Shakespeare Colony [A month later]

[momslilassassin]

They'd waited for the weather to turn more reliably warm and dry before hosting an outdoor dance in the center of the village. The fight over music had been mostly smoothed over by agreeing to vary the selections between what the colonists who'd arrived recently liked and what the natives had become used to after Ben had offered to provide enough droid spoken word albums to last the entire dance to break the impasse.

Because everyone had agreed that droid spoken word albums were the worst.

And now, in the fine tradition of dances everywhere, no one was dancing in the area cleared for that purpose as everyone gathered in nervous groupings around food and drink tables, staring at people across the floor and hoping someone would ask them to dance.

Ben sighed and tugged at the tie around his neck. "Should we draw names from a hat or something?" he asked Ender.

Comments

[momslilassassin]

"Well, we're not all Battle School trained," Ben teased.

[endsthegame]

"I imagine a trained Jedi could really innovate on the dance floor, though," Ender teased back.

[momslilassassin]

It's just like lightsaber duels without the threat of imminent death," Ben said.

[endsthegame]

"The better way to do it," Ender said, turning towards the snack table.

[momslilassassin]

"I'm almost positive no one has lost a limb dancing," Ben agreed. He glanced out at the dancing colonists. "Though that guy might prove me wrong."

[endsthegame]

Ender winced midway into picking up some vegetables. "He's going to break his neck at this rate."

[momslilassassin]

"I'm sure he has many other excellent qualities," Ben said. "A sense of tempo isn't one of them."

[endsthegame]

"Perhaps he'll learn by doing," Ender said optimistically.

[momslilassassin]

"Perhaps someone will tranq him and take him off the floor," Ben countered.

[endsthegame]

"Making plans already?" Ender replied.

[momslilassassin]

"Only if his flailing gets worse," Ben said, tilting his head. "Yikes."

[endsthegame]

Ender sighed. "Stop judging and start eating," he said.

[momslilassassin]

"Yes, dear," Ben said, giving Ender a grin. "Try the cake. It's really good."

[endsthegame]

Ender took a bite of one of his vegetables. "In a minute."

[momslilassassin]

Ben chuckled. "Of course you'd eat vegetables at a dance," he said fondly. He lowered his voice. "There's milk over by the punch, too."

Because Ben was a sap.

[endsthegame]

Ender glanced that way, his mouth curving into a smile. "Thanks," he said honestly. "I had been planning to avoid the punch just in case."

[momslilassassin]

"I know," Ben said, giving him a swift kiss on the cheek. "That's why I made other arrangements."

[endsthegame]

"I hope there's some other takers, or that might've been a waste," Ender said, though he was still smiling.

[momslilassassin]

"Guarantee that if the governor tries some, there'll be others too," Ben replied.

[endsthegame]

"Let's hope I never decide to jump off a bridge," Ender said dryly.

[momslilassassin]

"Well first we'd have to build one worth leaping from," Ben teased.

[endsthegame]

"Who knows what the Formics still have lying around outside of the area we've explored," Ender said.

[momslilassassin]

"I'm still holding out for a swimming pool," Ben replied.

[endsthegame]

"I'm not sure the Formics were so keen on swimming," Ender said dryly.

[momslilassassin]

"Most insects aren't," Ben admitted with a grin. "Maybe they'll be an exception."