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(no subject)

Who: Anakin
Broadcast: Fleetwide video
Action: Marsiva - Hospitality Deck
When: Dec. 17th

[ His first moments of waking up are pretty typical; groggy mumbling, hands and arms flapping around and a jerk that brings him upright then standing. Something... feels wrong. ]

Wha- Where am I?

[ His hands goes to his belt, only to grasp at air. It's alright, don't panic. It's not the first time he lost his lightsaber, not the first time he's gotten a concussion with the foggy space in his memory either. He checks his right arm, gripping it along the junction where durasteel meets flesh while he takes in his surroundings.

He scowls at the video feed that looks particularly turned on. But he doesn't care about that now. His arm is brought close to his face, and his own Jedi commlink beeps. ]

Obi-Wan? [ Nothing. ] Artoo, come in. [ More nothing. ] This is Anakin Skywalker, requesting emergency-- [ An odd electrical sound and click later, he sighs. ]

Great. I better not have to ask Obi-Wan to pick me up.

[ The same arm reaches out towards the ship's communicator and it flies to into his fist. Now, the feed points away from him and through his point of view as he scans the Hospitality deck. ]

What is ... this ship? [ The communicator shuffles. ] Where is this transmitting to?

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[ hm. interesting enough.

but at anakin's question, zuko raises his hands to view in the camera, and a ball of fire appears between his palms, suspended neatly. it seems to be reacting to his breath -- every inhale and exhale seems to bring the fire brighter or dimmer, even if subtly. ]

It's easier to show it than explain it.

Oh. Wow. That's

[ Damn son. ]

You can control fire?

I can control and manipulate fire, and I can create it.

[ zuko presses his hands together, and the ball of flames extinguishes itself into a faint puff of smoke. ]

Heat, too, and temperature. Some other things, but --

[ pause ]

Yeah, I can control fire.

[ that's just easier ]

Well, you're wasted as a Personnel officer. Why aren't you on security?

[ fireballs! fireballs, everywhere. they wouldn't even need blasters. ]

I know we have these special implants to do what we can but I know I can be part of the security team too, if it comes to it. I don't have to just be a pilot. Do you have to be a personnel officer?

You don't really get a choice when you get here.

[ but zuko frowns slightly, as anakin continues, and he feels the need to correct him. ]

I know how to fight, and I would, if I needed to. An augment isn't going to prevent me from defending myself or the people that I care about. It's my duty.

[ as a leader, and as firelord, and as everything else he's worked himself out to be. as zuko, really -- he has a responsibility, as someone who can wield these gifts, to protect people who can't, regardless of who they are. ]

But getting something like this when I'm capable of doing more is an insult, and I'm not going to bend to the will of some entity just because they want me to do something.

[ he can do as he pleases, and he does whatever he can to help the blue fish. but he's no therapist. it's not his strength, or his calling. zuko isn't entirely sure what is, but it's certainly not that. ]

[ He nods; it seems like they've finally found something they can agree on. ]

I understand, it's a waste when some of us could fill multiple positions.

[ A shrug and a sigh ]

But you might have to think both protecting your friends and being someone people can talk to as your duty. Which is weird, I expected a personnel officer to be...More of a people person.

I am a people person, when I want to be. And when it's people that I like.

[ which is like... team avatar + iroh. and a handful of others he's met on his journeys through these universes. ]

But I know my strengths, and having the patience to talk to people about their personal problems isn't one of them. I can answer questions, and I can show people where they need to go, but I can't fix whatever problem you have in your own life. You have to do that yourself.

[ also it's kind of uncomfortable talking to people about their problems when they either a) keep staring at his face instead of actually meeting his eyes or b) their problems are literal whining and he doesn't have the tolerance for that.

also zuko is A Certifiable Hot Mess and he has the self-awareness to realize that he is the last person to give out any advice. ]

[ he squints. ]

I think we have different idea of what a people person is.

[ if he was a little more self-aware, he would know that he himself is not a people person. like zuko, he has little patience for other people's internal problems, he is only good at the problems he can fix and if he can't... he will try. always try. even when the person only wants to vent. and that is his problem.

unfortunately, he considers himself a people person. ]

[ yeah, well. zuko is an aristocrat, for however much he's been shoved out of it and lived outside of it. he was raised to put on a face to people, and to be kind in order to get what needed. he hates it, and he's nowhere near as good as azula is at it, but being a "people person" when you're royalty is different than a "people person" when you have the luxury of being dismissive to those who generally aren't worth your time.

so, as a result, zuko shrugs a shoulder. ]

Maybe.

[ he doesn't sound bothered by the disagreement, or the squinting. ]

I just don't like wasting my time on people I know I won't get along with.

[ zuko gets along with toph, katara (sometimes), sokka (usually), aang, iroh, and a handful of people he's met along this crazy multiverse journey. he can figure out, fairly quickly, whether or not he's going to get along with someone. mostly because of his own flaws. ]

Besides, most people who talk to me figure out within five minutes that they don't want to tell me their problems.

[ which is smart in zuko's opinion he's a hot mess 99% of the time ]

[ though he relates to that point of view, a lot of his upbringing and training as a jedi has been to temper his impatience with others, listen to others and emphasize with their plight.

to simply dismiss them because of it's unlikely they'll get along doesn't connect with him. his method of problem solving is a blunt, pragmatic intrusion regardless of whether it is a problem or not. ]

So, delegate. Get someone else who to talk to them.

[ like so ]

I do.

[ jeez anakin. ]

The most important part of being a good leader is recognizing where you fail. If someone else can help them better than I can, then that's where they'll go. I usually don't bother greeting new people on here unless I know them.

[ other people can do it better than he can. also, you're special, anakin. obvi. ]

[ for a moment, he was distinctly ... not pleased hearing that. ]

Just so we're clear, I don't know you. Do you know me?

[ listen, he's got a lot going on. ]

No, but you seemed to know you were on a spaceship before someone explained that to you, so I figured you were a good person to introduce myself to.

[ zuko is quietly very smart albeit super socially awkward ]

Right. Because I already knew almost everything there was to know and anything extra is in-depth knowledge that people who have been here a lot longer would have. And coincidentally also things you like to explain.

Am I close?

[ or at least warm, hot?? he likes to be right. ]

[ stare ]

You're not that special.

[ sorry anakin it's literally just because you knew what a spaceship was ]

[ they've been telling him he's been special and chosen all his life. so this is actually. kinda nice. but also rude. he's just not sure what he should be feeling. ]

Thanks?

You're welcome.

[ FEEL HONORED ]

Need anything else?

[ a beat

yes, i want to see how the Force interacts with your powers. if it can, at all doesn't sounds exactly friendly even if he doesn't really expect any hostility from zuko. ]

Not at the moment. I'll comm you if I do.

[ um what the fuck is the force and why ]

Sure. Like I said -- Zuko.

[ pause, and he continues dryly ]

And I'm on the Blue Fish if you want to take advantage of my augment.

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