Office hours [all day Thursday. Yes. Thursday.]

[sith_happened]

Anakin hadn't been in his office since the end of the spring semester, so he'd decided to spend some time there cleaning cobwebs, updating holos and rearranging furniture before classes began.

And glancing at the open door every five seconds waiting to see if his granddaughter might show up.

You know, all casual-like.

{ooc: oooooopen}

Comments

[solo_sword]

Jaina didn't want to go. She really didn't. She didn't want to deal with feelings and 'how are you's and concern. Besides, she thought she had a couple days before she had to even think about this, but as soon as she'd sensed Anakin, she knew it was better just to get it over with.

Which was why she was at the door, knocking. Even this kind of visit felt like something she'd done forever ago.

[sith_happened]

Anakin's entire face lit up seeing her, and he crossed the rooms in a few long strides to get closer.

He wasn't going to touch her--holding back a bear hug through sheer force of will--and made himself be content to just give her a long, long look, cataloging differences since he'd seen her last.

"Jaina," he said, and in that word there was relief.

[solo_sword]

Glad for the lack of glomping, she managed a small smile, but still was purposely keeping her shields up. "Hi," she said. "How was the summer off?"

[sith_happened]

"I don't know what to do with that kind of down time," he admitted. "The toys for Ben are threatening to take over the apartment." He bit his lower lip. "Come in?" he offered. "Stay a while?"

[solo_sword]

She stepped inside and nodded, but warned, "I can't stay too long. I got another new program I need to run through. I kind of work against time this way between here and home."

[sith_happened]

"A little bit of time won't make that much difference," he said quietly. "I'm not going to offer you tea and cookies. I just want to see you."

And see if she was capable of relaxing, too.

[solo_sword]

"A little bit of time can be hours there," she pointed out. "But I'm staying."

[sith_happened]

"Good," he said, waving a chair in her direction before flopping into his desk chair. "Tell me more about this squadron Luke has given you."

He'd work his way back to the dark side eventually. For the moment he didn't want their conversation to last all of three seconds.

[solo_sword]

Jaina took a seat, but only appeared to relax. "Twin Suns Squadron. It's all part of that little psychological warfare campaign," she explained. "I've already gone through and put together the roster, and I've got Kyp and Jag Fel on it, which right there means we're good. And we're going to be working with some of the battle meld techniques to see whether it can help our collective flying. We'll even be able to work with Rogue Squadron there."

[sith_happened]

Anakin's lips thinned a bit when she mentioned Kyp, and he shifted forward at the second name. "Jag Fel?" he repeated. "Any relation to...?"

[solo_sword]

"Baron Fel's son, yes. And Wedge Antilles' nephew. He's been flying with the Chiss since the war started, and he's good. He consistently kills me in the sim." No, she still wasn't happy with that.

[sith_happened]

"We'll work on that," Anakin said. "I could kick Fel's ass back...before. It's in the blood. Will you be including him in the battle meld, or just other Jedi?"

[solo_sword]

"Well, I'm not sure how much I can," she admitted. "It's something to work on, and see if we can do, but I know Kyp and I need to get our act together, too. It's a little harder with the distance." And the fact that Jaina kept insisting on putting those walls all the way up nearly all the time.

[sith_happened]

"It also helps if you let emotional walls down," Anakin offered quietly.

[solo_sword]

She shook her head. "I'm not ready," she said simply. With any luck, she'd be dead before she had to.

[sith_happened]

"Then then meld won't be at its most effective," Anakin said, "and that margin can be a critical difference." His eyes looked worried. "It takes a lot of effort to keep walls that high, my Jaina," he added softly. "It can get exhausting."

[solo_sword]

"I'm doing fine," she said. "And I can't do anything with the meld at this distance anyhow. I'll worry about that when I'm allowed back."

[sith_happened]

Anakin didn't look convinced. "Fine," he repeated.

[solo_sword]

"Yes, fine," she said evenly.

[sith_happened]

Anakin gave a mental nudge against her shields. "Then explain those," he said.

[solo_sword]

"I don't want to share, and I don't want to have to deal with people's worry or pity," Jaina explained. "It's distracting."

[sith_happened]

"Sorry to be distracting," Anakin said, sounding anything but. "The Jedi prized detachment, but numbness is another thing entirely. Numbness will get you killed in spectacularly stupid ways."

[solo_sword]

"Not exactly anything I need to worry about here, is it?" said she who didn't even want to be here. That might explain some of the bitter in her voice. "Anyway, you don't know what I'm feeling, numb or not."

[sith_happened]

"Because you're the only one in this room who's lost family?" Anakin asked, his voice getting heated. "Or has turned to the dark side because it gave you what you wanted when you were angry and hurting? Please."

[solo_sword]

"No, I turned to the dark side because it would help defeat the enemy," she said, and while she was still mostly calm, her words were definitely carrying an edge. "Get rid of them, I didn't really care what it cost me."