The Bloodstripe Reflex
Chapter One
Leia studied her datapad, and managed to hold back the smile that tugged at her lips. Her representation of the Millennium Falcon would never be considered fine art, and she knew that the tutors from her girlhood wouldn't be particularly impressed by it, but all in all she thought it wasn't a bad drawing. She'd captured the ship soaring up and away, an action well-suited to both the souped-up freighter and her adrenaline junkie pilot. Leia was still astounded at how much she loved both said pilot—and said ship.
"Princess Leia, wouldn't you agree that the number of personnel the representative from Sullust is requesting is more than the Provisional Council can authorize?" Mon Mothma fixed the princess with a cool stare, at once both challenging and scolding.
"On the contrary, I'm concerned that the number isn't great enough to deal with the threat from the Imperial troops in that quadrant." Leia met her mentor's—correction, former mentor—icy look with one of her own. If Mon Mothma thought she'd caught the princess not paying attention, she was sadly mistaken. Leia had been playing the games of politics and diplomacy for far too long to not know how to multitask.
And with that they were off again. Arguments flew around the council chamber, point and counterpoint; Leia returned her attention to her datapad. It wasn't that the princess was bored—she wasn't—but she was weary. She had known that it was too much to hope that the Empire would just fade away into the darkness of the Unknown Regions after the death of Palpatine; Leia was too smart of a woman to have ever believed that was possible. It was just that everyone, the whole kriffing Alliance, had been so elated after their victory at Endor—so hopeful. Yet here they were; still fighting the same battles, still making the same decisions, and still worrying about who would live and who would die. They might have cut off the head of the Empire, but the body refused to die. It felt as if the war had never really ended, because for so many, it hadn't.
Glancing down at the table in front of her, Leia almost laughed out loud. Her doodling had added a crude rendition of a space slug, along with a few mynocks, to join the Millennium Falcon in her drawing. Of all the moments of the past six years, she wouldn't have thought the time spent in the belly of a giant slug would be worthy of remembering. Once again, Leia forced herself not to smile. Contrary to all imagining, the time spent hiding in that slug, in that asteroid, had been a major turning point in her life. A turning point for which she would be eternally grateful.
A rather screeching objection being voiced by the representative from Sullust drew the princess's eyes back to the council chamber floor. Leia could sympathize with the Sullustan's dismay, even while she cringed at the sound of it. Fortunately for her hearing, several other representatives were already shouting the poor soul down. It was business as usual during wartime. Leia didn't bother to hide her sigh, drawing another look from Mon Mothma. The princess smiled sadly back at the older woman.
Her artistic endeavors complete, Leia looked to the sky window in the chamber's high ceiling. As near as she could see past Coruscant's towering edifices and the ever present pollution, the skies above were as clear as they were ever could be. Han and Chewie would have good conditions when they brought the Falcon in—and they'd be landing any time now. Han would be home. Gods she had missed him!
And, gods, she had worried about him.
Han, Chewbacca, and the Millennium Falcon were still the perfect combination when it came to acquiring goods and information for the New Republic's seemingly never-ending battle against the remnants of the Empire. Han and Chewie's smuggling skills—and their inherent bravery—joined with the Falcon's over-powered engines and over-powered weapons got them in and out of places no one else could manage.
That didn't stop the princess from worrying.
Leia had wanted to go with them; staying behind and waiting patiently had never been part of her particular skill set. However, the two tiny lives she was responsible for, tucked safely within her womb, had dissuaded her from accompanying Han and Chewbacca on their mission. Actually, it hadn't, but Han had. When the princess had suggested that there was no particular reason she couldn't go with them, Han's responding, and negative, roar had challenged any howl of rage Chewie had ever issued, at least for sheer volume. It wasn't often that the Corellian rejected one of Leia's suggestions outright, so when he did, it was not something to be taken lightly. Especially when he was right; curse the man. So Leia had remained on Coruscant, listening to testimony Threepio would be better equipped to handle, and worrying about the safety of her children's father.
However, the mission had been a success; Han had confirmed this with central command as soon as it had been safe for him to make a report. All that was left was for the ship to return with the badly needed munitions. Which would be any time now.
The princess took a sip of water and stifled a yawn. It wasn't the droning voice of the Bothan representative that was making her tired, well not completely, anyway. Leia was surprised to discover that just being pregnant could wear one down. Another reason Han was right to insist—demand—that she remain on Coruscant. However, she couldn't keep her lips from twitching with irritation at the thought.
