Kessel Run, Week 3: Write a story between 500 and 1,200 words that takes place while travelling and features at least one EC and one OC in speaking roles.

This is something of a follow-up to "The Great Temple Lightsaber Tournament", occurring fairly soon after.

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Family Time

49 years post-RotS (30.5 ABY)

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"I can't wait to show Jacen my Holopets!"

Eleri looked up from her datapad at her little brother, who was sitting across the cabin next to Nidia on one of the Skyhopper's long bench seats, swinging his legs back and forth hard enough to make him bounce. Normally she didn't mind his excitement too much, even on longer trips like this one, but he'd been going on and on about his beloved Holopets for the last half hour at least, and just when she thought he was finally winding down…

"Eleri! You'll like the Grays, they live in a tundra! You wanna see?"

Eleri eyed her brother skeptically. "Where'd you learn about tundras? You're only four."

Ben's brow furrowed as his legs stopped swinging. "I learned about it from Holopets Adventure." He held the datapad up, where Eleri glimpsed several colorful bubbles floating across the screen. "There's the tundra and the magma pools and the rainforest— that's where the Greens live, Jacen will like them, they're—"

"Jacen likes real animals, Ben. Don't be upset if he's not into Holopets like you are."

Mom's voice cut in before Ben could respond. "Eleri…"

"What? I'm just saying."

Mom held her gaze; this time there was a trace of warning in her tone. "I know what you were 'just saying.'"

Eleri was about to protest when Nidia leaned in close to Ben and smiled. "I'm sure Jacen would love to meet your Holopets."

Ben beamed at her and did a squirmy dance in his seat. "I'm gonna show him all my Greens, they love plants and nature and bugs and stuff, just like him." He held the screen up to Nidia's face. "See?"

Eleri scowled at her sister, but Nidia wasn't paying attention, too absorbed with whatever Ben was telling her about his game.

"Hey." Her dad entered the cabin and touched a hand to Mom's shoulder, then leaned down to kiss her cheek. "Everything okay?"

Mom crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair. "Someone is a little out of sorts, apparently."

"I'm fine," Eleri said quickly, turning her attention back to her datapad. From the corner of one eye, she saw Mom and Dad exchange one of their looks, which meant a talk was probably coming next. She tried to read her screen more aggressively, but the words had ceased to hold any meaning. Another voice interrupted her agitated thoughts, but it wasn't Mom or Dad.

"She's upset because she had to miss the special class with Master Enwandung-Esterhazy," Nidia was saying softly. Eleri gripped the pad harder and shot a glare at her sister, who offered only a baffled look in return.

Dad turned back to her. "Special class…?"

Eleri couldn't take her father's uncomprehending stare. She bit the inside of her lip and looked away. "It doesn't matter, I told her I couldn't go."

"What kind of class was it?"

"Dad, I told you, it doesn't matter."

He arched one eyebrow, that frustratingly patient and all-knowing dad look on his face. He was going to keep awkwardly staring at her until she gave in, because of course he was.

"Fine," she relented, tilting her head back against the headrest before turning to face him. "Master Scout invited me and a few other Padawans to a special dueling class. She said she was impressed by my performance in the tournament. Happy?"

Dad and Mom exchanged another look – relieved, amused, still confused… she couldn't really tell.

"Of course we're happy, Eleri," Dad said. "That's wonderful news."

"Not really, because I told her I couldn't go. Because I have to go to the other side of the galaxy to look at plants and bugs."

"To see your cousin," Mom corrected.

"Speaking of which," Dad continued, as if nothing at all was amiss. "Jacen says he's looking forward to a sparring match with the Padawan who almost beat the Temple champ."

Eleri rolled her eyes, though this time she couldn't muster up the proper annoyance to back that move. "I didn't almost beat him, Dad. He cleaned my chrono."

"Well, I thought it was a great match. And Padawan Bron is nearly eighteen, and he had the advantage over you in height, weight, strength, agility—"

"Okay, Dad, I get it." Eleri rolled her eyes again and sank lower in her seat. "You don't have to remind me of all the ways I'm lacking."

"Lacking? Is that what you think?" Dad's gaze softened, which, weirdly enough, made her want to melt into the chair. "Kiddo, you took on one of the best duelists I've seen in years, whose victory was all but assured from the minute he stepped into that circle, and you made him work for it."

She tried not to look too pleased. "I did?"

"Yeah." Mom stood and sat next to her, draping an arm around her shoulders. "You did."

Eleri swallowed hard, recalling the disappointment she'd felt as she lay there on the ground after the final match, defeated, all her wild, impossible hopes swiftly and suddenly dashed. How embarrassed she'd been, how she wished she could run away and not have to stand there in the spotlight with the victor while the whole crowd whispered about what a failure she was. She remembered how that disappointment had melted away when she looked into her opponent's face and saw him – the gloomy prodigy, the humorless champion, the boy who never so much as grinned – actually smiling back at her. Sure, it wasn't much of a smile, more like the ghost of one, really – but it wasn't mocking or smug or worst of all, pitying. It was real, and it was because of her, because of how she'd fought him. For the briefest moment, it felt almost like winning.

"She invited him, too," Eleri said slowly, searching for the right words. "I thought if I trained alongside him, maybe I could learn… maybe I could get even better, and—and show him…" She exhaled and bit her lip. "I don't know, it sounds stupid when I say it out loud."

"Not stupid at all," Dad said gently. "But there will be more opportunities for special training, Eleri."

"You think so?"

"I know so."

Mom squeezed her shoulders. "Next time, tell us about these things. Even if you don't think it matters."

Across the cabin, Ben bounced up on his knees, shoving the datapad in Nidia's face.

"Look!" he whisper-shouted. "Nidia, look! My Cyan bubble is about to burst!"

Eleri caught her dad's eyes, and the tension broke as they all laughed at her brother's excitement.

"Cyan?" Dad crossed the cabin and leaned over Ben's shoulder. "Where did you learn that word?"

"Da-aad." Ben heaved a great sigh, in perfect imitation of their mother. "I learned it from Holopets Adventure!"

"Is that so?" Dad winked at Eleri as he sat next to Ben. "That looks pretty wizard. I might have to start playing Holopets, too."

Mom hugged her close and smirked at Dad. "Uh-oh. Hide your datapads, kids."

Eleri laughed and leaned into the hug. Maybe Dad was right. There would be time for training later. For now, she would enjoy her family… and all the Holopets that came with them.

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