Aboard the Jade Shadow [afternoon]

[momslilassassin]

They were getting close to Dathomir, but Ben, after learning his lesson from the Maw, decided to take a quick detour to a nearby system to top off their fuel and food reserves and to check for any mail they might have received in the past few months.

After so many weeks in the ship and in Sinkhole Station, he was kind of desperate to breathe clean, non-recylced air again too, and maybe get a haircut.

Ben's life of intergalactic intrigue was never-ending thrills, it was true.

[OOC: For phone calls, emails, the boy who travels with him, packages full of Playgirls, Tony...]

Comments

[momslilassassin]

"Magazines?" Ben replied vaguely.

[glacial_queen]

Karla worked at 'Dite's. She knew about those magazines. "Bullshit. You are not reading the articles."

[momslilassassin]

"Sure I am!" Ben said. "They have verbs and nouns in them!"

Brilliant, Ben.

[glacial_queen]

"Uh-huh." Somehow, Karla sounded unconvinced. "That sounds so specific."

[momslilassassin]

"They aren't as interesting as your books," Ben tried.

[glacial_queen]

"But have more pictures," Karla said. "I think I'm starting to understand."

[momslilassassin]

"Shhhh," Ben hissed. "Someone will hear you."

About the urges, omigod.

[glacial_queen]

Karla gave her phone a look, then moved the phone away from her mouth to yell, "BEN IS AN ADOLESCENT MALE WITH A NORMAL SEX DRIVE."

Beat. "Yeah, no one cares, Ben," she said, bringing it back. "Or is surprised."

[momslilassassin]

Ben was blushing all the way from another galaxy. Are you happy now, Karla?

"Pretty sure he probably heard that," he muttered.

[glacial_queen]

"Who, your dad?" Karla asked. "You don't think he remembers being seventeen?"

While stuck on a moisture farm? Masturbation was the only way to pass the time!

[momslilassassin]

"And Ender," Ben added.

[glacial_queen]

"Like he's ignorant of of what Tony sends and why," Karla snorted.

[momslilassassin]

"Like I'd talk to him about it anyway," Ben scoffed.

Sleep with him, sure. Talk sex, never!

[glacial_queen]

"Like Ender needs you to talk about something to understand it," Karla said with a pert grin.

[momslilassassin]

"Leave me my delusions, okay?" Ben mumbled.

[glacial_queen]

"So, how are things between you and Ender?" Karla asked, trying to sound casual and not at all like she was hoping for gossip. "Easier now that there's not an annoying Mind Drinker cock-blocking you eating all your supplies?"

[momslilassassin]

"Comfortable," Ben said after a moment of trying to figure out how to describe it. "He's more messed up about having to kill Sith than he wants me to know."

[glacial_queen]

"That's no surprise," Karla said quietly. "Is he dealing with it at all? Or just pretending it'd not bothering him?"

[momslilassassin]

"Mostly the second," Ben said, "but he's not sleeping."

[glacial_queen]

"I can send tea," Karla offered. "The kind that makes you have no dreams. If you think it would help."

[momslilassassin]

"I'm not sure he'd drink it, but it's worth a try," Ben decided. "Thanks."

[glacial_queen]

"You could tell him it's chamomile?" Karla suggested, but only because she knew there was no way that would ever happen. Lying to Ender was like kicking a puppy, except a thousand times worse.

[momslilassassin]

Ben snorted. "Because I can lie to Ender."

[glacial_queen]

"Maybe you can tell your dad it's chamomile and have him tell Ender," Karla suggested.

Because she'd been replaced by a Bad Idea Bear or something.

[momslilassassin]

Ben laughed even harder. "Because I lie to my Dad. He's even better at figuring that sort of thing out than I am."