THE RETURN OF HAN SOLO Chapt. 7

It was early morning when Dr. Alcy Revidian opened the door to Han Solo's room. "May our sun warm you all day."

Han looked up from the reading pad, then laid it aside, " Sounds like you're becoming a native

Saculkian."

"This is my world now." Alcy said as she approached his bedside, taking note of the empty meal tray; he was taking in nourishment. He looked better, not pale. She checked the readings on the monitors and saw he didn't have the drips any more.

"So, you like the food here?" She asked with a smile, sticking a hand in the pocket of her white coat.

Han gave a wry smile of his own. "I've had worse"*

"How you feeling? Hear you are going to be moved to a physical therapy unit today."

Han was able to lay flat now, but was sitting up in the bed. "Just another step to getting out of here."

She glanced at the reading pad. "Something interesting?"

Han followed her gaze. "Been reading about the newest models of ships…how they're outfitted." He didn't mention that he'd been doing some similar things, though illegally at the time, to his ship, the Falcon, for many years…just maybe they'd stolen some of those ideas from him!

"Been playing some board games with Irr, too?" She asked, nodding to the table, pleased he was keeping active and involved.

"Yeah…but it's not as lively a game as it was with my partner."

"Your partner…the Wookiee, Chew….a… Chew…"

"Chewbacca." Han finished for her.

"Han, I've been thinking about something you said a while ago. You said you didn't have a family…but you must have at one time…you have a son….

"I lost my son." Han stated flatly. "I told you who he became."

"No, you didn't lose your son, he just turned a different way. It happens to all families…we hope it doesn't. Parents do their best, but, children are individuals…as they grow and mature they make their own choices for good or bad, but they remain our children….we love them no matter what they do….our family forever." She hesitated before continuing.

She looked down at the nails on her free hand. "I have a younger sister….she became…a…cantina dancer….among other things."

"She wasn't trying to destroy planets… people." Han remarked sarcastically.

"No, but her actions destroyed our mother." Alcy finished.

Han had no rebut to that; just pursed his lips.

"Tell me about your mate. If I'm not asking something too personal."

Han took a deep breath. "Leia, my wife."

"Leia." Alcy repeated. "That was one of the names you whispered when we first found you.

"We're not together any more, haven't been for years."

Alcy smiled. "Yet, it was her name you said. You still care for her…..love her."

Nothing from Han.

Alcy sat in the chair by the bed. "That ring we found….she give that to you? She was Alderanni?"

Han looked up at the ceiling. "Yes. When our son, Ben, was little we took a getaway trip**.

Just ourselves, we'd been through so much with the battles, the relocating and all. I had two rings made;

one with the Alderanni crest and one with my Corellian home planet crest. We exchanged those rings

at that special place."

"And you kept the one of her home planet, which I know was destroyed years ago, all this time.

Did she keep yours?"

"I don't know." Han replied.

Alcy straightened in the chair. "Being a sentimental female myself, I imagine she did."

Han smiled…maybe.. he hoped.

"Don't let your son's self destruction destroy your life…the rest of your life…you do have a future now…you've come through an extremely serious medical event and doing well…it was as though that lightsaber blade just threaded through your body, missing vital areas. From what I'm told by Medical Official Dwa, you should return to full health," with a smile, Alcy added, "for a man your age."

Han chuckled as Alcy rose from the chair. "I need to get to my rounds." Pausing at the door, she turned to leave him with one last thought. "And don't take on any false guilt about your son or his actions. He is accountable for his own.

As Alcy opened the door, she was greeted by two transporter techs wheeling a gurney. She held the door open and heard them say as they entered. "Captain Solo…ready to start your therapy?"

"Let's go!" Han answered enthusiastically.

*Referenced from my story published here: IMPATIENT PATIENT

**Referenced from my story published here: GOING BACK TO YESTERDAY

MORE TO COME…July13th.