fandomhighdorms | Behind the Dorms, Tuesday Afternoon

Beyond the rapidly-healing scratch on his left arm, Arthur looked downright sprightly today, for whatever measure of the phrase. He rubbed his gloves together as the reservists arrived, and didn't stop until everyone was there. "Two weeks ago, we spoke about guerilla tactics," he said, "I hope you've remembered some of it. Today, we'll be focusing on the stealth, rather than the immediate location of the ambush. We must find ways to render ourselves completely inaudible when need be, both through the use of tools, and our own skills."

He considered the group. "If any of you - including those of you affiliated with the other groups rather than this one - know of any tools at your own disposal that will minimize our own noise, especially in forestal environments or cobblestoned roads or the like, please share those with everyone so that we will know what options we've got if the time comes."

"As for the skills, a bit of hands-on practice might be needed." He nodded towards the preserve. "A while ago, we hid and sought each other out in the woods. Now, I propose something similar, but different. Form up pairs. One of you will venture deep into the forest, and then attempt to return here--" He leaned back to pat a particular spot on the dorm wall, "Without being spotted. You may draft others onto your team, if need me. The other must, at the very least, fully discern the location of the first, and whether or not they're alone-- and if possible, catch them."

He crossed his arms. "Remember that the movement of our troops and their numbers alone is valuable information in the hands of the enemy," he finished, "So it's key that you make sure you are not seen, nor heard enough to find."

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

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"Forcing it to accelerate," Tahiri guessed, going a little green at the thought. "That's . . . different." She'd gotten better at healing trances on her trip home, having spent enough time talking over the concept with other Jedi over those post-training dinners as well as learning to use them more effectively when sleep just wasn't an option. She wasn't sure she liked how that technique sounded; it seemed a little close to the dark side from her perspective.

"I could definitely get behind avoiding injury for that."

If the Dark Side made people pass out, Dinah was way against it.

"Yeeeah. His other abilities have gotten better too. Well, they had to, this summer. The only wizard in Vancouver, and stuff kept happening." Dinah sighed. "He'll be back in a week or so. I'll be way happier then. He never got hurt here, even with zombies and alligators."

"You have to learn, in those situations." Boy, did she know that all too well now. "The only one, really?"

"Yeah. There was another one there, before he figured out he knew magic. But she left for her home dimension. He hasn't met anyone else there who can do stuff. Although his ex-boyfriend knows about it." Dinah shook her head. "Which is another reason I'm glad he's coming back. The Reserves and the classes here at least get him some training."

Tahiri glanced toward Arthur and the guys. "Yeah, I know that feeling. If it hadn't been for a lot of things here, I'd have been hopelessly lost half the time in those briefings." She didn't envy Tony, really, being in that position. "And if things happen there while he's here, will they know to get a hold of him?"

"Yup. He's kind of out of the closet now. His boss knows, all his co-workers know, and one of the local police knows. So he's got plenty of non-magic back-up, and they know where he is." Dinah sighed. "I wish I believed it'd be easier after he graduates, but. He dealt with some similar stuff last year, too. The ex said he doesn't run into it that often, but he's not a wizard, so."

She grinned. "Yeah, the Reserves really were a good idea, weren't they? Just keeping in practice working with other people is great. It's kind of too bad the last invasion was all psychic."

Tahiri grimaced. "Yeah. I'm glad that one skipped me -- you didn't run into the me there, did you?" Force, she really hoped not.

Mentally, she backtracked a bit and asked, "Closet?"

Silly Earth slang.

"No, I didn't. I hid a lot. Um. I was a vampire. I met the Eleanor and Anemone and Leto over there." She was quiet a minute. "Not... pleasant."

Her lips quirked sideways. "Oh. Um, when someone's 'in the closet' here, it It usually means you're not publically admitting to being gay. I just meant he's not keeping a big secret about himself any more." She snorted. "He hasn't been in the other kind of closet for years."

In retrospect Tahiri realized it might have been a dumb question; Dinah hadn't been the slightest bit skittish around her since that week, and asking about it was probably just asking for questions. Good one, Veila.

"Your slang is weird," she informed Dinah with a too-casual shrug and a hastily added-on, "I bet it wasn't fun."

"Well, it isn't astral or kriffing, but it's descriptive." Dinah made a face. "Yeah, no. Not at all. I'm glad you didn't end up over there, you would have hated it." She thought about it a minute, then slowly said, "It was a lot like being drafted with no notice, really. But at least all the vampires there are dead now." Another grimace. "That part wasn't fun either."

And a brief flash of guilt, missable if you blinked, crossed Tahiri's face. Remembering Ben's blurted confession, I killed you there, she answered quietly, "No, I imagine it wasn't. You're going to be okay, though?"

"Yeah." Dinah gave her a very small smile. "I talked to some people about the worst parts. And Firekeeper and Blind Seer went camping with me in the park on Friday, so I wouldn't be scared of the dark." She turned a little pink, admitting that. "Professor Atreides is going to help me with stronger meditations." She sighed. "I'm okay. I never want to be changed into something that dangerous and evil again. But yeah." She gave Tahiri a sober look. "Some people kind of aren't, still, I think."

"No." Tahiri returned the smile, but it was tired, and something about the way Dinah phrased that had touched a nerve. She thought of Jacen, the surprised boyish look on his face when he'd realized she was a squadron commander, contrasted with the growing suspicion that had followed when she realized he'd been hiding something. And of herself . . . Ben flinching away from her all those times. "You . . . never get over seeing someone you care about when you know they're wrong somehow, not that easily."

Dinah looked away, thinking of Leto. Still hadn't told him. She'd have to eventually, but... "No. You really really don't." She looked down at her hands, then back at Tahiri. "I'm glad people here get that. You know? As awful as it is that they have reason to understand. It'd be worse if no one did."

"I'd say I wish nobody had to understand it, but that'd be stupid and naive, wouldn't it?" Tahiri asked with a tight smile. "The next best thing is knowing you're not the only one, I suppose."

"Yeah," Dinah said, quieter. "I pretty much hugged everyone I saw who'd been over there, the week afterward." They'd needed it. "We can keep working so it doesn't have to happen again, though."

"I can't even begin to figure out how you defend against something like that, and . . ." Tahiri chewed on her lower lip. "Is it even right to? I mean, as awful as it was, we -- I mean, you, those of you who ended up over there -- ended up helping them. Saying we can stop it from happening again seems awfully like . . ."

Her shoulders slumped. "I don't know. It's awful either way."

"I know," Dinah said, thinking about it. "More, maybe, making sure vampires couldn't do that here? Which I guess, now that we know about the engines under the island, makes it really unlikely." She was quiet, thinking of getting dragged into another dimension. "I don't know how we'd stop the mind-switching. Or even if we should. It just... I hope it would be less scary, next time. God."

"I don't think it ever gets less scary." Helpful, Tahiri. "I don't know if it should be."

Behind the Dorms, Tuesday Afternoon

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