Room 204 [afternoon]

[momslilassassin]

Attention world: Ben Skywalker finally got his hair cut!

Newly shorn (not quite military short, but close) thanks to the people at the spa (where he rather vehemently turned down a massage, an eyebrow sculpting and a pedicure. The staff had discovered quickly how easy it was to make him blush), he was now back in his room tinkering with a couple of projects that he was thinking of turning into holiday gifts.

The door was wide open.

Comments

[momslilassassin]

"And being a Skywalker about it, I'd have to say that it shows that there's good in everyone, even Yuuzhan Vong, and it's good to know that there is something that Tahiri and she have in common," Ben said to his hands. "But I want Riina gone. And that is just never going to happen, huh."

[solo_sword]

"I don't know," Jaina said honestly. Her Tahiri hadn't exactly managed it, as far as she knew. "There's got to be some way to make i better, though. I have every faith in that."

[momslilassassin]

"She says it's not getting better," Ben said softly. "Not the way things are right now."

[solo_sword]

"She'll be all right," she said firmly. "She's Tahiri."

That really was reason enough for her to believe what she said.

[momslilassassin]

Ben's snort was eloquent. "She's not the only Tahiri I know, and the other was far from all right."

[solo_sword]

"That Tahiri's got different experiences than this one, like this one's got different experiences than mine. That Tahiri has never been to Fandom, and doesn't know the same people, and maybe that's what makes all the difference." Enough time living in Fandom had given Jaina a bit of an interesting perspective here.

[momslilassassin]

"I hope so," Ben said with a little shiver. "Because it'd be...upsetting...if things worked out the same way."

It'd break his heart, really.

[solo_sword]

All Jaina knew of that was that Tahiri had ended up a Sith, but that wasn't really a path she wanted to see her go down either. "She's also got several people here who would smack her if she even though about it."

[momslilassassin]

"I get to be first in line," Ben said a little grimly. "Granddad can kriffing wait."

[solo_sword]

"I'd hold him back if he tried to cut," Jaina assured him.

Fun mental image.

[momslilassassin]

"Get holos if you succeed," Ben said, cracking a smile.

[solo_sword]

She smiled slightly, but asked, "And is there anything else I've missed in all this time?"

[momslilassassin]

"There was a thing with Karla," Ben said, "but I don't want to give you nightmares."

[solo_sword]

Jaina stared at him. "Go on a vacation. You need it."

[momslilassassin]

He shrugged. "I'm fine."

[solo_sword]

"Yeah, yeah, I know," she said. "Do it anyway. Look who this is coming from." She may have learned the value of taking breaks this summer, yes.

[momslilassassin]

"Did Connecticut count as a vacation?" he asked.

[solo_sword]

"No," she replied immediately. "Take another."

[momslilassassin]

"Maybe once Tahiri's doing better," Ben decided. "I don't want her to think that the pressure's too much. I won't make her feel guilty."

[solo_sword]

"Whatever works. I'm not saying do it right away, but if you've got one month filled with that much stuff, do what it takes to go a little less nuts dealing with it all."

[momslilassassin]

Ben blinked at her. "I'm not going nuts. I'm just not sleeping, but that's been normal for a year."

[solo_sword]

"I'm not saying you are. I haven't spent enough time with you lately to be able to say you are," she pointed out. "It's a hypothetical. And not sleeping isn't normal, and how am I on this side of this conversation?"

[momslilassassin]

"No idea," Ben said with a wry smile. "After classes are done, I'll get away somewhere that isn't here or home, okay?"

[solo_sword]

"Good. And remember, you know someone with sped up time enough that you won't even miss anything here." And maybe she could get him to put something horrible in Nancy's shampoo or something.

[momslilassassin]

"He did invite me to visit," Ben said, "even after he got my package."