Aboard the Falcon [Wednesday afternoon, Fandom time]

[momslilassassin]

The quarters were a little more cramped on the Falcon than they were on the Shadow, and the addition of two more people and a nexu cub was helping Ben feel a little caged in.

It wasn't helping that Luke hadn't called yet to let him know where to rendezvous to continue on with their mission. His father wasn't dead--Ben would have felt that--so Ben was trying to wait patiently for his comlink to go off, rather than calling and demanding to know what was going on.

After a few hours of staring at the comm and mentally demanding it to ring, Luke finally called in. The Sith had left the planet having captured most of the Nightsisters of Dathomir, but Luke had Vestara as his prisoner aboard the Shadow and was using her as collateral in his new pact with the Sith.

Ben's yelped "WHAT?!" at that news had echoed through the ship.

Luke's second bit of news--that the Sith claimed their young people were going through the same Force psychosis that had plagued the Jedi--was harder for Ben to believe, and the final piece--that Luke would prefer Ben head to Coruscant to warn the Council personally about the Sith rather than meet up with his father to head back into the Maw--was greeted with absolute silence, then a nod of acquiescence.

Ben was being left behind again. He was fine with that. Really. He curled up on his bunk after he wished Luke luck on his mission and stared at the wall.

See? Totally fine.

[OOC: For the guy with him, phone calls or emails!]

Comments

[momslilassassin]

"He keeps threatening but never follows through," Ben said. "I think it's because he likes me."

Oh, Ben.

[glacial_queen]

"I hear that it's only because he can't find a toilet big enough," Karla retorted. Mostly because she needed some reason to be snerking at that comment.

[momslilassassin]

"My head is not that big!" Ben protested.

[glacial_queen]

"Rumor says otherwise," Karla declared. "In fact, the main reason I'm visiting is to make sure we can get it through the halls of the dorms before you come ho--back."

[momslilassassin]

"Sure it is," Ben said with a tiny chuckle. He was trying very hard to pretend like he was okay.

[glacial_queen]

And Karla was okay with letting him pretend. Until she got there.

Enjoy you last few days of repression, Ben.

"So, where will I be visiting?" she asked. Probably not Coruscant, not with the political turmoil there. "Am I going to have to live on a ship?"

[momslilassassin]

"Ender's bought a vacation home," Ben said, sounding amused. "It's on a planet called Naboo that's supposed to be beautiful."

It was very popular for honeymoons, at least.

[glacial_queen]

"Wait--Did you say Ender bought a vacation home?"

[momslilassassin]

"He's...what's it called? Diversifying his portfolio?" Ben replied. "He wanted to make sure we had funds that weren't dependent on the Jedi."

[glacial_queen]

"I guess he needed some way to keep busy while waiting for my next shipment of books," Karla said with a low whistle. "Is he richer than you now?"

Someone was going to get a speedo from Dite's with the words 'Pool Boy' stamped on the ass.

In very tiny letters.

[momslilassassin]

"Oh, completely," Ben said. "The Jedi don't get paid a salary at all."

[glacial_queen]

"More of that 'unburdened by material possessions' thing?" Karla asked. She was pretty sure a few material possessions wouldn't hurt "Does that mean you won't be taking me out for alien ice cream when I show up?"

[momslilassassin]

"If I can find some, I'll see what I can do and charge it back to the Temple," Ben promised.

[glacial_queen]

"If nothing else, that's why I sent you your ice cream maker," Karla reminded. "We'll make our own!"

Ender would be so thrilled!

[momslilassassin]

"I'm not sure the power converts," Ben mused, "but I bet we can fix that."

[glacial_queen]

"I'm surprised that you didn't fix it already," Karla teased. "Got bored, decided to fiddle, and then made it compatible with Fandom's power, your power, and the creepy tongue-licky aliens."

[momslilassassin]

"Oh, the Aing-Tii don't get ice cream," Ben decided. "And I haven't really had a lot of downtime recently."

[glacial_queen]

"Well, you've got a bit now, it sounds like," Karla said gently. "See if maybe you can't get it working by the time I get there? Because otherwise, I'll want to help."

And the Darkness help them all if that happened.

[momslilassassin]

Ben laughed. "I think Ender would prefer you not burn down his new investment," he teased.

[glacial_queen]

"Yes, but if we listened to Ender every time he said that, we'd never be allowed to cook!"

Which just went to prove that they should always listen to Ender.

[momslilassassin]

"I think that's kind of the intent," Ben decided.

[glacial_queen]

"Just because he didn't try our astral ice cream from the last time doesn't mean he gets to judge," Karla declared.

[momslilassassin]

"That's a very compelling argument," Ben mused. "You should try it on him."

[glacial_queen]

"He doesn't ever believe me for some reason," Karla said. "I think once I say our ice cream was astral--which it was--he thinks my argument is invalid."

Which obviously made no sense.

[momslilassassin]

"Well, you don't have the greatest track record," Ben was compelled to admit.