Ghanima Atreides (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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fandomhigh2023-09-06 10:29 am
atreideslioness) wrote in fandomhigh2023-09-06 10:29 am
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The History of Assassination. Wednesday, First Period [9/6]
Those returning to Ghanima's classroom would find a surprise today.
While the classroom was set-up in her usual arrangement of floor cushions, huge pillows, and an assortment of chaise seating on lush carpets and with a hydration station over by the door, the surprise was Ghanima herself.
Instead of being clad in her usual formal Imperial gowns, with an impeccable hat or complicated hairstyle, the Ghani sitting on the teacher's desk was clad in a Fremen tunic, pants, and her hair braided back sensibly.
...And with a sleeping infant strapped to her chest, small wisps of red hair poking out the top of the sling.
Her blue-on-blue eyes still sparkled with mischief, despite all the other changes.
"Good morning," she said crisply, once the last student had made it in. "And welcome to The History of Assassination."
"For those of you who do not know me, I am Lady Ghanima Atreides. Princess Royal of House Atreus, and Empress of the Known Universe. You may call me Ghanima, or Miss Atreides if you must, but I do not answer to 'Lady Atreides.' That is my grandmother, and I am nowhere near as dignified as the Lady Jessica."
She grinned impishly. "Suffice it to say, I have survived more than my fair share of assassination attempts -- over three hundred, last time I bothered checking -- and the fact I am standing here today is proof I have thwarted each of them so far. In my role as Empress, I have also ordered an assassination or two, though it is not my preferred form of statecraft."
If only because Ghanima preferred to do it herself rather than delegate to staff. If something is important enough that the assassination was the only route forward, then it was her responsibility to handle it herself. It was the only way to make sure it was done right.
"To be explicitly clear: this class is discussing the history of one of the oldest political tools on this planet, and on many others. Your final will be you presenting on an assassination of your choice to the rest of the class; be it one we cover here, or one you find particularly interesting yourself."
"We are not here to cry about ethics, or moralize at each other. We are discussing the lives -- and deaths -- of real people. Respectful debate is encouraged, name calling will get you detention. With me."
"So, I would like to hear from you! Please share with us your name, and why you are interested in this class or what you hope to learn from it."
She pointed to a person randomly in the room. "You first."
While the classroom was set-up in her usual arrangement of floor cushions, huge pillows, and an assortment of chaise seating on lush carpets and with a hydration station over by the door, the surprise was Ghanima herself.
Instead of being clad in her usual formal Imperial gowns, with an impeccable hat or complicated hairstyle, the Ghani sitting on the teacher's desk was clad in a Fremen tunic, pants, and her hair braided back sensibly.
...And with a sleeping infant strapped to her chest, small wisps of red hair poking out the top of the sling.
Her blue-on-blue eyes still sparkled with mischief, despite all the other changes.
"Good morning," she said crisply, once the last student had made it in. "And welcome to The History of Assassination."
"For those of you who do not know me, I am Lady Ghanima Atreides. Princess Royal of House Atreus, and Empress of the Known Universe. You may call me Ghanima, or Miss Atreides if you must, but I do not answer to 'Lady Atreides.' That is my grandmother, and I am nowhere near as dignified as the Lady Jessica."
She grinned impishly. "Suffice it to say, I have survived more than my fair share of assassination attempts -- over three hundred, last time I bothered checking -- and the fact I am standing here today is proof I have thwarted each of them so far. In my role as Empress, I have also ordered an assassination or two, though it is not my preferred form of statecraft."
If only because Ghanima preferred to do it herself rather than delegate to staff. If something is important enough that the assassination was the only route forward, then it was her responsibility to handle it herself. It was the only way to make sure it was done right.
"To be explicitly clear: this class is discussing the history of one of the oldest political tools on this planet, and on many others. Your final will be you presenting on an assassination of your choice to the rest of the class; be it one we cover here, or one you find particularly interesting yourself."
"We are not here to cry about ethics, or moralize at each other. We are discussing the lives -- and deaths -- of real people. Respectful debate is encouraged, name calling will get you detention. With me."
"So, I would like to hear from you! Please share with us your name, and why you are interested in this class or what you hope to learn from it."
She pointed to a person randomly in the room. "You first."
Sign-In #1
During the Lecture
Introductions!
She pointed to a person randomly in the room. "You first."
Talk to Ghanima
ooc
Re: Sign-In #1
Re: During the Lecture
Cute baby though.
Re: Sign-In #1
Re: Introductions!
She wasn't expecting to actually assassinate anyone but still graduation was getting closer, she wanted to be prepared as she could possibly be.
Re: Introductions!
"I'm Arden Finch, she/her--" Ghanima hadn't asked, but Mr. Sims had and it seemed a good thing to incorporate into her introductions and not just because it padded them out "--and it seemed like an interesting class, I guess."
Again, technically true was the best kind of true.
Re: Sign-In #1
Re: Introductions!
There was nothing about Gray--slouched and sleepy-looking in his seat, with bedhead-messy golden curls and a just-rolled-out-of-bed 'fit of an anime t-shirt, basketball shorts, slide sandals, and pale blue knee socks with fluffy clouds on them--to suggest that when he'd told his brothers about his schedule for the semester Castor had yelled, "Aren't you the history of assassination?" at the phone, but one must always remember Little Tiffany.
Re: Sign-In #1
Re: Introductions!
Re: Introductions!
"Hopefully this class will give you an idea of situations that should set-off your personal alarm bells."
Re: Introductions!
"For instance, the history of the United States as a whole would not be be what it is today, if Americans were not so enthusiastic about killing their political leaders," she continued cheerfully, "--I think I can name at least a dozen times American leaders have been targets of assassination off the top of my head."
"I can admire the passion behind it, even if I despair of the lack of subtlety involved."
Re: Introductions!
"But my universe legalized and codified the laws of assassination a very long time ago, in an attempt to prevent the use of weapons of mass destruction. That isn't to say the Great Houses don't break the rules of engagement, because of course they do, but the appearance of abiding by them is deeply important to our society."
Re: Introductions!
Re: Introductions!
"Remind me, and I will give you copies of the Assassin's Handbook of my world, along with the rules of the Great Convention and the code of kanly. Perhaps you can bring some civility to that chaos."
Re: Introductions!
"Even when people publicly disapprove of the practice, I've found that almost everyone has additional rules beyond 'don't do it,'" Ghanima mused. "They might dress it up in terms of warfare, or euphemisms, but it is most likely there somewhere."
"You may have to read between the lines for it, but hopefully this class will give you the framework to find what's unwritten and unspoken."
Re: Sign-In #1
Re: Introductions!
Re: Introductions!
Re: Introductions!
"On top of that, he set the actual Socialist cause back at least a decade. Completely ineffective."
Re: Introductions!
"Murder is generally a crime of passion or personal material gain. It is honest in its aims and desires. Assassination is politics, which often means 'murder but with a side of self-righteousness for a cause.'"
Re: Introductions!