Those lips slowly lifted to a smile as she thought of reuniting with her beloved. Leia could almost feel his work-callused hands holding her body close to his, and his lips, both soft and firm, as they moved down from her breasts, to her belly, and beyond. She yearned for the weight of his hard body as he lowered himself onto her… The princess bit back on her anticipation as she saw Mon Mothma's stern look, and felt her cheeks warm with a blush. Maybe the older woman had a point this time.
The harsh sound of a warning siren, even muted through the walls of the council chamber, caused the Bothan representative to stumble over his oratory and glance nervously out the sky window. However, the sky beyond remained empty of anything other than normal air traffic for Coruscant, and the Bothan continued. As other Council members shifted in their seats and looked to windows and doors, Mon Mothma tapped her aide on the shoulder. Hirani, the young Twi'lek female, slid gracefully from her seat and climbed the steep stairs to the exit. Coruscant had remained relatively free from Imperial attack, but that didn't mean that each and every one of its citizens didn't expect it—and an attack on the New Republic Council would be quite a coup for the Empire.
The aide returned almost immediately and whispered in her superior's ear. Mon Mothma rose and cleared her throat.
"Pardon my interruption, gentlebeings," the older woman began, her cool, clear voice reaching the far corners of the chamber. "I know that all are wondering what the cause of the warning klaxon was." Mon Mothma let her eyes survey the chamber, encompassing everyone with her gaze. "I have been assured by Colonel Derlin's staff that there is no cause for alarm. There was an accident involving one of the pilot trainees. The siren was merely to warn off approaching ships until the docking bay is cleared." She smiled at the Bothan speaker to continue.
A wave of conflicting emotions washed over Leia. Foremost was disappointment; she hoped this wouldn't delay the Millennium Falcon's arrival. She reproached herself almost immediately. If control had to redirect incoming traffic, it must have been a bad accident; there was a distinct possibility the young pilot involved was seriously injured, if they hadn't been killed outright. How could she worry about Han returning home late in the face of such a tragedy? The princess shifted uncomfortably in her seat. So many lives had been lost already, but each one still hurt her.
In an unconscious gesture, Leia placed a protective hand over her belly, symbolically shielding her children from the harsh realities of life. Luke had told her that the twins were already aware through the Force, in a very basic way, of their mother's thoughts and feelings. Leia hadn't tried any direct communication with the infants—she wasn't sure that she could—but she did her best to send the twins calming, happy thoughts. Then she returned her attention to the business of governing. As tedious and drawn-out as the process could be, the princess reminded herself to be grateful they were free to bore one another to tears. Some good had come of the long war.
"Your highness?" A hoarse whisper sounded behind her.
Leia turned with a start to see one of the door monitors standing just at her left shoulder. The serious, guarded look in the Kuati's dark face stirred a twinge of uncertainty in the princess.
"Yes?" she whispered back.
"Would you step outside for a moment, please?" he requested.
Leia's seed of uncertainty sprouted into a bud of anxiety as she followed Mon Mothma's gaze to the door of the council chamber. Colonel Derlin stood just inside the chamber, his clothes rumpled and stained dark with soot, his eyes solemn and sympathetic. Colonel Derlin—he had been major Derlin then—had been in charge of the hangar and ships at Echo Base. When Hoth had evacuated ahead of the Imperial attack, he had managed the chaos with a calm hand. Whatever had brought him here, away from his job, couldn't be good.
Leia gave one sharp nod in reply as she rose. Nothing could have happened to Han and Chewie, she assured herself, nor the Falcon. Mon Mothma's aide had reported that it had been a training accident. If the incident had involved another ship—especially the Falcon—they would have said so, wouldn't they? There would be no reason to withhold that information, unless, of course, they felt they couldn't upset the princess in her delicate condition.
The spike irritation the princess felt at that thought disappeared as she started up the stairs to the chamber exit. Real fear blossomed as she saw her own aide and dear friend, Winter, standing in the corridor behind Colonel Derlin, Leia's bag clutched in her slim, white hands. Leia's breath caught in her throat as a premonitory shudder caused her to stumble on the steps. Only the Kuati's quick grasp of her elbow kept her from tumbling back down the steep incline.
There wasn't a doubt in Leia's mind; something had happened to Han.