fandomhighdorms | Behind the Dorms, Tuesday Afternoon

So they couldn't have a reserve leader meeting this week, because Leto was a tree. Arthur being Arthur, he was fairly convinced Leto was just doing it to spite everyone (especially him), but that was hardly the reason he was behind the dorms this morning.

"Today, we're going to be working on fortifying the dorms," Arthur announced, "As well as setting up for their defense. If a fighting force somehow breaks through the gates, it will be of great importance to ensure that the dorms are kept safe and well-defended." He... took a moment to ~~handwavily in order not to break the mun's brain~~ elaborate on his own time's strategies for ~~standing in a square with spears hoping something will fall on them~~ defense of such buildings. It involved barricades. And fires. And, okay, standing in a square with spears hoping something would fall on it, but he said it... a little classier than that.

"I would like you all to take a march around the building," because physical exercise was also always good, "And find the weak spots. Windows, damaged walls, and the like. There are a number of defensive positions we can take in order to safeguard the gates. I've listed a number of them, but go take a look and bring us your own ideas."

He nodded at the crowd, then paused. "If anyone is searching for Lord Leto," he said, "He's currently topiary, but with any luck, he'll grace us with his presence again next week."

Seriously. Couldn't Leto turn into a tree when it was actually useful, like in a quiet week where Arthur could have the room to himself?

[[ ~~wait for the~~ ocd up! ]]

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"I might." And now she was already kicking herself for making him worry, although wasn't it his turn this week anyway? "I'm not sure yet, but it sounds like things might be heading that way."

He bit his lip and nodded. "Okay," he said. "Imagine this as a Yuuzhan Vong stronghold. How would you infiltrate?"

The look in Tahiri's eyes when she glanced at him was a little strained; it had been a year, and she could probably still recite, point-for-point, the plan that had been drilled into the members of the Myrkr strike team. Not that she ever wanted to again.

"Distractions definitely help," she began quietly. "Hit one or more possible points of entry as a decoy -- the garage, maybe, and the front doors. Explosives, maybe. Something loud, and obvious, to draw the defenders' focus . . ."

Speaking of focus, she was losing it despite her best efforts right now.

Ben reached out to touch her. "You're doing fine," he said, sending a wave of reassurance toward her. "What next?"

She was looking off toward a nearby sewer access grate, but Tahiri reached for his hand. "It's not the cleanest or most fun way," she said, "but the waste disposal system ought to lead to the succession pool . . . and you're not as likely to find as many warriors nearby. Shapers, though, and they can be a problem." She couldn't help a sarcastic little laugh there.

Ben squeezed her hand. "How would you take them out?" he asked softly.

He figured it was better that she do this here with him than freeze up back home.

Tahiri stifled the memory of Mezhan Kwaad hurting Anakin as quickly as she could, and in the same quiet voice detailed her ideas to Ben.

"I'm not used to being the one coming up with these things," she admitted as if he hadn't known.

"You did fine," he murmured, moving his free arm around her waist before giving her a series of options she might not have thought of.

Ben's head just worked that way.

"That makes sense," Tahiri said finally, having worked out the logic in her own head. She leaned into him and let out a long breath. "It's not like I'll be able to rely on you for this if it turns out they need me to go."

"I'd probably try to eat the comlink in your timeline," he said with a tiny smile. "You're good at thinking on your feet," he continued. "The military tends to come up with the big plan. You'll just need to fix it when they've forgotten important things."

"I think you're crawling now," Tahiri tried to tease him, and nudged at him with her big toe. "Good at thinking on my feet, huh? Guess that's a step up from always messing things up."

"As long as you can get yourself out of the messes, it's just a learning experience," Ben said quietly.

Tahiri looked up and tried to hold his gaze. "I'm going to have to be the one getting myself out of them, now."

Ben smiled down at her. "If you don't, I'll just have to screw up the timeline and come get you."

"Ben Skywalker, you think I can't handle it?" She grinned back up at him. "That'd be tricky to explain."

"I think you're incredibly competent," Ben replied, "but I also know my father has a habit of asking for the impossible."

She'd been hoping to hear that, actually. The competent part, not the impossible part. "Okay, true, but you're not screwing up the timeline just for me."

"If it's a choice between you and the timeline, I'm picking you," he said quietly.

She kept ending up not knowing what to say around Ben. It wasn't a bad thing, necessarily -- all Tahiri could think of to do was to hug him as hard as she could.

Ben held on just as tightly and ran his fingers through her hair. Apparently reserve meetings doubled as dates for them.

It was multitasking! And they'd even come up with some useful ideas this time. Very efficient of them, really.

Behind the Dorms, Tuesday Afternoon

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