Popular Mechanics, Tuesday, May 26, 2015

[momslilassassin]

True to his word, Ben had constucted a 28-foot platform down by the docks for the mechanics students to launch their flying machines into the water from.

How much did you trust your own ability to fight gravity, kids? Because it's now or never.

In the spirit of fun, Ben had even constructed his own craft that looked like a big wheel bicycle--mostly because he'd felt like it.

"Right, we're going to help push each other's machines over the edge and see who's gets the furthest," Ben said with a grin. "Hope no one here melts if they get wet. As a reminder, all of your machines must be human-powered and can't be longer than 10m or heavier than 150 kg, including yourself."

He pointed to some squirrels chittering down at the bottom of the platform, waving digital cameras. "All of this will be filmed for posterity, so if you don't want the pictures getting out, take it up with them after your run. So...who's going first?"

Comments

Re: Talk to Ben or Barry!

[endsthegame]

"Well, you earned it," Ender said, looking fondly at where Val laid cradled in Ben's arms.

Re: Talk to Ben or Barry!

[momslilassassin]

Ben smiled back at him, eyes fond and only a little exhausted.

Re: Talk to Ben or Barry!

[endsthegame]

Ender leaned in and kissed him again. "I love you too," he said.

Re: Talk to Ben or Barry!

[momslilassassin]

"I know," Ben whispered, eyes fond. "Let's get walking."

Re: Talk to Ben or Barry!

[endsthegame]

"All right," Ender said, with a little chuckle. "You can tell me about your class in-depth."

And as such, he started to walk.

Re: Talk to Ben or Barry!

[momslilassassin]

Since Ben was carrying Val, he couldn't use his hands to describe the splashes of the various vehicles the kids had come up with, but his voice was hopefully animated enough.

Val was certainly entranced by it.

Re: Talk to Ben or Barry!

[endsthegame]

Probably because he was talking so much...

Ender listened to him happily, if not with completely rapt attention; he liked Ben's enthusiasm more than he was specifically interested in any of the splashes. "You're having fun."

Re: Talk to Ben or Barry!

[momslilassassin]

"I am," Ben agreed. "It's fun to see what kind of random and unnecessary embellishments Thorin's going to put on his project every week."

Re: Talk to Ben or Barry!

[endsthegame]

"What was his take this time?" Ender asked.

Re: Talk to Ben or Barry!

[momslilassassin]

Ben laughed and described it. "Not as bad as the car," he concluded, "but still about twenty pounds of stuff he could have gotten rid of."

Re: Talk to Ben or Barry!

[endsthegame]

"But where would be the fun in that," said Ender, who was not of that particular mindset but knew enough people who were.

Re: Talk to Ben or Barry!

[momslilassassin]

"Dunno," Ben said, "but maybe it would have floated for a few more seconds."

Re: Talk to Ben or Barry!

[endsthegame]

"Function over style?" Ender said. "That's not how I know you."

Well, maybe a little bit.

Re: Talk to Ben or Barry!

[momslilassassin]

"I like style with function," Ben said, grinning. "Like a lightsaber."

Re: Talk to Ben or Barry!

[endsthegame]

Ender chuckled. "You're going to hear a lot of this," he told Val. "I'm not sure why the Jedi are so obsessed with their phallic toys."

Re: Talk to Ben or Barry!

[momslilassassin]

"You know about 80 percent of why," Ben teased.

Re: Talk to Ben or Barry!

[endsthegame]

"You just like phallic things?" Ender joked.

Re: Talk to Ben or Barry!

[momslilassassin]

"Yes, yes we do," Ben said, grinning back.

Re: Talk to Ben or Barry!

[endsthegame]

They were going to miss talking like this when Val was older, and they were going to embarrass the hell out of their children when they were teenagers, just to get revenge for it.

"Well, I'm not asking Valentine Senior to babysit for us again this soon," Ender teased, "But hold that thought. Maybe we can indulge that later."

Re: Talk to Ben or Barry!

[momslilassassin]

In the fine school of "Han and Leia talk about their sex lives to their children"!

"If Tiny Val would sleep longer than two hours at a stretch when we also weren't sleeping for two hours at a stretch..."

Re: Talk to Ben or Barry!

[endsthegame]

"So maybe later will be next week," Ender said. Optimistically. "I still want you to hold that thought."

Re: Talk to Ben or Barry!

[momslilassassin]

Ben grinned. "It's me. I'll remember."

Re: Talk to Ben or Barry!

[endsthegame]

Ender leaned in to kiss his cheek. "Just don't whip out your lightsaber in class."

Re: Talk to Ben or Barry!

[momslilassassin]

Ben burst out laughing. "That's Granddad's class."

Re: Talk to Ben or Barry!

[endsthegame]

"Oh, right," Ender said, shooting him an amused look. "Him and his friend's."

Ahem.