Office hours [all day]

[sith_happened]

Anakin was putting together a list of potential gifts for Rory.

But that would hardly do wonders for his reputation as a badass. If anyone came in, he'd look like he was rereading the notes he'd made on last week's Ethics assignment as drum-intensive music from Endor played in the background.

The door was open.

Get Together - Indigo Girls

Comments

[sith_happened]

"Have you tried dropping something heavy on him?" Anakin asked.

[solo_sword]

"I'd have to drop something heavy on his followers, too," she pointed out. "Also, that might get me arrested."

[sith_happened]

"He has followers?" Anakin rolled his eyes. "Terrific. Because Luke doesn't have enough idiots to deal with in the Senate."

[solo_sword]

"He sometimes makes good points, and he's charismatic and makes it all sound very noble. Doesn't mean he's right," Jaina said. "But not everyone wants to think about that last part."

[sith_happened]

"They'd much rather be doing something than stopping to think," Anakin said sourly. "Typical."

[solo_sword]

"They're thinking. Everyone's thinking. Too much, in my opinion. We've stopped, assessed the situation, now just do your jobs."

[sith_happened]

"Not everyone can join Rogue Squadron," Anakin said, voice quiet, "but I remember the frustration well."

[solo_sword]

She made a little face and said, "I know I'm being kind of hypocritical, because I'm more of a Jedi poster girl in the Rogues than I am an actual Jedi, and when I'm not there, I'm here, as far away from the fighting as I can be. Which makes me madder that they can't just step up and do what they're supposed to."

[sith_happened]

"Which is what?" Anakin asked quietly. "No one's going to be able to wave their hand and turn the Vong around."

[solo_sword]

"Stop dithering, come up with a solid, unified plan, and actually put it into action," she said simply. "The infighting is hurting us more than anything."

[sith_happened]

"It should be that easy," Anakin said, "but there are always too many moving parts. A dictatorship is far more streamlined, but that gives you a whole different set of problems."

[solo_sword]

"I'm not talking about dictatorship. I'm talking about some degree of teamwork."

[sith_happened]

"You're putting more than one ego into a room together," Anakin said, "and I'm guessing those at the top have a lot of history together. So someone's goal is always going to be 'saving the galaxy and making sure the other person doesn't get the credit.' And that's where the problems stem from. It's 'save the galaxy and make sure the Jedi don't get the credit,' or 'save the galaxy and make sure the fighter jocks don't look like they did it all.'"

[solo_sword]

"Why does it have to be that difficult?" Jaina asked. "This sort of thing is bigger than anyone's ego. Even a group's ego."

[sith_happened]

"Because it hasn't affected everyone in the same way," Anakin said. "There are some who are still seeing the problem as something on paper--they haven't been to the front lines, or confronted the refugees, or had their own planet threatened with annihilation. Until everyone's on the same page, there will be pointless arguing."

[solo_sword]

"So it needs to get worse before it can get better," she said, "is what you're saying?"

[sith_happened]

Anakin nodded, looking apologetic.

[solo_sword]

"I hate this," Jaina said, half-groaning.

[sith_happened]

"But the enemy is probably going through the same thing," Anakin said. "It's the nature of warfare--there are always competing internal issues."

[solo_sword]

"Somehow I doubt that. The enemy's beating us pretty good," she reminded him.

[sith_happened]

"That's only because you don't know what to look for yet," Anakin decided. "Right now, they're still beating you psychologically as well."

[solo_sword]

"Any clue on how to get them to stop?" she asked hopefully.

[sith_happened]

"Have you been able to slow them down even a little?" Anakin asked quietly.

[solo_sword]

"A couple small victories that get overshadowed very quickly by a bigger defeat. If there've been more, I haven't heard it."

[sith_happened]

"You need something to capture people's attention," Anakin said, "to reassure them that the invasion won't last forever and that the government isn't entirely populated by morons."

He ran a hand through his hair. "That's a lot of what Obi-Wan and I did," he said. "We became the face of the war."