Ta'a Chume'Dun, Hapes, Hapes Cluster, Friday evening

[momslilassassin]

Ben leaned against the balcony of their suite in the Fountain Palace and sighed softly. Hapes really was ridiculously beautiful, and while he preferred Naboo because of the lack of constant political posturing, he did enjoy getting to show Ender and Val off to Tenel Ka, who flatly refused to believe he was old enough to have a baby of his own when she could still remember changing his bottom.

The laughter from her guards at that had almost made the embarrassment worth it. "I think it's time for dinner soon," Ben called into Ender. "It's hard to gage here by the sun because it never gets fully dark."

Comments

[endsthegame]

"How does the cycle work?" Ender asked. He slid an arm around Ben's waist. "Are there seasons?"

[momslilassassin]

"Kind of," Ben said. "There are seven moons up there, so depending on the time of year, it's brighter or darker but never really that dark. Hapans have terrible night vision, by the way."

[endsthegame]

"They don't need it," Ender surmised. "There's always light here. Their sleep cycles must be interesting."

[momslilassassin]

Ben nodded. "And the natural flora and fauna. They don't do well when they get moved to places with real dark. It would always take Tenel Ka a bit to adjust to being in space, not that it ever slowed her down."

[endsthegame]

"She must be at least partly pleased to live planetside after that," Ender mused.

[momslilassassin]

"Yes," Ben agreed. "And she traveled between here and Dathomir fairly regularly, to keep both parts of her heritage alive."

[endsthegame]

Ender nodded. "How much do you know about that?" he said. "How well have you known her at all?"

[momslilassassin]

"I've crossed her path here and there," Ben said. "She, Jaina, and Jacen all trained together as kids. She and Jacen were really close. I'd tag along on visits here when Jacen was training me. After he died, she kind of...withdrew from all of us for a while. I don't blame her."

[endsthegame]

"That can't have been easy in the slightest," Ender said quietly. "Especially if Allana-- well."

[momslilassassin]

"Yeah," Ben agreed. "I can't imagine leaving Val behind anywhere."

[endsthegame]

"We picked our priorities, and she picked hers," Ender mused.

[momslilassassin]

Ben tucked his head against Ender's shoulder. "Another reason to be grateful to be out of the spotlight. Hapes has a long tradition of political assassinations. Tenel Ka was being strategic."

[endsthegame]

"It is never easy, raising your children and being a leader at the same time," Ender said softly. "Everything that happens in that sphere becomes strategic."

[momslilassassin]

"Don't have to tell me twice," Ben said with a wry little smile. "I don't miss it."

[endsthegame]

"Being a full-time dad looks good on you," Ender said, smiling a little.

[momslilassassin]

Ben blushed. "Thanks, kreetle."

[endsthegame]

"It's not a compliment to thank me for," Ender said. "You look happy."

[momslilassassin]

"I am happy," Ben said, kissing Ender's cheek.

[endsthegame]

Ender smiled softly. "Dinner time?" he said.

[momslilassassin]

"Dinner time," Ben confirmed. "I don't think you've ever had Hapan before, have you?"

[endsthegame]

Ender shook his head. "Anything I should know?"

[momslilassassin]

"The gold wine packs a punch," Ben said with a small, rueful smile, "and the food is delicious. Beautifully presented, of course, and fairly light on the sauce and the mess. It's a culture where appearances are everything so even the food's been adapted to cause no offense. Val will have to stay here--Hapan children aren't seen or heard for years."

[endsthegame]

"Good thing I've already prepared her food, then," Ender said quietly. "We should have brought Big Val."

[momslilassassin]

"Next time," Ben promised. "I'm sure she'd love to watch a hereditary matriarchy in action."

[endsthegame]

"I asked," Ender admitted, "She says she's too deeply into her book to get side-tracked by ogling another culture now."