Stark Industries [all day]

[momslilassassin]

Ben was back in the shop today, but looking a little distracted. He was on the comlink with his Aunt Leia who was catching him up on the news from home.

She'd started with the good news: Jedi had finally been sent to help his father out on that weird planet where the Force couldn't be used (but blasters could, so there), then eased into the bad: there'd been an assassination attempt on Allana on Klatooine by some Sith.

"But she's a kid!" he kept repeating.

He knew it didn't matter, but it was still something he felt should be pointed out.

Stark Industries was open, but you're going to have to work pretty hard to get Ben to think about tinkering today.

Comments

[endsthegame]

"Did you hear?" Ender said, pushing his way into the store while holding onto two bags full of hamburgers.

[momslilassassin]

Ben nodded as he clicked his comlink off. "Aunt Leia just called."

[endsthegame]

So apparently Jane was faster than Ben's aunt Leia.

"They should've seen that one coming," he said, putting the bags down on the counter.

[momslilassassin]

"She's nine," Ben said, still a little outraged.

[endsthegame]

Ender shot him a look. "She's nine and she's already being dragged into conflict zones by the Solos and left behind to fend for herself," he said. "It's a miracle it's taken this long for something to happen."

[momslilassassin]

Ben blew out a frustrated breath. "Yeah," he said shortly. "Doesn't mean I love it."

[endsthegame]

"Doesn't mean I do, either," Ender said, pushing the bag towards him. "But the Solos really need to start keeping in mind what their notoriety does to the people around them."

[momslilassassin]

Ben, mindful of squirrels, phrased his next sentence carefully. "Aunt Leia's not sure it was a sideways attack on them. They seemed very focused on Amelia."

[endsthegame]

Ender's eyebrows went up. "You think they figured it out?" he said quietly.

He figured Ben could shoo the squirrels.

NFB!

[momslilassassin]

Ben gave the squirrels a little nudge to go somewhere else before answering. "I think someone might have made a lucky guess. The question is did they tell anyone else before they died on Klatooine."

Leia hadn't exactly left survivors.

Re: NFB!

[endsthegame]

"Normally I'd say it's likely," Ender noted, "But we both know the Sith are also inclined to hunt for personal glory."

Re: NFB!

[momslilassassin]

Ben nodded. "I'm hoping they did that second thing, but I think Aunt Leia's getting prepared if it's not. Amelia's had self-defense training from the time she could walk. It's time for a refresher course."

Re: NFB!

[endsthegame]

"It'd be easier if she hadn't stayed with the Solos," Ender said quietly.

Re: NFB!

[momslilassassin]

"Probably," Ben agreed, "but they never would have agreed to that after Jacen died."

Re: NFB!

[endsthegame]

"Not even if they were aware they were putting their grandchild in danger?"

Re: NFB!

[momslilassassin]

Ben slumped into a chair. "The Moffs had just tossed out a nanovirus designed to exterminate Tenel Ka's entire genetic line. Han tried to shoot them all in the head right in the room. Rational was nowhere to be seen for a while."

Re: NFB!

[endsthegame]

"Someone had to be rational somewhere along the line to forge those documents that turned her into Amelia," Ender said. He pulled up a chair of his own.

Re: NFB!

[momslilassassin]

"Probably Aunt Leia," Ben said, looking briefly regretful. "That was Mom's specialty, before."

Re: NFB!

[endsthegame]

Ender nodded. He sighed. "Where are they putting her now?"

Re: NFB!

[momslilassassin]

"Aunt Leia didn't say. I'm guessing Coruscant," Ben replied.

Re: NFB!

[endsthegame]

"Might not be the smartest idea."

Re: NFB!

[momslilassassin]

"That's practically our family motto," Ben said dryly.

Re: NFB!

[endsthegame]

"Which is why I'm not advocating you write back and yell at them," Ender said dryly, "since they wouldn't listen."

Re: NFB!

[momslilassassin]

"Yeah," Ben said. "That's my family...."

Re: NFB!

[endsthegame]

"Hopefully their luck will kick in as it usually does," Ender said. He pulled a hamburger out of the bag and put it down in front of Ben.

Like he intended to let this come down to Ben's family's luck. He'd already asked Jane to get people to keep an eye on what was happening with Amelia.