GOING BACK TO YESTERDAY #10
The Later Adventures of Han Solo
Han Solo woke slowly, barely opening his eyes. He shifted position to lie flat on his back, and stared up at the ceiling of his cabin. Running a hand down his face, brushing past the prickly beard stubble that had grown since yesterday, and thought. 'What am I doing here? I could be home with Leia, seeing her and Ben every day…'. Then he remembered…he wanted to go back to hauling to earn enough money so they could have a place of their own….enough so they wouldn't have to be separated ever again. It was going to take a lot of legal hauling jobs to do that, 'I made in a day smuggling what the two week hauling job paid. And it was a lot easier too…no restrictions, regulations you just deliver and got paid…and no taxes and no trails.' But, he couldn't put Leia and Ben in harm's way, one botched job, like dumping the spice he had hauled for Jabba and they'd be after his family. Jabba had captured Leia once. Nope…better to do it the hard way….. He sat up on the edge of the bunk, stretching muscles. "Better get going." He said to himself. "Chewie will be wanting his rest time."
He stood and pulled up the bedclothes…smiling…one didn't forget years of military training….it became second-nature. Slipping out of his unders and throwing them into the cleaner he padded to the shower.
Humming a bawdy tune he'd learned in one of the cantinas he'd frequented years ago, he shaved
quickly, then grabbed a clean pair of pants and shirt and after sliding into his black boots and tightening the blaster belt in place around his hips and thigh, he was ready for the day.
"Hey, Chewie!" He called, rounding the hallway to the cockpit.
("About time you got here.") The Wookiee answered as Han slipped into his pilot's seat.
Putting a hand to his chest, Han replied in mock seriousness, "I can't help it… takes time to look this good."
His partner gave a snort. ("There's kava and protein bread in the galley. Here are the
readings from ship's 'overnight'. Nothing going on.")
"You get some rest. I'll call about the animal transport job. We'll make a decision about
going for it when you get up and I've talked to Leia. I still need to give you your part of the credits
for your work on the hauling job."
The Wookiee nodded and left the cockpit. Han checked the nav-computer; satisfied, he
left to get the kava and bread.
*****
Taking a last sip from the cup, Han keyed the com-link to the frequency Dom Tolar had given him.
An alarm sounded drawing his attention and he reached behind himself to the far left and
flipped a toggle switch, silencing the alarm. He read the console scanner and found a minor miscalculation and adjusted it. The com-link static stopped and a voice came through clearly.
"Answering a random summons. This is Agra-Base Four, Voth Mugo here. Identify yourself."
"Agra-Base, this is the Millennium Falcon's Captain, Han Solo. I was given some information that
you are looking for haulers for living stock."
"That's right. You have an Intergalactic Hauling Guild card?"
"Sure do."
"The pick-up is on Merga near the Rim."
Han was pulled that up on his navi-screen as the man spoke, and gave a nod. It was reachable
in a solar-day hyperspace travel. "What's the cargo?" Han asked.
"We need to have a substantial number of txori taken to the farm planet Ziad." Han zoomed in on the planet and calculated it to be a two solar day trip from Merga.
Han knit his brow, "What are txori?"
"Small, avians, just about a half foot in height. They're feathered but wingless, have two legs and webbed feet. They're beaked and chirp. They can range in color from pale yellow to dark orange. At maturity they are about a foot and a half in height and lay eggs that are a great source of protein food."
"What's the pay?"
"One-hundred and fifty thousand credits."
Han Whistled under his breath. "Any special care for them?"
"Just feed and water them. We supply the transport food."
"Any fees or other expenses upon pick-up or delivery?" Han didn't want any surprises on this trip.
"None. Just take them there and unload."
"We'll take the job. I'll be heading to Merga as soon as we finish talking."
"Tell me your ship's identification."
"A YT1300 Corellian freighter, Millennium Falcon."
"Here are the coordinates for landing and pickup." Han wrote down the navigational coordinates.
"Come to the large, fenced installation and ask for me, Voth Mugo."
"Fine, my partner and I will be there in a few standard hours." Han said, hoping Chewbacca didn't mind him taking the job without checking with him and knowing he wouldn't.
"Got the job, Leia. Great pay. It's a just a few days and I'll be home in about a week. I'll take Chewie back too."
"That will work out fine. There are five planet representatives coming I have to meet with and I should be finished with them by that time. I will be SO glad to have you home…and so will Ben."
"How is he?"
"He's been doing great. No problems. Doing his homework. Talking with Luke. Still practicing
with his glo-rod."
"That makes me feel better." Han told her. "He will be a Jedi in the future…it's in him and is
his heritage. Luke will guide him. You clear all your responsibilities because when I get home,
the next day we are going away for at least three solar days."
"That sounds so nice. I'll do my best." Leia responded.
"Ben around?"
"No, he's already gone to school. Be sure to have him something when you come home."
"I won't forget." Han assured her. "I love you."
"I love you, too." Leia whispered back before she keyed off the transmission.
Han set the coordinates and watched out the cockpit windows…he loved space flight, it was in his
blood as much as being a Jedi was in Ben's….
Plodding footsteps broke into his musing as Chewbacca entered the cockpit and squirmed
into his co-pilots seat.
"I went ahead and took the job, Chewie, hauling txori for a hundred and fifty thousand credits.
A solar week trip." The Wookiee nodded and growled agreement.
"How about we go home after this haul and see our sweethearts?"
Chewbacca nodded enthusiastically.
Han calculated for hyper-flight to Merga and watched as the stationary light of the stars
turned to streaks as they shot into hyperspace.
MORE TO COME…