Office hours [all day]

[sith_happened]

Anakin had meant to get started on his Christmas shopping, but had instead gotten sucked into watching episodes of a random reality show called XFire.

He probably wasn't supposed to be rooting for the snipers with the paint guns.

The door was open.

Comments

[sith_happened]

"As long as you're sure," Anakin said. "And don't beat yourself up too badly if things change the first time an op goes completely haywire." He gave her a slightly abashed smile. "I completely disregarded orders one time to go rescue Artoo, and while he was a friend, he's not exactly alive."

[solo_sword]

"He and Threepio are different. What do you mean if things change when things go haywire?"

[sith_happened]

"If you fly into an ambush and the entire sky is full of fire, don't be surprised if your first instinct is to find him," Anakin said quietly. "It doesn't make you less of a pilot."

[solo_sword]

"I've done that sort of thing before. It does make me less of a leader." Let's not talk about who she did that for.

[sith_happened]

"Why do you think so?" Anakin asked, voice neutral.

[solo_sword]

"I disobeyed direct orders and compromised an objective in order to save one person. I couldn't get Kyp to go on, either, so I put him in danger. That's not what you're supposed to do when you're in charge of those people."

She'd do it again in a second.

[sith_happened]

"Would you do it again?" Anakin asked.

[solo_sword]

"I wouldn't have a career left if I did. The first time got me in enough trouble."

[sith_happened]

"Did you save the person?" Anakin replied.

[solo_sword]

"Yes. But it wasn't all my doing," she said.

[sith_happened]

Anakin shrugged. "If you can get in and out of trouble and save a life, personally, I say protocol can go pound sand."

This explained a lot about the frustration the Council had in dealing with him.

[solo_sword]

"I'm military. New Republic military, for all that that's worth these days. The rules are different. I could end up without a career that way," she argued. "And beyond the selfish reason, I need to be turning twelve people into a cohesive team, not worrying about one person over everyone else. I need to worry about all of them. Equally."

[sith_happened]

"You're never going to worry about all of them equally," Anakin replied. "You'll worry about the slower ones more, and the ones you like more. And it's okay to do that. I worry about a lot of my students, but it's not in equal measure. I worried about Obi-Wan in a different way than I worried about Padmé, or the clones in my squadron."

And he had done insanely stupid things to save all of them at different points.

[solo_sword]

"Well, that's not how I run my squadron," said Jaina. "I need them to work together and get them all out alive."

[sith_happened]

Anakin rolled his eyes. "Of course you do, but some won't need as much of your attention. It's just the way it works."

[solo_sword]

"Can you just try not telling me how I will or should react for once?" she said. "I've already talked about this with the only person it concerns, that's enough."

[sith_happened]

Anakin tried not to look too stung. "Fine," he said shortly. "Enjoy your new squadron. When are you going back again?"

[solo_sword]

She felt bad sometimes for snapping, but at the same time she got really tired of people assuming they knew how she thought. "I'm not sure yet. Maybe a week or two. I'm working on something and have to make sure I get it right, so hopefully I can put that together really soon."

[sith_happened]

"New operation against the Vong?" he guessed. "Or are you throwing someone a surprise party?"

He'd eat something vile if it was that second one.

[solo_sword]

"...I'll give you one guess," Jaina said.

[sith_happened]

"I can give you great ideas for silly hats to wear for the party," Anakin deadpanned. "What's the idea, your goddessness?"

[solo_sword]

"I actually don't want to say too much, just in case I jinx it," she admitted. "But it involves going after one of the Vong bigwigs."

[sith_happened]

If Anakin was at all worried, he hid it well. "How big?"

[solo_sword]

"Can't get much bigger," she said honestly.

[sith_happened]

His breath hitched. "It's something of a family tradition," he said, keeping his voice light, "going up against the top of the food chain. Lightsaber, or something with a bit more firepower behind it?"