Room 424 [Wednesday evening]

[momslilassassin]

Ben returned to his room from his club activities just in time for his father to call. A shuttle would be picking him up Friday afternoon for an assignment to be explained when he arrived on Endor.

Ben sighed as he sat down on the floor. At least it was his father calling the shots--he was pretty sure that meant he wouldn't be assassinating anyone this trip home.

But he'd probably need his lightsaber.

He pulled the parts for the new hilt out from under his bed and began welding them together using nothing but the Force. If the weapon was going to be his, it had to be built the old-fashioned way.

And for Jedi, it didn't get more old-fashioned than this.

Ben was so focused on the weapon floating above his lap that he didn't realize he'd left the door cracked open.

[OOC: Open door, open post...]

Comments

[solo_sword]

After flight club, Jaina'd spent a while distracting herself with work, then figured she just needed to suck it up and go upstairs. She knocked lightly on the door when she got there, calling, "Ben?"

[momslilassassin]

Ben glanced up and smiled. "Hi, Jaina."

[solo_sword]

She pushed the door open to step inside, shutting it behind her. "Can't imagine what you could be doing in here," she said with a smile.

[momslilassassin]

"Dad told me to build my lightsaber," he said, beaming a little despite himself.

[solo_sword]

"I'm kind of surprised you hadn't already," she realized.

[momslilassassin]

"I had a practice one," he said. "He says I've passed the trials."

[solo_sword]

"Your dad?" she guessed. Because if it was his Jacen, she'd have to raise a few questions and that would just be the worst segue ever. "You're about the right age, you've had... a rough year. Can't say I disagree with him."

[momslilassassin]

Ben relaxed a little. "If you think so," he said softly. "I wasn't sure."

[solo_sword]

"Don't feel ready?" she asked, taking a seat.

[momslilassassin]

"Most of what I learned wasn't through the Temple," he said carefully. "I'm afraid I might have missed something important."

[solo_sword]

"I think the most important stuff comes through experience anyway. It's one thing hearing about something and studying it. It's another thing entirely to it," she pointed out.

[momslilassassin]

"And I've been doing it," Ben agreed.

[solo_sword]

"You'll be fine," she assured him. "Besides, this is the fun part." Of course, she was a mechanics dork.

[weetuskenraider]

Tahiri was on her way back up to her room and just, you know, happened to stop by the third floor on her way. No real reason, honestly.

Except for how she managed to wander down the hallway and stop just in front of Ben's room, watching silently through the crack in the door for a few minutes.

[momslilassassin]

Ben was concentrating so hard on the lightsaber--almost like he didn't want to think about anything else--that he didn't even notice Tahiri standing there.

[weetuskenraider]

She'd be happy just to watch him for a while, and stayed silent, a little smile creeping across her face as she did. She didn't think he'd have half as hard a time as she'd had when she built her first lightsaber, but she knew the significance of this and didn't want to disturb him.

It was a pretty extraordinary display of patience for Tahiri, really, but she was fine just watching for now.

[momslilassassin]

Ben finally looked up and blinked. "How long have you been there?" he asked.

[weetuskenraider]

"A while," Tahiri said, the slight grin still evident. "I was kind of wondering when you'd notice, though."

[momslilassassin]

"Sorry," Ben mumbled, turning red to his ears. "Come in."

[weetuskenraider]

"I was enjoying the show." Which didn't stop Tahiri from slipping into the room and sitting down, crosslegged, nearby. "Is now a bad time?"

[momslilassassin]

"Not for you," he said, chewing on his lip and shielding like it was the only thing keeping him alive.

[weetuskenraider]

"You're such a smooth talker, Skywalker," Tahiri said, watching him with carefully guarded concern.

[momslilassassin]

Ben focused far too hard on the hilt of lightsaber. "Jacen's still presumed dead where you are?" he finally asked.

[weetuskenraider]

Tahiri nodded, her jaw tensing slightly. "There was a vague chance that . . . well, people thought he might've been on Coruscant. Before I went, I mean. So as far as we all know right now, yeah, he's dead."

Leia hadn't been ready to accept that, she knew.

[momslilassassin]

Ben curled himself into a little ball. "I shouldn't hope he's dead, should I."