Title: Might Show Him Up
Fandom: Star Wars (LotF)
Rating: G
Words: 461
Notes: I totally had a fangirl spaz after the summary for LotF: Betrayal was released. Spoilers for that, plus speculation! Ben and Jacen are the best non-'shippy OTP. ♥

"Are there any Jedi on Adumar?"

Jacen Solo glanced over at the copilot's chair, where his young apprentice and cousin, Ben Skywalker, sat studying a screen in the control panel. He couldn't tell from Ben's voice what his motivation for asking was, nor what sort of answer he wanted, and the boy was far too good at hiding his intentions in the Force; he did it in a sly sort of way, now.

So Jacen just smiled and did the same, masking his own thoughts from the young Skywalker. It was like a game they played, really. "Why would Master Skywalker send us if there were Jedi on-planet?"

As if it were the most simple and obvious thing in the galaxy, Ben said, "'Cause we're the best."

Jacen laughed, and how could he argue? "No Jedi, nope," he told Ben. "Most people who leave the planet go straight to the Academy anyway, and then Starfighter Command. Didn't you listen to General Antilles' briefing?"

"Yeah..." Ben still hid in the Force, but that didn't stop his expression turning shifty.

"Liar. You were too busy talking to Hobbie and Janson."

Ben grinned guiltily, somehow knowing Jacen was amused rather than angry. "They said there's some blastsword thing -- like a cross between a 'saber and a blaster. Can I try it out when we get there?"

"Of course not." Jacen shook his head very seriously. "We're on a mission."

"Well ... when we're done with the mission?"

"And you haven't even built your lightsaber yet. What makes you think I'll trust you with a weapon Hobbie and Janson recommend?"

"Well, it was mostly Wes..."

"Nope, I think you need to concentrate on the mission. You should meditate while we've got all this time in hyperspace. Practise your relaxation techniques, that sort of thing. See what the Force tells you about our mission."

Ben stared at his older cousin in disbelief. Jacen just stared right back, stony-faced, until the boy sighed and he could sense him reaching out to the Force again.

"Besides," Jacen continued, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth as he leaned back in his seat, hands behind his head. "If I let you try one as well, you might make me look bad."

He ducked the hand Ben batted at his head and laughed, twisting out of his chair and heading for the cockpit entrance. "Finish off those nav checks," he told the boy, grinning annoyingly. "I'll make us some dinner or something."

"Better be something good!"

"Would I ever give you anything less?"

All he got in answer to that was a cynical look; still chuckling to himself, Jacen left and made his way to the galley.

Well, it was certainly going to be an interesting mission...