Room 529, Friday Midday

[weetuskenraider]

The datapad on Tahiri's lap currently displayed a map of the Outer Rim -- the Sluis sector, to be specific -- with planets color-coded according to whether they were held by the Yuuzhan Vong or the New Republic . . . no, wait, it was the Galactic Alliance now, and she wasn't sure she was thrilled about that. The notebook lying on the bed beside her held a couple of pages of scribbled notes on ideas for Flight Club, since she'd completely forgotten about it on Monday after Ben had come by to tell her where he was going.

Tahiri's attention was split between the two, but that was a completely livable kind of division; she'd be smiling at the thought if she wasn't concentrating so hard on the map on her datapad.

You'd think she was trying to plot a course into the Dagobah system or something.

[OOC: Expecting a phone call, but it's open! As is the door. I keep forgetting to mention that.]

Comments

[momslilassassin]

Ben had no idea what day it was back in Fandom, but after a completely unhelpful discussion with Bean and Peter, he needed someone to talk to.

Besides, if it was going according to his plan, he'd be joining them both to spring a trap devised by a psychopath, so it was probably better to check in with his girlfriend before that. Just in case.

So at some unholy hour in Brazil, Ben picked up his comlink and dialed home.

[weetuskenraider]

When the comlink chimed at her, Tahiri leaned over to grab it off her nightstand. "This is Tahiri."

It wasn't quite formal, but more so than just 'hello.'

[momslilassassin]

"It's Ben," he said, sounding tired. "hey."

[weetuskenraider]

Any attempt at formality could go and fall into a rancor pit now.

"About time, Skywalker," Tahiri said lightly, setting the datapad and notebook aside. "How long have you been gone?"

[momslilassassin]

"It's May here," Ben said. "How long there?"

[weetuskenraider]

"February, still. It's Friday -- the same week you left." Tahiri's snort was probably audible over the comlink. "Don't you love it when time keeps a skifter up its sleeve?"

[momslilassassin]

"So we haven't missed the dance? Karla will be thrilled," he said with a little smile. "We might cut it a little close, but we should be home tomorrow. There are a couple loose ends to tie up first."

[weetuskenraider]

"You haven't missed it yet," Tahiri told him, a slight teasing note in her voice that implied she was still thinking about kicking him if he somehow ended up missing it anyhow. She wouldn't actually kick him, though. "Limbs still intact, right? Because if I'm right about your hair being a disaster zone, I'll forgive you for making me go to the dance with an unkempt bantha as long as he's a bantha with all his limbs."

[momslilassassin]

"Limbs still intact, starting to seriously wonder about Ender's taste in friends, and my hair doesn't greatly resemble a bantha's. Much," Ben replied.

[weetuskenraider]

"Yet," Tahiri retorted. "Just as long as you all get back safely, I don't care about your hair."

It wasn't her real concern anyway.

[momslilassassin]

"I haven't used my lightsaber once," Ben said, and yes, that might sound like a complaint. Ben's idea of how things worked was a little skewed.

[weetuskenraider]

"At all?" So was Tahiri's, especially in light of the maps she'd just been studying. "And here I was worried."

[momslilassassin]

"At all," Ben said. "Ender's stupid friends keep looking at Karla and I as annoyances to be dealt with or, ideally, ignored. She's getting cranky."

And Ben certainly wasn't. Really. Picture of diplomacy, he.

[kestrelswolf.livejournal.com]

So while class had presented her the opportunity to confirm what Ben had told her Sunday evening, there hadn't exactly been a chance to talk. So after some deliberation about the proper procedure for such things, Firekeeper had picked up sweets from J,GoB (the fact that the only available cupcakes had pink icing and heart-shaped candies didn't particularly matter to her one way or the other. As long as it was edible, who cared?) and now she and Blind Seer were standing in the doorway.

"Are you busy?" she asked. It certainly looked so, but Firekeeper understood by now there were times when interruptions were welcome.

[weetuskenraider]

Tahiri looked up from the datapad, grinned, and shoved everything onto her nightstand. "Not too busy for you two. I was going to dream about hyperspace lanes and sim configurations tonight if I kept that up much longer. Come on in."

[kestrelswolf.livejournal.com]

"I bring sweets!" she announced, holding out the J,GoB box as they stepped inside.

[weetuskenraider]

"No kidding." Tahiri waved a hand to drag her desk chair over (the nightstand was too cluttered, and she wasn't risking putting precious baked goods onto the top of that teetery pile) and scooted closer to the head of her bed to make room for them, pulling the stuffed bantha into her lap as she did. "Is there any special occasion? Because last I checked the holiday isn't for two more days, actually."

[kestrelswolf.livejournal.com]

"No occassion," Firekeeper shrugged. Honestly, she'd sort of forgotten about the holiday- or at least, what day it was on. "But you always bringed food when you came to the Gig, so I feel I should do the same."

[weetuskenraider]

Tahiri's expression turned apologetic. "I know I haven't come down to visit in a while. I've been pretty awful company." She reached for a cupcake with one hand, extending the other to Blind Seer in an unspoken offer of ear-scratches. "But that shouldn't be a problem any more."

She was fairly sure, anyway. But the part where she wasn't entirely sure had everything to do with that datapad.

[kestrelswolf.livejournal.com]

Were Blind Seer to refuse ear-scratches, it would probably be a cause for worry. Thankfully, that didn't happen here. Firekeeper nodded. "Ben telled me you face your fire," she said "and Blind Seer notice a difference in your scent, in class."

[weetuskenraider]

Tahiri gave her an easier smile than she'd probably given Firekeeper in a long time or, possibly, ever . . . and reached up to run her fingers over her scarred forehead. "I did. I should've known you'd notice," she added to Blind Seer, pausing in the ear-scratching to aim a light punch at his shoulder. "I'm all right. At least, I'm fairly sure I will be."

[kestrelswolf.livejournal.com]

Blind Seer's ears twitched as he responded the shoulder-punching with a playful growl.

"Fairly sure?"

[weetuskenraider]

"I'm not going to say for sure just yet. I'm still working this out," Tahiri explained. It was the Yuuzhan Vong in her; paranoia was a natural part of the culture.

[kestrelswolf.livejournal.com]

Firekeeper nodded, and Blind Seer grumbled something. "He say, wolves say, is foolish to hunt down a new trail without nose and ears open," Firekeeper translated.

[weetuskenraider]

"We have a saying like that too," Tahiri answered, peeling the paper away from a cupcake she'd retrieved from the box. "The Sand People, that is . . . and the Yuuzhan Vong, as well. I think if we all agree on that, it's a good idea."