Office Hours, March 24

[bigdamnprincipal]

The nice thing about being in charge was having an office with plenty of windows.

The not-so-nice thing about being in charge was seeing the fog that wasn't going away every time you glanced up. Also, knowing you should have answers about what was happening and not having them. That was even more unpleasant, and Zoe hoped that if anyone came by, it would be to give details, not ask for them.

[Door and post are open!]

Comments

[sith_happened]

The weather outside was creepy, and Anakin had no real reason to be on the island today.

Other than the aforementioned creepy weather, of course. He'd left Juliet at home with the heavily armed nanny droid and made his way to campus (trusting his instincts rather than his eyes), arriving at Zoe's office with two cups of coffee in his hands.

"Three guesses about what student tried to eat her droid baby yesterday," he said with a little smile, "and the first two don't count."

[bigdamnprincipal]

Zoe stared at Anakin for a moment before sighing and shaking her head. "I suppose I should be grateful she hasn't tried to eat Sam's dog yet."

Of course, it was possible that Illyria had tried and Sam simply hadn't said anything, but Zoe preferred to believe the first option.

[sith_happened]

"Apparently it's her people's way of judging worthiness and I'm horribly speciesist," Anakin replied, sounding amused.

[bigdamnprincipal]

"This is why I'm very glad you're not using real creatures anymore," Zoe said. "I fear for what could happen if these children actually decide to reproduce."

[sith_happened]

"Other than Prom weekend?" Anakin replied. "I do too, and not just because I've seen my daughter's taste in dates."

[bigdamnprincipal]

"How are things going with Leia?" Zoe asked. "She seems to be having an active social life."

[sith_happened]

"Cautiously," Anakin admitted. "She came to dinner and met Rory and Juliet, and that went better than I was hoping for."

[bigdamnprincipal]

"That's a good sign," Zoe said. "As much as I joke, I can't imagine what you must go through seeing her. You put up with a lot from this place. I find it bad enough right after prom."

[sith_happened]

"It's family," Anakin said with a shy smile. "Regardless of timeline, they're mine. I'd do a lot to protect family."

He waved his hand toward the window. "And speaking of...any ideas what's up with the weather?"

[bigdamnprincipal]

Zoe sighed and shook her head. "Not yet. I know people are looking up at the library, but I don't think they've found anything. Whatever it is, I don't like it."

[sith_happened]

"I fought a short dinosaur yesterday on a cliff," Anakin offered, "but it could use something like Force powers. It was unsettling."

Guess who hadn't listened to radio yet...

[bigdamnprincipal]

"You fought one of these things?" Zoe asked. "There's apparently a monkey-like creature too running around. I don't like the thought of them having powers."

[sith_happened]

"Me either," Anakin said. "I was thinking of writing a letter to whoever supplies our invasions. Do you have an address?"

Anakin occasionally labored under the impression that he was funny.

[bigdamnprincipal]

"Ha ha ha," Zoe said dryly. Okay, maybe he was a little funny. "I wish I did, so I could tell them where to shove it. I wish we knew exactly what was going on so we could deal with it and be done until the next idiots decide to come over."

[sith_happened]

"But where's the fun in that?" Anakin replied with a grin.

He was weird and enjoyed punching things.

[bigdamnprincipal]

"The fun is in you not getting your butt kicked and making me have to tell Rory what happened," Zoe explained.

[sith_happened]

"Oh, she'd yell at me and not you," Anakin said breezily. "Besides a fight is so much better than just getting sick. I didn't like that week at all."

Because Zoe cared, Anakin.

[bigdamnprincipal]

"Neither did I," Zoe admitted. "At least fighting is productive. But even though I don't yell at the students to stay inside and be safe anymore, I still worry about them when there's trouble."

[sith_happened]

"I still yell," Anakin admitted. "I think they take pride in trying to make my head pop off and spin around."

[bigdamnprincipal]

"Like their mechanical children?" Zoe asked, smirking. "Are you sure they're not taking their feelings about you out on the babies?"

[sith_happened]

"Oh, they like me well enough until the babies," Anakin said with a grin, "but until this class, no one ever tried to eat one."

[bigdamnprincipal]

"Our students are very special. And they get more special as the years go on," Zoe said with a nod.

[sith_happened]

"Makes you wonder just where those brochures are going, doesn't it?" Anakin replied.

[bigdamnprincipal]

Zoe laughed. "I wonder about that all the time. Where could they get sent to bring in such...unique kids?"

[sith_happened]

"Prisons and mental health facilities around the multiverse," Anakin said dryly.