Aboard the Jade Shadow [Tuesday, Fandom time]

[momslilassassin]

Ben was grabbing a quick snack as he waited in the galley for his father to finish docking the ship on the first human-majority planet they'd seen in months and taking the chance to catch up on more reading about the Aing-Tii Monks. As soon as they restocked their supplies and checked for physical mail (Ben hoped that Tony's package would catch up with them here), they'd be heading into Aing-Tii space, which was a challenging enough flight that Luke Kriffing Skywalker looked slightly apprehensive about it.

Ben stopped being nervous by remembering that if Jacen had been able to do it, Luke would be able to do it better.

...it had never been said that Ben could not be very petty if the occasion called for it.

[OOC: Open for calls, texts, visits from the boy who's in space with him, care packages from home full of YA gay literature...]

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[endsthegame]

"I know what it's like to be the leader who decides who lives and who dies," Ender said, leaning his elbows on his knees. "It's a hard mindset to get out of. I'm not sure I'm even truly out of it. But I know where my limits are. I'm not sure Karla ever will."

[momslilassassin]

"You've learned how to take yourself out of the equation," and if it wasn't a choice Ben had made, it was one he could understand for Ender. "Karla keeps adding other people's problems onto her own instead of mitigating hers. It's a form of avoidance that's wearing her out."

[endsthegame]

"Precisely." Ender smiled a little bit. "And it's not doing all the other problems any favors, either. Actually, I think us being this far beyond her reach is probably good for her, all things considered."

[momslilassassin]

"I'll bet she'd disagree," Ben said, "but I get what you're saying. She can only yell after the fact. She can't help. We've taken some of the responsibility of being our friend off of her shoulders."

[endsthegame]

"That first week, I called her, and she was ready to put everything down and come running after us," Ender admitted, "But it didn't take me much to get her to realise that would have been foolish. She really does need to start mitigating her own problems, or they're going to wind up on her doorstep."

[momslilassassin]

"Can you imagine her reaction to the Baran Do sages?" Ben asked with a little laugh, leaning back a bit and making himself more comfortable. "And yes, just based on what you were saying about Cassidy's land before we left, this is bigger than her uncle being a power-grabbing sociopath."

[endsthegame]

At least the atmosphere had gone back to being comfortable; Ender was grateful for it. Maybe even relaxing a little. "It's a movement," he said, "I think. But it's organised. By who?"

[momslilassassin]

"If we figured that out, Lucivar would love us forever," Ben declared. "Not that I'm sure that's a good thing."

[endsthegame]

"Probably a good thing we're here," Ender said, with a brief quirk of a smile. "No matter how concerned."

[momslilassassin]

"Well, we have a lot of time to think," Ben said. "if we come up with brilliant thoughts, we can always send an email."

[endsthegame]

"Avoiding the phones, are we?"

[momslilassassin]

"Maybe a little," Ben admitted. "She was loud."

[endsthegame]

"'Karla is loud' is right up there with 'the sky is blue'," Ender said, shooting him an amused look. "Eardrums still functioning?"

[momslilassassin]

"As far as I can tell, yes," Ben replied. "You can check if you'd like, but I'm not sure how that would work, other than you yelling at me."

[endsthegame]

"I could flick you in the ear," Ender offered. "Save Karla the trouble, too."

[momslilassassin]

"That seems a lot like asking to get hit," Ben said.

[endsthegame]

"Oh, if I wanted you to hit me, I'd like to think I'd have to push a little harder than that."

[momslilassassin]

"Maybe it would get you a retaliatory poke," Ben admitted, "and then there's tickling and really that's just undignified for the both of us."

[endsthegame]

Among other things. "Yes," Ender said, thoughtfully, "I think I'll avoid that fate, if it's okay with you. I'm contractually obliged to keep the undignified tickling to my sister, as part of my little-brother status."

[momslilassassin]

"Well, I'm an only child, leaving me without a tickle partner," Ben said, "but I think I can live with that."

[endsthegame]

"You could ask your dad," Ender said, "But I think he might look at you even funnier than he already does."

[momslilassassin]

"I was hoping you hadn't noticed that look," Ben said with a laugh. "He'd probably suggest you, and then we'd be back where we started."

[endsthegame]

"Well, the poor man is stuck with two teenagers on one ship," Ender said, wryly. "You have to feel some sympathy."

[momslilassassin]

"Maybe a little," Ben replied. "Think we should ask Tony to send aspirin next time?"

[endsthegame]

"You don't think bacta'll work?" Ender asked, poking him in the shoulder. "How are you handling being stuck with him, at that? I hear fathers can be real pains, too."