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

[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."

[weetuskenraider]

Tahiri scooted closer and reached a hand out to him, swallowing as she admitted, "I probably shouldn't either, should I?"

[momslilassassin]

He held on to her hand tightly. "Jaina and Jacen go together," he said. "You know that better than just about anyone. And he broke her heart. I don't want that to happen to this Jaina, too."

[weetuskenraider]

Tahiri squeezed his hand and tried to project some comfort through the Force. "After all the time I spent in the battle meld with them, I think I should know," she said. "And . . . oh, Force." What he was saying had just caught up with her. "You mean he's alive for her, too . . ."

[momslilassassin]

Ben nodded and dropped his head against her shoulder. "She doesn't know the specifics of my last trip home."

With the torture and the setting Kashyyyk on fire. Fun things like that.

[weetuskenraider]

Tahiri reached out to wrap her arm around his shoulders. "I still can't even picture my Jacen doing any of that either," she admitted, "but it doesn't stop me from worrying that he'll turn out the same way as yours. As much as it's tearing up Han and Leia right now not knowing what happened to him, I don't think I could take the looks on their faces if he turned out like he did for you."

[momslilassassin]

"Like he's killing them by inches," Ben said softly.

[weetuskenraider]

"Do you think there's a chance it'll be different for her?" Tahiri asked. "Or for me?"

[momslilassassin]

"I have to," Ben said. "My Jaina's forgotten to smile, my Jacen tortures people, and my mom's dead. I don't want that for either of you."

[weetuskenraider]

Tahiri rested her head against his, her fingers running up and down his shoulder in soothing patterns. "It's stupid to say I wish you didn't have to go through that, isn't it? You, and . . . your versions of any of us, really."

[momslilassassin]

Ben sighed. "Which reminds me. I'm going home on Friday for a mission."

[weetuskenraider]

"What?" Tahiri's stomach was doing a great impression of a turbolift with a cut cable. "But I just barely got back, and now . . . sorry. It doesn't work that way, I know."

[momslilassassin]

Ben held on a little tighter. "Dad's running the op. I'm sure it'll be fine."

Because Luke was so known for his nice, safe, normal missions.

[weetuskenraider]

"Yeah, remember where I just came from?" Tahiri pointed out. She glanced down at the lightsaber hilt in Ben's lap omg so not dirty and asked, "Are you going to finish in time?"

[momslilassassin]

"Not even close," he said. "I'll use my old one and work on this one when I get back."

He chewed on his lower lip, debating telling her something.