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]

"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.

[weetuskenraider]

Tahiri couldn't help a tiny grin of amusement. "And you, on the other hand, are a ray of sunshine, right?"

[momslilassassin]

"That's my nickname, actually."

Ben was a big liar.

[weetuskenraider]

Tahiri growled the Tusken equivalent of 'poodoo,' laughing. "I think I know you better than that, Ben."

[momslilassassin]

"They started it," Ben said. "It's all 'oh, but you didn't go to Battle School' this and 'oh, you don't know Ender like we do' that and being married and pregnant and our age."

Shrieking, Ben. Less shrieking.

[weetuskenraider]

Yes, please, because Tahiri was not a fan of having to hold the comlink at arm's length all of a sudden.

Although that last thing he said . . .

"Emperor's black bones, are they thermal?"

[momslilassassin]

"Completely," Ben said, rolling his eyes. "And not in a fun way."

[weetuskenraider]

"Obviously." Tahiri was right there with the eyerolling too. "Well, you're having an astral time, aren't you?"

[momslilassassin]

"Oh, completely," Ben said. "We finally found Ender, though. Haven't had a chance to really talk to him yet."

[weetuskenraider]

"But you found him," Tahiri said gently. "Can you tell if he's all right?"

[momslilassassin]

"I think he's trying very hard to be, which isn't the same thing," Ben replied.

[weetuskenraider]

"Sounds like someone's speaking from experience," Tahiri observed. "In that case . . . I really hope you can take care of everything and get back here soon. Oh, and by the way, I miss you."

[momslilassassin]

"I miss you more," Ben said, sounding tired. "I never thought our world would be one that makes the most sense."

[weetuskenraider]

"That's why you need to hurry up and get everything taken care of, so you can get back to one that makes more sense," Tahiri replied, only half joking.

[momslilassassin]

"These people are absolutely exhausting," Ben said. "They make the Council look upfront and open."