A/N: This story takes place in the Breezyverse (DarthBreezy's version of the post-RotJ story of the Skywalker family) but can be read independently from the rest. It takes place, though, a few weeks before our co-written story Sailing Little Boats. But the only thing you really need to know is that the Uncle Kay mentioned at the end is Aubé's (Luke's wife) brother and Uncle Toa is Kay's life-mate. Enjoy!
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Of Wookiees and Life-debts
Chewbacca palmed open the door to the Solos apartment, shaking his head, and stepped outside. Ugh, since the Princess and Han had rediscovered their intimacy after the first rocky months of her pregnancy they were at it like if the Galaxy was going to implode in a few more days.
Well, who knows, maybe they're right, the big Wookiee thought wryly. With two more Solos in it and the number of Skywalkers up to six...
He remembered with longing his own mate, Mallatobuck. It had been a while since he had seen her and in fact he had promised to bring her to Coruscant for the twin's birth. Maybe now was the right time to make a quick visit to Kashyyyk.
"Uncle Chewie?"
Speaking of the new generation of Skywalkers.
Hey, cub, what are you doing here all by yourself? He asked to Luke's firstborn, Pemberian.
The girl and her late twin brother Tamillen had been born in Corellia after a short but apparently intense romantic interlude that the Jedi had had with their mother, the fellow Rebel pilot Aubé Tough as Nails Canaille. Why Aubé had chosen not to tell him about the birth of his children until last year was a mystery for everybody, except maybe Luke himself. Anyway, after meeting again the couple had renewed their relationship, married and soon enough they had a new baby on the way, which was slated to arrive a few weeks after their cousins.
"My Pay-pa just came back from Naboo a couple of hours ago and Mama asked me to go stay with Auntie Leia and Uncle Han until dinner time..." Pem explained, her face making perfectly clear that she was fully aware about what her parents were up to.
Chewbacca rolled his eyes. It seemed that those two also feared that the Galaxy was about to come to an end. OK, they all ready were raising Pem, so maybe their fears had a little more substance to it.
Want to accompany me to the spaceport?
The girl's clear blue eyes sparkled. "That'll be wizard, Uncle Chewie!"
The hairy giant bent one knee and offered his arm to Pem who climbed up to his shoulder with practiced ease. Hold on, cub, Chewie wooffed breaking into a ligth run, the Wookiee Express is about to depart!
Pemberian squealed with delight.
//
"Thanks for taking care of Pem again, Chewie," Aubé Canaille-Skywalker said, blushing slightly as she arrived to the Solos apartment for dinner. "I was worried when Leia said she wasn't with her..."
The Wookiee transferred the girl to Luke's waiting arms. It's my pleasure, Nails, he growled amicable. In fact I wanted to ask you if it'd be ok if I take her for a short trip to Kashyyyk... I think the change of air will suit her and you'll have more time to rest... or whatever... - he added pointedly - before the little one arrives.
Now it was Luke's turn to blush while his wife laughed loudly. "That would be fantastic, Chewie... What do you say, Pem?"
"Yay, I'm going to Kashyyyk!" she yelled savagely.
Chewbacca massaged his sensitive ear. It's settled then, I'll ask Han for permission... Would you like to meet my family, Pem?
//
"Why does he need to ask for permission?" Pem whispered to Luke later.
The men plus Pemberian had settled to watch a smashball game in front of the holoviewer while the pregnant ladies attacked a second helping of dessert in the kitchen.
"Who?"
"Uncle Chewie." The girl's words were buried under Solo and his first mate's yelling irately about a near miss by the Corellian team.
"What?"
"Why does he need to ask for permission to go to Kashyyyk?"
"He doesn't."
"But he did. I heard him."
"That's because he says he owes a life-debt to Uncle Han... It's complicated, Little Pilot."
"A life-debt... What's that?"
"Who's talking about a life-debt?" Han Solo interjected.
"Why does Uncle Chewie owe a life-debt to you?" Pem insisted, her blue eyes turning to the Corellian. Luke coughed. He knew Han hated to talk about it.
"Uh..." The ex -smuggler scratched the back of his neck. How to explain slavery, exploitation and torture to a nine-years-old girl?
He saved me from some bad guys who had separated me from my family and made me a slave, Chewbacca barked softly but clear. They were about to kill me and the cub here – he gave emphasis to his words poking Solo's shoulder – saved my life... That's why I owe it to him. And it was only he against twenty of them!
Pemberian's eyes went very wide. "Twenty? And you killed them with your blaster and all?"
Han Solo twitched uncomfortable, grimacing under the look of adoration of the girl. "Well..."
"So that's why he is your slave now, right?" She continued without stopping to breathe.
"What? No!" Han yelled indignantly, taken by surprise.
Pem jumped into his father's arms security again. Chewie barked the equivalent of a Wookiee laugh.
"Look, kiddo, that's not it..." Han tried to clarify. "The furball is NOT my slave, he can come and go as he likes, and even some days I wish he would go and leave me in peace..."
"But he's still separated from his family..." She said with a small voice, her eyes full of tears.
"Because he just THINKS he has this stupid debt with me and I've been trying to make him get into his thick skull that he doesn't need to follow me around for the past twenty years!"
You know I won't leave you.
"See?"
"I don't understand..."
"C'mere..." Reluctanty, Pem went to sit on Han's knees. The Corellian cleared his throat. "I don't understand it much either, kid, it's a Wookiee thing, you know..." The girl nodded. "The big oaf here is the best friend I could ever wish for..."
That I am, Chewie nodded his approval.
"And the humblest too..." Solo added, rolling his eyes. "He's family, anyways."
Pemberian's face lightened all of a sudden. "Now I've got it."
"Really?" Han smiled proudly. This parenting thing wasn't going to be so difficult as he feared after all...
"Yes!" She beamed. "It's like Uncle Kay and Toa..."
Han Solo stood abruptly and transferred Pem to his father again. "You know what kid? It's your kid, after all, you explain THAT to her. And you," he pointed his index at the Wookiee, "can fulfill at least half of your debt helping him. I've got something to fix on the Falcon."
Chewbacca and Luke rolled on the floor with laughter.
THE END