how out of touch he is," Anakin mused. "I'm good with either outcome."

This was why Anakin was never in charge of seating charts.

"If the entire table gangs up on this guy I'm pretty much fine with that," Gray admitted, "but it seems like the best risk. I mean, other than the minor staffer, but I know nothing about him. He could also be gay." He frowned thoughtfully at the table.

"He does need two people," Anakin said. "I'd sacrifice the staffer and put him on the other side, then the minister who pretends not to speak the language."

Edited 2022-12-05 18:43 (UTC)

"I was thinking I'd stick the ambassador on the other side, because a religious leader feels 'important.'" Yes, he did air quotes. "Also, I want to seat the staffer next to the royal because in my head they're going to have a fling after this." Totally a normal reason.

After some quick arranging of place cards, Gray had, going clockwise around the table:

1) Ambassador
2) Religious leader
3) Minor royal
4) Staffer
5) Spouse
6) Minister

"Does that work?"

"I think that's very diplomatic," Anakin said, smiling.

Diplomacy, December 5, 2022

Re: Figure out the seating chart!

Re: Figure out the seating chart!

Re: Figure out the seating chart!

Re: Figure out the seating chart!

Re: Figure out the seating chart!

Re: Figure out the seating chart!

Re: Figure out the seating chart!

Re: Figure out the seating chart!