Stark Industries [most of the day]

[momslilassassin]

Ben had barely pulled himself away from the newsfeeds from home since the coup, and when he did it was only to hear from family members: Jaina, to tell him that his father's exile had been reversed; and Leia, to tell him that she, Han and Allana were heading to Klatooine to try to soothe the ruffled feathers of a planet that'd nearly been the victims of a government-mandated Mandolorian massacre.

He sat down behind the desk, ran his fingers through his hair, and began scanning the headlines: anti-slavery groups demanding the strongest forms of condemnation about what almost happened on Klatooine from the new government, Daala being charged with crimes against sentient species, projections about how the new government would negotiate with the Imperial Remnant, news about how the Senate had tabled its debates for the day...

And then his comlink updated with breaking news--"VEILA FOUND GUILTY OF MURDER"--and his heart stopped.

"No," he whispered, scanning the article for good news that he knew he wouldn't find. If she'd been convicted of the assassination of Gilead Pelleaon, the sentence would be death.

[OOC: Open! Beware of extreme emo.]

Comments

[endsthegame]

Ender hadn't heard the news yet - because, ironically, he'd been getting some extra milkshakes and food to at least give Ben something else to focus on than the news from home.

"Ho," he said as he shut the door behind him; the bags meant it took some finagling.

[momslilassassin]

Ben glanced up. "Ho," he said softly, reaching up to rub at his eyes.

[endsthegame]

Ender walked up to the counter and put the bags down, then walked right around. "Ben?" he said, reaching for his shoulder.

[momslilassassin]

Ben's face crumpled and he leaned into Ender's chest. "Tahiri's guilty."

[endsthegame]

"I would have told you that if you hadn't decided to concentrate on being a one-man ice cream delivery service," Jane snarked into his ear; Ender regretted having put on the Bluetooth.

He ignored her, wrapping his arms around Ben and hugging him tight. "I'm sorry, kreetle."

[momslilassassin]

Ben nodded mutely as he held on as hard as he could.

[endsthegame]

Ender ran his hand soothingly over Ben's back, giving him whatever time he needed. Everything else could come later.

[momslilassassin]

Ben started shaking slightly: intellectually, he'd realized that Tahiri's case was probably going to end like this, but his heart had never accepted that.

[endsthegame]

Telling Ben it would be all right would be foolish; the chances of Tahiri making it out of this alive were negligible. He chose not to foster false hope.

He tightened his grip on Ben. "Let it out," he said quietly.

[momslilassassin]

Ben buried his head against Ender's shoulder, took a couple of shuddering breaths, and then started to cry.

[endsthegame]

Ender made soft little noises, keeping up the soothing motions of his hand over Ben's back and hair.

He tried to focus on emotions that would help: sympathy, comfort.

[momslilassassin]

"I understand why," Ben mumbled when he could finally form words, "and I don't."

[endsthegame]

"You know why," Ender murmured. "It's just at odds with your memories of the girl you know-- and the way you feel about her."

[glacial_queen]

Karla had barely been around at all these past few weeks. Emotional turmoil over the approaching reality of graduation had triggered her 'flight' instincts and she'd gone home to Kaeleer, to the Black Widow village of Haven, and thrown herself into work, coming back to the island only for classes.

Unhealthy reaction or not, Karla'd come back today, feeling a little more settled and at peace. She still wasn't pleased with graduation and the loss of almost all of her remaining friends on the island, but she was no longer feeling quite so lost about it.

"Kiss kiss," she singsonged, ducking into Starks with yet more ice cream for Ben. She'd missed him! "Who's your favorite--oh."

Ben seemed...less that okay, or so the walls told her. "Ben?"

[momslilassassin]

Ben jumped slightly at the voice. "Oh! I wasn't expecting you." He smiled, not that he thought Karla would really buy it. "Hi, stranger."

[glacial_queen]

"Hi yourself," Karla said, giving him a fleeting smile of her own. "I brought ice cream."

And, you know, a listening ear and a bunch of hugs. But she'd get around to offering those later. Allow Ben to talk to her in his own time.

[momslilassassin]

"I could use some ice cream," Ben admitted, "but then, I always can. Want to share it?"

Which meant Ben wasn't that hungry--not a good sign.

[glacial_queen]

"...You're willing to share?"

Karla was five seconds from texting Ender and demanding to know what happened to Ben. Or vaulting over the counter demanding a hug.

[momslilassassin]

"It's been kind of a long week," Ben understated wildly.

[glacial_queen]

"You said it," Karla agreed, pushing the ice cream container towards him, along with a spoon. "But that doesn't explain why you're willing to share ice cream with me."

If it had been a regular long week, he'd be trying to claim hers, too.

[momslilassassin]

"I haven't really been hungry," he said. "I keep getting caught up in reading the news from home."

[glacial_queen]

Karla winced. News from home was never good. News bad enough to attack Ben's appetite for days must be damn near catastrophic. "What happened?" she asked quietly. "Daala?"

[momslilassassin]

Ben nodded. "Coup on Tuesday," he explained. "She's not dead."

It seemed important to note.

[glacial_queen]

"That's...something," Karla said. She just wasn't sure if it were a good thing or a bad thing yet. "Who was behind it?"

[momslilassassin]

Ben blew out a breath. "Jedi. I get their frustration--she had us penned in, killed a Padawan in cold blood on the steps of the Temple just for doing her job and relaying a message for the Acting Grand Master--but Jedi can't topple governments. Even stupid ones."