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...]

Comments

[endsthegame]

"Very," Ender said, tossing some more folded clothes into the wardrobe. Almost done. "But not really worth the fuss."

[momslilassassin]

"I never expected to see again," Ben admitted. "It caught me off guard."

[endsthegame]

"Tony's full of surprises," Ender commented. He turned towards Ben. "Let's hope he hasn't dug up anything for me."

Yeah, like he even owned anything incriminating.

[momslilassassin]

Ben smiled a little ruefully. "You don't have anything like this, kreetle."

[endsthegame]

Ender's mouth quirked. "Maybe not," he agreed.

[momslilassassin]

A really stupid part of him almost offered to lend the book to Ender, but he stopped himself just in time. "But I think Tony's equipped you with enough sweaters to last a year, at least."

[endsthegame]

"Including a lot of shirts I'm pretty sure are too small for me," Ender replied, "Unless we're going to visit the planet of the midriff-bearing humanoids."

He was more than willing to get off the topic of the book; the air felt tense enough as it was.

[momslilassassin]

And there was an interesting mental image that Ben was going go shove hard to one side. "I think we're trying to give Dathomir a skip," he replied with a little laugh.

[endsthegame]

"No rancors, and decent clothing," Ender said, sitting back down on his bed. "I can live with that."

[momslilassassin]

"Well, here on Skywalker Transport, we aim to please. We missed by a lot on Dorin..."

[endsthegame]

"...So now you're taking me to an isolated planet full of rock people instead," Ender filled in. "At least Tony got me sugar and caffeine."

He was feeling a little self-conscious for the first time in a long time, and he had no idea why.

[momslilassassin]

"Maybe the Aing-Tii make sandcastles out of rainbows," Ben replied. "Or maybe we'll die even trying to get there."

Ben was full of useful suggestions.

[endsthegame]

"Now that is just depressing," Ender said, "I don't intend to die yet, if it's all the same."

[momslilassassin]

"Oh me either," Ben said. "Besides, if Jacen could fly through this stuff alone, Dad, you and I definitely can."

[endsthegame]

"Without a doubt," Ender agreed. Which wasn't even sarcastic or mocking or anything. "I expect us to make it through with flying colors. Pun not intended."

[momslilassassin]

Ben smiled. "The Kathol Rift is supposed to be one of the most beautiful spots in the galaxy, if you're just looking at it."

[endsthegame]

"We'll have to make sure we do," Ender said, of the totally not romantic at all stargazing idea. "If we're going to risk our lives, I think I prefer we do it while we have a view."

[momslilassassin]

"I'll be sure to register that with Dad," Ben told him, smiling. "Make sure we can stop to snap holos before imminent peril."

The sad thing was that he was serious.

[endsthegame]

No, the really sad thing was that Ender's first response wasn't to make fun of that, but rather to go, "At least that's something we can send home to Karla as a peace offering."

[momslilassassin]

"She was mad at me," Ben said with a rueful smile.

[endsthegame]

"Ah, let me guess," Ender said, "For not checking in often enough. You'd almost think she was trying to be crew."

[momslilassassin]

"Direct hit," Ben said. "Apparently when you call in, it doesn't count for me too."

[endsthegame]

Ender shook his head, and sighed. "It hasn't been as long as her as it has been for us," he said, "But she's got to accept that we're gone eventually."

[momslilassassin]

"Yeah," Ben agreed, dropping down to sit on Ender's bed again. "I miss her, of course, but what happens out here seems completely different than Fandom now."

[endsthegame]

"Different actions, different worlds, different lives..." Ender said, and quirked a wry little smile. "It's almost as if we really did just graduate high school, when you think about it."

Except for the bit where he and Ben were still firmly occupying the same worlds and the same life.