GOING BACK TO YESTERDAY # 18
The Later Adventures of Han Solo
Han Solo buckled the blaster belt and pushed down to secure it around his hips, then sat down under the white-leaved tree. Scooting back, he leaned against the trunk; drawing up his right leg. Snatching a twig from the tree, he put it between his lips and began nonchalantly chewing the stem as he watched Leia replait her hair.
Leia finished and wound the rope around her head, tucking the tip under to hold it in place.
She scooted up to Han's left side; snuggled under his shoulder and laid her arm across his waist.
Han circled her with his arm. No words were spoken, none were needed, they were joined completely in body, soul and spirit.
"You have a name for this place?" Leia broke the silence.
"No."
Leia wiggled around, "Let's think up a name. How about 'Han's Hideout'?"
Han laughed. "Organa's Outpost."
"Oh, no….'Smugglers Steal-away."
"Leia's Love nest."
Leia chewed on a fingernail. "How about Solo's Solace?"
Han nodded. "You can call it anything you want. I know the coordinates." Han sat up. "You hungry?"
"A little." Leia admitted.
Han took her hand. "Come with me." They stood and followed the pebbled path a little farther around the lake. Han stopped at a tree that was loaded down and leaning with large, oblong, brown pods. He pulled at one…nothing happened…then tugged a little stronger.
"Why don't you shoot it." Leia teased. "That seems to be your method for most anything."
This time, Han gave her a 'look' of his own.
With one last tug, the pod broke free, causing Han to almost lose his balance. He placed the half- meter sized pod tip end on the ground and placed the blade of his knife on a soft spot on the other
end. Hitting the knife handle with a swift slap, the pod's casing split and fell away in four equal
parts; exposing the light brown food inside. Han cut several pieces for them, then snapped the knife shut and slid it back into his pocket. They settled themselves on the soft moss.
"What is this?" Leia questioned.
"Don't know if it has a name, but it is good." Han said around a mouthful.
Leia took a bite of the soft square she was holding. "It tastes nutty and a little salty."
They ate from the pod, and when finished, Han wiped his hands down his pants leg.
Leia shook her head….she'd seen Ben do just the same thing at snack time.
"How did you know this was edible and not poisonous?" She asked.
Han smiled that cocky, self-confident smile that both delighted and infuriated her. "When I first found this place…I ate flight rations…I began to cut open the things I came across. There are small insects around here, so I'd watch and when the little bugs ate the food…if they didn't die…it was alright."
Leia nodded in amazement. "You are very resourceful."
"You'll find out just how resourceful I am later on." Han teased, wiggling an eyebrow.
"We'll get a drink back here."
A few feet behind the tree was a blue-moss covered rock formation; water running in a stream over the top rock, down about eight feet to the ground. They walked through the dense moss to the small stream. Han cupped his hands, caught the cold water and held it up for Leia to drink.
Wiping her chin, while Han was filling his hands again, Leia shook her head. "Here." She said, and
cupped her hands under the water, then lifted them to her husband. Han drank from her hands, giving her a smile.
"It's gonna be dark in a little while." Han said gazing up at the sky, " I'd better get our things from the ship."
"Get our things? I thought we were sleeping on the Falcon."
"Not tonight, sweetheart," Han told her. "We spend a lot of time flying among the stars, tonight,
we are gonna sleep under 'em."
Arm in arm they walked back to the heating stones. "You stay here. I'll be right back." Han told her. As he disappeared into the undergrowth, Leia sat down on the rock. Sunlight was
fading and she hoped Han made it back before full dark. She began wondering how things were going back home with Luke and Ben. She shook her head…things were fine…Luke could take care of everything. Her thoughts drifted to the afternoon with Han, how relaxed they had both become…
Just enjoying being together…expressing their love for one another.
So deep in her thoughts, she jumped when she heard a tree branch break. "Han!?"
"It's me." He croaked, coming into view, Leia had to laugh. He was laden down with their
duffle bags and what looked like a dozen blankets. She ran to help.
"Did you contact Luke while you were on the ship?" Leia asked.
"No. And I told Luke not to com-link us. Don't want any communication signals to come from or to
this area. It will give away the position and let anyone know this is habitual." Han explained.
Leia nodded in understanding.
"Let's take these down to that tall rock formation by the lake." Han said as he handed over
several items to her. They made their way through the sandy area to the formation.
Han shrugged off the duffle bags and took the blankets from Leia. In the twilight, Leia went to the
formation, wondering about making their sleeping area around it. "Han!" She exclaimed.
"It's hollow. The rock is hollow." She looked inside…it was like a small room.
Han brought over two blankets and they made a bed on the soft sand inside the shell of the rock. "This is cozy." Leia said.
The slowly creeping darkness had finally spread over the area. The light from the small moon far away was just enough to keep them from fumbling around in the dark, so Han built a small fire on
the ground in front of the rock's opening.
"This will give us a little warmth and light." Han told her as he sat down, pulling her with him,
Leia had changed into her gown and Han had shucked down to his fitted, dark blue undershorts.
Propped up against the shell rock, Han bent both knees. Leia scooted between them, laying her
head on his chest. Han rubbed the side of her face with his chin, the light stubble scraping her skin.
The rhythmic rolling of the waves from the lake to the shore was the only sound in the absolute silence.
"You ever think about us having another child?" Han asked, pulling a tendril of Leia's hair between two fingers.
She pondered for a moment, then answered. "It would be nice to have a little girl. A sister for Ben."
She felt Han's chest rise in a short laugh. "She'd sure have your bantha-headed stubbornness and
sharp-tongue."
Leia twisted around… "Or she could have your patience and fool-hearty bravery." she shot back at him sarcastically.. both burst into laughter.
"Oh, Han." This is so nice…and so romantic" She nuzzled his neck.
Han nodded, proud of himself… "So, what are you gonna do to make it more romantic?"
Leia lifted her eyes to the sky in fake thought, a finger to her temple. "Well, I am wearing this nightgown." The silver-like material of the gown reflected the light from the fire and was
nearly as bright as the twinkle of happiness in Leia's eyes.
Some time later, inside the rock's shell , both were nestled under the warm blanket. Leia was
nearly asleep when Han gently jostled her. "Hummm?"
"Look…out there…over the flowers in the distance." Han whispered.
Leia leaned up and gasped in wonder…hundreds, no thousands of flying insects were darting
over the flowers and greenery, their colorful underbellies of red, pink, blue, green, yellow, orange, green and white glowing in the dark.
Leia looked up at her husband…. "Those are the same colors I see in the stars in my head whenever
I kiss you." She told him as she tussled his shaggy brown hair.
MORE TO COME….. Dec. 15th…..